Judicial Assignments in Orange County, FL

Knowing the presiding judge assigned to your case dictates everything from pretrial motions to courtroom decorum, discovery management, and trial scheduling.

The judges in Orange County, FL, or the Orlando Division of the U.S. District Court, fall into one of four classifications:

• County Court Judges in state court
  • County court judges handle misdemeanor criminal cases, small claims, traffic infractions, landlord-tenant disputes, and civil suits involving $50,000 or less
• Circuit Court Judges in state court
  • Circuit judges handle felony crimes, family law, juvenile cases, probate, and civil lawsuits involving more than $50,000
• U.S. District Court Judges in federal court
  • Article III district judges that handle felony arraignments after indictment, dispositive motions, suppression hearings, jury trials, and sentencings
• U.S. Magistrate Judges in federal court
  • U.S. Magistrate judges in federal court preside over initial appearances, bond and detention hearings, arrest and search warrant applications, preliminary hearings, and discovery disputes. With the consent of the parties, magistrate judges can also conduct full civil proceedings and bench or jury trials.

This article explains the judicial assignments for courtrooms throughout Orange County, FL, and in the Orlando Division of the U.S. District Court.

The judicial assignments, particularly in state court, change frequently. The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm attempt to update this list periodically. If you see a mistakes, please use the contact form on the right side of this page to let us know if something should be updated.

County Court Judges in Orange County, FL

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 2025-13-05, dated August 6, 2026, judicial assignments for criminal cases in Division 7 for misdemeanor & traffic cases are assigned to the following judges and subdivisions:

• Judge Elizabeth J. Starr – Subdivision 61-7
• Judge Brian F. Duckworth – Subdivision 62-7
• Judge Steven Miller – Subdivision 63-7
• Judge Jeramy C. Beasley – Subdivision 80-7
• Judge Eric H. DuBois – Subdivision 81-7
• Judge Heather G. Guarch – Subdivision 82-7
• Judge Andrew L. Cameron – Subdivision 83-7
• Judge Steve Jewett – Subdivision 84-7
• Judge Amanda S. Bova – Subdivision 85-7

Circuit Court Judges in Orange County, FL

In Circuit Court for Division 1 (Circuit Criminal and Jimmy Ryce Act), cases are assigned to the following subdivisions:

• Judge Vincent Falcone, III – Subdivision 10-1
• Judge Vincent S. Chiu – Subdivision 11-1
• Judge Sonia McDowell – Subdivision 12-1
• Judge Barbara J. Leach – Subdivision 14-1
• Judge A. James Craner – Subdivision 15-1
• Judge Eric J. Netcher – Subdivision 16-1
• Judge Michael J. Snure – Subdivision 17-1
• Judge Keith A. Carsten – Subdivision 19-1 (Trial post-conviction matters not handled by SD 24-1)
• Judge Michael Kraynick – Subdivision 20-1
• Judge Gisela T. Laurent – Subdivision 22-1
• Judge Reginald K. Whitehead – Subdivision 23-1 (In-jail arraignments; Unified Problem Solving Court: Veteran’s Court, Adult Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Competency Court)
• Judge As Assigned (Judge Amy Carter temporarily assigned pursuant to Rule 2.215(b)(4)) – Subdivision 24-1 (Rule 3.850 and Rule 3.853 post-conviction matters)

U.S. District Court Judges in the Orlando Division

Federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation originating in Orange County are handled in the Orlando Division of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (MDFL).

Proceedings take place at the George C. Young Federal Building and United States Courthouse is located at 401 W. Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801. The Orlando Division hears federal matters arising out of Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, and Lake counties. For this reason, jurors often have a long distance to drive each day when appearing for jury duty.

Attorneys practicing in front of these judges should become familiar with the Local Rules for the Middle District of Florida. Additionally, each judge issues individual Judicial Preferences and Case Management Orders governing motion practice, trial exhibits, voir dire, and oral argument protocols.

The three-letter judicial code at the end of a Middle District of Florida docket number (e.g., 6:26-cr-00123-PGB-DCI) reflects the assigned District Judge and Magistrate Judge, indicating which chambers manages pretrial litigation versus dispositive matters.
U.S. District Judges in the Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, are classified as Article III district judges that handle felony arraignments after indictment, dispositive motions, suppression hearings, jury trials, and sentencings. Those U.S. District Judges in the Orando Division include:

• The Honorable Paul G. Byron in Orlando in Courtroom 4B
• The Honorable Carlos E. Mendoza in Orlando in Courtroom 5B
• The Honorable Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe in Orlando in Courtroom 3B
• The Honorable Julie S. Sneed in Orlando in Courtroom 6C

Senior U.S. District Judges take senior status under 28 U.S.C. § 371 but maintain active criminal and civil dockets in the Orlando Division. Those senior judges include:

• The Honorable John Antoon II in Orlando in Courtroom 6B
• The Honorable Anne C. Conway in Orlandoin Courtroom 6A
• The Honorable Roy B. Dalton, Jr. in Orlando in Courtroom 4A
• The Honoraable Patricia C. Fawsett in Orlando
• The Honorable Gregory A. Presnell in Orlando in Courtroom 5A

U.S. Magistrate Judges in the Orlando Division

U.S. Magistrate judges in federal court preside over initial appearances, bond and detention hearings, arrest and search warrant applications, preliminary hearings, and discovery disputes. With the consent of the parties, magistrate judges can also conduct full civil proceedings and bench or jury trials.

In the Orlando Division, the U.S. Magistrate Judges include:

• The Honorable David A. Baker
• The Honorable Chauncey A. Bratt
• The Honorable Nathan W. Hill
• The Honorable Daniel C. Irick
• The Honorable Robert M. Norway
• The Honorable Leslie Hoffman Price

This article was last updated on Friday, September 4, 2026.