Close call for Stephens against Seaborne

Does a first-time candidate with little financing have the case to defeat a long-term judge? Jaianna Seaborne wants to find out.

The jurist in question is Debra Moses Stephens, who has held the Palm Beach County Court Group 12 seat for 20 years. Appointed to the bench by thenGov. Jeb Bush, Stephens has not faced an election challenge until this year.

Seaborne is that challenger in the Aug. 18 primary, and she doesn’t hold back in her criticism. Stephens, Seaborne said during their Sun Sentinel joint candidate interview, displays a “callous attitude.” She is “onesided” and “bullying.” Her rulings are “inconsistent.”

We must note that Stephens works in the county court’s domestic violence division, which can be chaotic on its best days. Stephens responds that she faces a “crowded courtroom” each day and has asked to remain in one of the court system’s most thankless jobs.

Seaborne is a very credible candidate. She and Stephens engaged in a back-and-forth about domestic battery case law. Stephens corrected Seaborne on one occasion, but Seaborne more than held her own.

Stephens and Seaborne both worked in the Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office. Each has stayed in the hurly-burly of the “people’s court,” far from the complex civil cases and major felony trials of the circuit court.

Seaborne cites the every-other-year Palm Beach County Bar poll results as evidence that Stephens has stayed too long. So let’s take a look.

Results from 2009 through 2019 show Stephen scoring above average collectively across the nine categories through 2015. After that, however, she got lower rankings for demeanor and the practicality of her rulings. Stephens is “snippy,” Seaborne said. Her courtroom is in “disarray.”

Stephens responds, “I’m not snippy.” She acknowledges, however, “Perception is reality. I always have work to do.”

Seaborne has a geography problem as a candidate. Her solo practice law firm is in Hollywood. She lives in Miramar. Judges must reside in the county where they sit. Seaborne pledged to move if elected, saying that she moved to Broward County from Palm Beach County because of a legal battle involving her child.

This is the hardest choice of the three county judicial races. Because of Stephens’ mostly good record over two decades, the Sun Sentinel endorses her in Group 12 of the Palm Beach County Court.

But based on her more recent record and Seaborne’s energy, we wouldn’t be surprised if she pulled off the upset. Either way, Stephens should not dismiss the criticism.

Stephens