Timothy McCourt invested as circuit judge

Judge John Futch (retired) administers oath to Judge Timothy McCourt on Aug. 23, 2024. [Ocala Gazette]

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Posted August 24, 2024 | By Jennifer Hunt Murty
jennifer@ocalagazette.com

Hundreds of people gathered at the Marion County Judicial Center for the investiture of Judge Timothy McCourt on Aug 23.

The investiture came eight months after McCourt first took the seat appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis following the retirement of former Circuit Judge Larry Metz, who attended the ceremony along with at least 20 other sitting or retired judges from across the Fifth Judicial Circuit.

Chaplain Vernon Phillips opened the ceremony with a prayer for McCourt’s judgeship akin to what King Solomon prayed for, “an understanding mind,” so McCourt would be able to “discern between good and evil.”

Prior to appointment to the judicial bench, McCourt had served as the general counsel for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office since 2019 and was the most recent president of the Marion County Bar Association prior to appointment. Before his time at the sheriff’s office, McCourt served as an assistant state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit for 10 years, and about four years in private civil practice.

Robert Davis, as current chair of the Marion County Bar Association, ceremonially presented the judge’s robe to McCourt.

Sheriff Billy Woods spoke at the investiture and thanked McCourt for his service to that agency and acknowledged with humor that it wasn’t an easy position.

“There are probably two sheriffs in this state that attorneys sweat the most for, and that is myself and Grady Judd. They sweat the most because they never know what in the world is going to come out of our mouths or what we are going to do on any scene,” Woods said to the crowd.

Quoting the Bible book of Micah, Woods encouraged McCourt to seek justice, seek mercy, and maintain humility.

State Attorney Bill Gladson spoke of McCourt’s “connection to law enforcement” as a state prosecutor led him to work for Woods as general counsel. Gladson said McCourt also had a “connection to victims,” which gave him the ability to undertake sensitively prosecuting sex crimes during his time at the SAO office.

Retired County Judge John F. Futch administered the oath of office to McCourt.

Seventeen years earlier, Futch had administered McCourt’s admission to the Florida Bar and was recognized as a mentor of McCourt’s during his early years as a prosecutor. Futch said early on he recognized McCourt as “extraordinary lawyer” and was pleased to see him enter this next chapter.

McCourt promised the crowd to be “even handed” in his decisions and “take care” with the docket he was assigned.

McCourt thanked his family members who had traveled to the investiture and gave a special thanks to his parents for always encouraging him to “do my best.” McCourt recounted his father intervening to help him focus on a viable career path, when McCourt was “drifting” in college at age 19- focused on philosophy and playing music in a band.

The ceremony concluded with McCourt’s two young sons taking a turn hitting their father’s gavel on the podium to dismiss those gathered and move to the jury assembly room for tacos ordered by the new judge from LaHacienda Restaurant.