Judicial candidates

There are two judicial candidates vying for the 18th Judicial Circuit Group 17: Andrea Fant and Kristen Smith-Rodriguez. The other open judicial seats were not contested but OCN included profiles for those judges so you know who’s deciding important cases in your community. Candidates below are listed in alphabetical order to ensure fairness.

What do Circuit Court judges do?

The Seminole Circuit Court includes 10 judges. Seminole County is a part of the 18th Circuit, out of a total of 20 in Florida. Circuit court judges hear cases that are not in the jurisdiction of county courts, including family law and juvenile delinquency. Judges serve six-year terms with an annual salary of $182,060, excluding benefits.

Circuit Court Judges oversee: 

The Seminole Circuit Court serves Brevard and Seminole Counties.

Candidates (listed in alphabetical order to ensure fairness)

Andrea Fant

Andrea Fant is a 44-year-old Melbourne native and Florida State University and Florida A&M University graduate who practices law as an assistant public defender. She has past experience as a family and civil law attorney, including working in private practice and with the Florida Department of Revenue’s Child Support Enforcement Division. According to her campaign website her current role involves criminal defense of indigent defendants, including those with drug and alcohol abuse issues and with mental health challenges. She has experience in jury trials and arguing cases as high as the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeals. 

Fant has taken leadership roles in the legal community, graduating from the Florida Bar’s William Reece Smith Jr. Leadership Academy and served as president of the Brevard County Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She’s volunteered with civic organizations, including The Children’s Hunger Project. 

Her goals are to improve the efficiency of the justice system while not compromising people’s constitutional rights, and to ensure people of all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access to justice. She’s endorsed by several local leaders including Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. As of June 28 her campaign has raised $17,190.55, according the Florida Division of Elections. Learn more. 

Kristen Smith-Rodriguez

Kristen Smith-Rodriguez is a 39-year-old University of Central Florida and Florida Coast School of Law graduate who practices as a general magistrate, presiding over cases involving family law, child support, mental health and substance abuse. Magistrates are quasi-judicial officers whose rulings are reviewed and approved by a judge. 

She’s a board member and past president of the Kiwanis Club of Titusville, helped organize holiday gifts for children, and served as a mentor. 

According to her campaign website she believes her true calling lies in ensuring that the law is applied impartially and justly for every litigant. She’s a board member of the Florida Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. She was a contributor to a Florida Bar Journal article called “Blueprint for a More Effective Family Court Intake Process and Beyond: Opening the Umbrella to Process Family Court Cases.”
She’s been endorsed by several local and state officials including State Attorney Phil Archer. As of July 8 her campaign has raised $154,841.17, including self-funding. Learn more.

What do Seminole County judges do?

The Seminole County Court, located within the 18th Circuit, includes six judges. County Court judges in Seminole County have authority over citizen disputes. Judges serve six-year terms with an annual salary of $172,015, excluding benefits.

County court judges oversee:

• Traffic violations 
• Misdemeanors
• Disputes up to $50,000

County judges are eligible to also be a circuit court judge, and they often switch between county and circuit. County court judges may also hear any type of case, as long as damages do not exceed $50,000. The type of cases they hear are established by Florida Statutes, updated annually. 

The county court serves Seminole County. The following judge seats were up for election but were not contested.

Candidates (listed in alphabetical order to ensure fairness)

James DeKleva

DeKleva is a 59-year-old Longwood resident running unopposed for County Court judge. Before his appointment in 2012, DeKleva was admitted to the U.S. District Court and was an Assistant State Attorney for the 18th Circuit. He then opened his own practice. Learn more.

Debra Krause

Krause, a resident of Altamonte Springs, is running unopposed for County Court Judge, a position she has held since 2020. Prior to her election, she was a member of the National Registry of Environmental Professionals. Learn more.

William S. Orth

Orth is a 51-year-old resident of Longwood. He has been a Circuit Court judge since he was appointed in 2021 and is running unopposed. Prior to being a judge, Orth was an assistant state attorney and a partner at Bigney & Orth, P.A. He later opened his own practice, dedicated to family and criminal law, which he left in 2021 following his appointment. 
In the past, he has ruled against company fraud. Orth received $14,339.37 in campaign contributions and spent $14,339.38. Learn more.

Melissa Souto

Souto, a 47-year-old Lake Mary resident, is running unopposed for Circuit Court judge. She has worked at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, was a partner at the Law Office of Sherman and Souto and was an assistant state attorney for both Seminole and Volusia County. 

She was first appointed in 2015 and has since been an administrative judge for juvenile delinquency and dependency as well as probate, guardianship and mental health. She was then reelected to the circuit bench in 2018 and served as an administrative jury management judge from 2018 to 2020.

Past rulings by Souto include finding a former Brevard County Clerk of Court, accused of bribery, “incompetent to stand trial.” Souto has raised $150,000 in contributions and spent the same amount. Learn more.

Do you have questions or comments about this guide? Contact OCN staff here.