Scott picks new judges in Broward

Gov. Rick Scott picked two experienced prosecutors Friday to serve as judges on the Broward Circuit Court.

Hunter Davis, 37, began working as a prosecutor in Fort Myers in 2009 before joining the Broward State Attorney’s Office in 2010. Four years later he joined the office of the statewide prosecutor, handling cases that cross jurisdictional lines.

Davis will replace Broward Circuit Judge Merrilee Ehrlich, who resigned in April after video of her interaction with a frail defendant went viral. Ehrlich was seen berating the inmate, who died days later.

Ehrlich had already planned to retire on June 30.

The second appointment went to Peter Holden, 57, a

Broward prosecutor for 29 years, most recently a senior member of the homicide unit.

Holden will replace Circuit Judge Lisa Porter, who resigned June 30.

Broward prosecutors in

general have fared well in seeking judicial appointments under Scott. In recent years, he has appointed prosecutors Tom Coleman, Alberto Ribas, Kal LeVar Evans, Elizabeth Scherer, Stephen Zaccor and Giuseppina Miranda.

He still has three more positions to fill after the resignations of judges Arlene Backman, John Patrick Contini and Michael Gates.

This year, 13 Broward judges announced their resignations and retirements. Most were planned, and voters will decide their replacements.