6 chosen for 'short list' to fill judge vacancy for 19th Circuit for Treasure Coast, Okeechobee County
After interviewing 11 applicants for the vacancy that will occur when Circuit Judge James McCann retires at the end of the month, the 19th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission submitted to the governor the names of one newcomer and five veterans.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has 60 days to make the appointment.
McCann said in a Jan. 4 letter to DeSantis he was resigning effective Feb. 28.
The 67-year-old McCann said that after 28 years as an attorney, including 12 years running his own law firm, and more than 16 years as a judge, he is eager to spend more time with his wife, Lynn, a paralegal; his two adult daughters and two grandchildren.
McCann’s successor will complete the two years remaining of his term, including his assignment in Okeechobee County. The 19th Judicial Circuit encompasses Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.
Here are the nominees:
Jeff Battista, a lawyer with the Grall Law Group in Vero Beach. He focuses on a family law practice, but also handles dependency cases. Battista also works as a Traffic Court Hearing Officer in St. Lucie and Indian River counties. He was admitted to the Bar in 2000 after earning his law degree at the University of Florida. He began his law career with a four-year stint as a prosecutor in Vero Beach. He opened the law firm Menz & Battista 16 years ago with former law partner Nicole Menz, who is now an Indian River County Court judge. This is the fifth time Battista has applied for a judicial vacancy and he has been nominated each time.
Jason J. Bruin, a felony division supervisor in St. Lucie County, was admitted to the Bar in 2003 after earning his law degree at Mercer University and has worked in the 19th Circuit State Attorney’s Office since then. He spent six years as a felony prosecutor in Indian River County. Born in Lima, Ohio, Bruin moved with his family to Wellington, Florida, at age 3, but lived various places growing up because his father worked for the Internal Revenue Service. He has been a Florida resident since 1993. This is the first time he has applied for a judicial vacancy.
Alexzander “Zan” Gonano has lived on the Treasure Coast most of his life. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Florida in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He earned his law degree at Nova Southeastern University and was admitted to the Bar in 2010. He worked a few years in criminal defense for a Fort Lauderdale firm and did plaintiff foreclosure work for a Boca Raton firm. In March 2013, he joined his father, Douglas Gonano, at the Fort Pierce firm Gonano and Harrell, where he mostly practices in real estate and business law.
Leatha D. Mullins, a native of Logan, West Virginia, earned her undergraduate degree in political science at the University of South Carolina and her law degree in 1994 at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Mullins worked for two years as an assistant state attorney in Ocala, then came to the Treasure Coast in 1997 to work for the 19th Circuit State Attorney’s Office. After three years, she left to work as a sole practitioner. In January 2017, Mullins was appointed Child Support Enforcement Hearing Officer of the 19th Circuit. In May 2020, she was appointed as General Magistrate of the 19th Circuit in Indian River and St. Lucie counties. This is the fourth vacancy Mullins has applied for and has been nominated each time.
Preethi Sekharan practices with the Gunster firm in Stuart, where she focuses on assisting the firm’s clients with business litigation and intellectual property disputes. She has handled a wide variety of fiduciary and trust-related litigation. She earned her law degree at New York Law School. Born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Benton Harbor, Michigan, she has worked in the Treasure Coast her entire 18-year career. This is the third vacancy she has applied for, and has been nominated each time.
Rebecca White grew up in Brevard County. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law and was hired in 2007 by former State Attorney Bruce Colton. As a prosecutor, she has tried more than 100 jury trials. In January 2019, she was promoted to supervisor of the St. Lucie County Court division and is responsible for training new prosecutors and managing a staff of 15 people, while also prosecuting serious felonies. This is the third vacancy White has applied for, and the second time she has been nominated.