Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Judicial Nomination topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sumter County public defender seeks commissioners’ recommendation for new county court judge seat
Summary
Chris Ropa, chief assistant public defender for Sumter County, asked commissioners for a letter of recommendation after the state authorized a second county court judge. Ropa said judges encouraged him to apply and named two other nominees under consideration.
Chris Ropa, chief assistant public defender for Sumter County, asked the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners on March 17 for a letter of recommendation to support his application for a newly authorized county court judge position.
Ropa told the board he supervises 14 attorneys and that Circuit Judge Hatcher and Judge Militello had encouraged him to seek the seat. He said the judicial nominating committee narrowed five original applicants to three forwarded to the governor: himself and two prosecutors, Shelby Send and Mike Kontzentakis.
Ropa summarized his legal background, saying he worked as a prosecutor in the Lake County State Attorney’s Office before joining the public defender’s office, has handled cases ranging from theft to first‑degree murder, and currently manages the Sumter County Public Defender’s Office. He said he asked the board to match the letter he had already sent to commissioners with a “face to the name.”
Chair (speaker 3) and other commissioners thanked Ropa for appearing; the board did not take a formal vote at the workshop but indicated the request would be considered and follow procedural steps for any formal recommendation.
The board moved on to other agenda items; no final action on a letter was recorded during the workshop. If commissioners choose to provide a letter, it would be included in the record sent to the governor’s office as part of the judicial appointment process.
