Incumbent Judge deserves re-elected

This is more a plea than an endorsement: elect incumbent Judge Phoebee Francois, who has done a fine job since Gov. Rick Scott appointed her to the bench in 2018.

Judges appointed by the governor are carefully scrutinized by the Judicial Nominating Committee, which reviews applicants before recommending names to the governor.

Born in Haiti, Francois and her family moved to New Jersey when she was young. She got her bachelor’s degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. She came to Florida to attend law school at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

“They offered me a scholarship and my mother said I didn’t have a choice,” said Francois, 52.

She has practiced law in Florida for 26 years, much of it in jobs that make her well suited to be a county court judge.

“I have earned a reputation for being compassionate, fair and experienced,” she said in her Sun Sentinel questionnaire. “I treat each litigant with dignity and respect.”

From 1995 to 2004, she worked as an assistant public defender and conducted more than 100 jury trials during that time, she said.

After that, she worked for Imhoff & Associates for five years, again as a criminal defense attorney handling an assortment of cases. In 2004 she established her own practice, representing clients in family law, immigration, criminal and civil cases.

In 2009, Broward’s chief judge appointed Francois as a Hearing Officer/Magistrate, where she presided over child support cases. In 2017, she became supervisor of the magistrates, giving her important management experience.

All told, Francois has 12 years of judicial or semijudicial experience. She’s given back to the community through multiple service groups. And she has the kind of calm, even temperament you want to see in a judge.

Francois’ opponent is 46-year-old attorney

Jacob Segal, who operates a solo practice. “I am not challenging an incumbent but asking for a seat that belongs to the person with the highest merit,” he said in his questionnaire. He said he believes that citizens deserve judges who are elected rather than appointed. “The electorate is a lot smarter and thoughtful than people think,” he said.

Segal earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Hawaii at Nanoa. He first went to Nova Southeastern School of Law, then transferred to the University of Florida law school.

In his law practice, Segal said that he has tried to keep a small caseload because he’s been a single father since 2012. “I need to stay very available for my kids.”

In his interactions with the Sun Sentinel, Segal has been less efficient than other candidates who are seeking the newspaper’s endorsement.

In an email exchange with the Editorial Board, he asked for a “one to two day” extension to submit his questionnaire. He also asked for an off-therecord conversation to discuss the campaign. We did not grant that request.

The deadline for submitting the questionnaire was May 18; he submitted his on May 22.

Segal also was late for his endorsement interview. We are interviewing the candidates for all circuit and county judge races in Broward and

Palm Beach counties together with their opponents via Microsoft

Teams, a program that is similar to Zoom. You can watch the video of this interview on sunsentinel.com/endorsements.

The board scheduled the interview for Francois and Segal for 1 p.m. on

May 26. Francois was early and her computer audio and video worked fine. Segal didn’t log on until about 1:10 p.m. and his computer audio was very poor.

He apologized for being late and for submitting his questionnaire late. He said that he has a “more rounded history” than Francois. “I hope to be given a sporting chance even if I am not the incumbent,” Segal said in his questionnaire. He said he is seeking the judgeship “for public service and love of the law.”

County Court judges are paid about $152,000 a year and serve a six-year term. The election is Aug. 18.

Francois