Davis to retain circuit court seat 13

Honorable Heidi Davis

Incumbent Judge Heidi Davis won another term serving in circuit seat 13 against challenger Zack McCormick- 125,496 votes to 79,041.

This judicial seat is currently assigned to Lake County.

The judicial race was nonpartisan and all voters in the 5th judicial circuit had the choice on their ballot.

The 5th judicial circuit consists of Marion, Sumter, Lake, Citrus, and Hernando counties.

Davis started practicing law in 1998 and was appointed to the bench in 2010 by then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Davis was the first female judge to serve in Hernando County and is currently the first and only female circuit court judge in Lake County.

During candidate forums, Davis indicated she had received endorsements from both Fifth Circuit State Attorney William Gladson and Fifth Circuit Public Defender Michael Graves, proof that “it’s fairness you’ll get in my court.”

According to the Florida Court Administrator, Circuit Court judges handle “civil disputes involving more than $50,000; controversies involving the estates of decedents, minors, and persons adjudicated as incapacitated; cases relating to juveniles; criminal prosecutions for all felonies; tax disputes; actions to determine the title and boundaries of real property; suits for declaratory judgments that is, to determine the legal rights or responsibilities of parties under the terms of written instruments, laws, or regulations before a dispute arises and leads to litigation; and requests for injunctions to prevent persons or entities from acting in a manner that is asserted to be unlawful.”

Circuit Court judges serve four-year terms and receive an annual salary of $196,898.