St. Juste, Kerner, Jordan contend for circuit court seat in nonpartisan race

Winner in Aug. 28 election will succeed retiring Judge French.

Two of the candidates in the race to replace retiring Circuit Judge David French in the Aug. 28 election have deep roots in Palm Beach County while the third has spent most of his life in Broward County and, if elected, would have to move here.

Alcolya St. Juste, 43, a former senior attorney for the Florida Department of Children & Families who has her own practice where she specializes in juve- nile cases, is a third-generation Boynton Beach resident.

Scott Kerner, 38, who handles civil litigation for a West Palm Beach law firm, traces his political lineage to Lake Worth, where his father was a well-known police officer, his mother worked for the IRS and where his younger brother, Dave, started his political career as a state representative before being elected to the County Commission.

Jordan H. Jordan, 57, who made an unsuccessful bid for a Broward judgeship in 2010 using his former name, Jordan Breslaw, readily acknowledges that he would be required to move to Palm Beach County if he beats his two opponents in the nonpartisan election.

A chiropractor and a lawyer, since 2011 Jordan has worked as medical director for a North Miami Beach rehabilitation clinic. He practices law when he is asked to provide free legal services for friends, family and people who can’t afford to hire an attorney, he said.

Still, he describes being elected

to the circuit bench as his “dream job.” He graduated from Nova Southeastern law school in 1997 and practiced law and medicine simultaneously. “This is something that has been a life passion of mine,” he told voters at a recent candidate forum.

St. Juste and Kerner both point to their backgrounds when asked what spurred them to run for a seat on the judiciary.

“In my family, public service i s really what it’s all about,” Kerner said. “Now, it’s my turn to give back.”

St . Juste said her motivation i s more far-reaching. Looking at the dearth of black judges on the circuit bench, she said she had two options: “I could talk about the need for diversity or I could step up and do my part.”

When people are forced to come to court and don’t see judges who look like them it reinforces the perception that the system is stacked against them, she said. “It’s important to have a bench that is reflective of the community it serves,” she said.

In hopes of adding some diversity to the judiciary, she in 2015 applied for an opening on the bench. While she made the short list of candidates recommended for appointment by a local judicial nominating commission, Gov. Rick Scott ultimately selected one of the other applicants. She has also served as a special magistrate for Palm Beach County, deciding code enforcement cases.

Willing to ser ve in any division of circuit court, St. Juste said she has a particular interest in presiding in juvenile court. While she has handled divorce and immigration cases during her 14-year career, the majority of her time has been spent dealing with youngsters who have been removed from their homes because of allegations of abuse or neglect.

“I think children are very vulnerable and very important,” she said. “They are our future.”

In contrast, Kerner said he would prefer not to be assigned as a juvenile court judge. “I have a 3-year-old daughter. That has made me a more sensitive person,” he said. “To see children in trouble day in and day out would be difficult.”

Instead, he said, he would rather use the skills he has developed during his 10-year legal career overseeing cases in civil, criminal, probate or family court.

While he comes from a law enforcement family, he said he wouldn’t favor the prosecution if assigned to criminal court. “I take the loss of libert y very seriously,” he said.

A c c o r d i n g t o c o u r t records, Kerner has handled few cases in the past several years. But, he said, the records are deceiving.

While he said he has handled dozens of cases, including three jury trials and at least 30 trials before a judge, typically a partner’s name is listed in court records.

St . Juste acknowledges she has no jury trial experience or background in criminal or civil court. But, she said, she i s a fast learner and understands her role will be to analyze the law and apply it fairly.

Financial records show Kerner is in debt. His net worth is negative $124,220. He attributed it to college loans he took out when he got a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English at the State University of New York at Binghamton. While he had hoped to get a tennis scholarship to avoid the high cost of out-of-state tuition, it didn’t materialize, he said.

Jordan also was an accomplished high school athlete. On his website, he features photos of his days playing baseball at Boyd Anderson High School in Lauderdale Lakes. At candidate forums, he talks about his ongoing work as a soccer referee.

Kerner has snared the e n d o r s e m e n t o f m a n y h i g h - p r o f i l e p o l i t i c i a n s , including former Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Kri scher, former Count y Commissioner Karen Marcus and Boca Raton power broker, attorney Howard Weiss.

He also leads the field in fundraising. He has collected nearly $90,000 in contributions, according to the most recent financial disclosure reports and hasn’t pulled any money out of his own pocket for the campaign. St. Juste has raised $20,200 and put $7,100 of her own money into the race. Jordan has raised $800 and has put $6,000 into his campaign war chest.

Unless one of the candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan election, the two top vote-getters will face off on Nov. 6.