Judicial Assignments in Pasco County, FL
If you want to know how judges are assigned to cases heard at the courthouse in New Port Richey or Dade City, FL, in Pasco County, then you should read the most recent issued administrative order on this topic.
This article discusses the current judicial assignments for cases in the Sixth Judicial Circuit in and for Pasco County, FL.
When new judges are assigned to a division, or judges are transferred from one division to another, the assignment is listed in an administrative order.
Typically, the Chief Judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit will issue a new order each year for County Court and another order is entered for Circuit Court.
If you need an attorney for a felony, misdemeanor, or protective order injunction hearing, then contact the attorneys at the Sammis Law Firm.
With offices located in New Port Richey, FL, we welcome your calls to discuss the case.
Call 727-807-6392.
Judges in Pasco County for Criminal and Quasi Criminal Cases
Effective July 1, 2026, the Sixth Judicial Circuit has established new judicial assignments for Pasco County under Administrative Order 2026-027.
These assignments are divided between the East and West Pasco court facilities to manage criminal, civil, juvenile, and family law matters.
EAST PASCO JUDICIAL ASSIGNMENTS
CRIMINAL COURT SECTIONS
- Sections 1, 2: Judge Gregory G. Groger –
- Assigned to all Criminal cases, including:
- Sections 1 & 2 violations of probation;
- Indirect criminal contempt affidavits filed in Sections 1 & 2 and prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office.
- Assigned to all Criminal cases, including:
- Judge Susan Barthle and Judge Alicia Polk – Criminal jury trials, as needed.
- Section 30: Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Adult Drug Court and Veterans Court.
JUVENILE COURT SECTIONS
- Sections 5, 28: Judge Linda H. Babb – Assigned to all Juvenile Delinquency*.
- Sections 6, 29: Judge Linda H. Babb – Assigned to all Juvenile Dependency*.
- Section 40: Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Family Dependency Treatment Court, Early Childhood Court, and all dependency matters related to the Family Dependency Treatment Court case.
* During the absence of the assigned juvenile dependency judge, Judge Susan Barthle is designated as a juvenile court judge in Pasco County for the purpose of handling shelter hearings and other juvenile matters in the juvenile dependency division.
PROBATE COURT SECTIONS
- Section A: Judge Linda Babb – Assigned to Risk Protection Orders. Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Baker Act petitions and Marchman Act petitions assigned to this section only.
CIRCUIT CIVIL COURT SECTIONS
- Section B: Judge Alicia Polk – Assigned to Circuit Civil cases and Writs of Habeas Corpus excluding Writs of Habeas Corpus pertaining to child custody.
- Section Y: Judge Susan Barthle – Assigned to Circuit Civil cases and Writs of Habeas Corpus excluding Writs of Habeas Corpus pertaining to child custody.
FAMILY COURT SECTIONS
- Section C: Judge Mark F. Robens – Assigned to 50% Domestic violence cases including any indirect criminal contempt affidavits prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office.
- Section C1: Judge Knute Nathe – Assigned to 50% Domestic violence cases including any indirect criminal contempt affidavits prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office.
- Section C2: Judge Dustin Anderson – Assigned to Dating, repeat, and sexual violence and stalking cases.
- Section K: Judge Mark F. Robens – Assigned to 50% Domestic relations cases.
- Section L: Judge Knute Nathe – Assigned to 50% Domestic relations cases.
- Section UF: Judge Linda H. Babb – Assigned to Unified Family Court (dependency and delinquency cases with family-related domestic relations or domestic violence) and Chapter 39 adoptions emanating from DCF termination of parental rights proceedings.
WEST PASCO JUDICIAL ASSIGNMENTS
CRIMINAL COURT SECTIONS
- Section 3: Judge Mary M. Handsel – Assigned to 50% Criminal cases, including Section 3 violations of probation; Indirect criminal contempt affidavits filed in Section Q1 and prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office.
- Section 4: Judge Joshua Riba – Assigned to 50% Criminal cases, including Section 4 violations of probation; Indirect criminal contempt affidavits filed in Section Q2 and prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office.
- Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd and Judge Kemba Johnson Lewis – Criminal jury trials, as needed.
- Section 31: Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Adult Drug Court and Veterans Court.
JUVENILE COURT SECTIONS
- Sections 7, 9: Judge Lauralee G. Westine – Assigned to all Juvenile Delinquency**.
- Sections 8, 26: Judge Lauralee G. Westine – Assigned to all Juvenile Dependency**.
- Section 41: Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Family Dependency Treatment Court, Early Childhood Court, and all dependency matters related to the Family Dependency Treatment Court case.
** During the absence of the assigned juvenile dependency judges, Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd and Judge Dustin Anderson are designated as juvenile court judges in Pasco County for the purpose of handling shelter hearings and other juvenile matters in the juvenile dependency division.
PROBATE COURT SECTIONS
- Section X: Judge Jennifer Dubbeld – Assigned to Risk Protection Orders, Baker Act petitions and Marchman Act petitions assigned to this section only.
- Sections J: Judge Dustin Anderson – Assigned to Guardianship, Estates and all other Probate cases.
FAMILY COURT SECTIONS
- Section Q1: Judge Nicole Pearlman – Assigned to 50% Domestic violence cases.
- Section Q2: Judge Daniel D. Diskey – Assigned to 50% Domestic violence cases.
- Section Q3: Judge Dustin Anderson – Assigned to Dating, repeat, and sexual violence and stalking cases.
- Section Z1: Judge Nicole Pearlman – Assigned to 50% Adoptions, including joint petitions for adoption by step-parent, relative and private adoptions, paternity cases, out-of-county enforcement and modification orders filed in domestic cases, Writs of Habeas Corpus pertaining to child custody, petitions for custody, actions filed under Chapter 752, Fla. Stat.
- Section Z2: Judge Daniel D. Diskey – Assigned to 50% Adoptions, including joint petitions for adoption by step-parent, relative and private adoptions, paternity cases, out-of-county enforcement and modification orders filed in domestic cases, Writs of Habeas Corpus pertaining to child custody, petitions for custody, actions filed under Chapter 752, Fla. Stat.
- Section FC: Judge Lauralee G. Westine – Assigned to Unified Family Court (dependency and delinquency cases with family-related domestic relations or domestic violence).
- Section P: Judge Mary M. Handsel – Assigned to County Court Appeals and Pasco Grand Jury Proceedings.
WEST PASCO JUDICIAL ASSIGNMENTS in County Court
CRIMINAL COURT SECTIONS
- Section 15 – Judge Anne Wansboro – Misdemeanors, DUI, Criminal Traffic, Violations of probation and orders to show cause relative to cases heard under this jurisdiction while presiding
- Section 16 – Judge Frank Grey Misdemeanors, DUI, Criminal Traffic, Violations of probation and orders to show cause relative to cases heard under this jurisdiction while presiding
- Section 17 – Judge Joseph Justice Misdemeanors, DUI, Criminal Traffic, Violations of probation and orders to show cause relative to cases heard under this jurisdiction while presiding
CIVIL COURT SECTIONS
- Section O – Judge Joseph Justice West Pasco Civil Cases
- Section S – Judge Patrick Moore West Pasco Small Claims and Summary Procedures
- Section U –
- Judge Patrick Moore West Pasco Civil Cases
- Judge Joseph Justice – Unlawful Detainers & All Evictions assigned to this section
- Section W Judge Patrick Moore West Pasco Small Claims and Summary Procedures
- Section 18 Judge Anne Wansboro West Pasco Animal Control Ordinance Violations
- Section 19 Judge Anne Wansboro West Pasco Ordinance Violations excluding Animal Control Citations; (includes juvenile curfew and smoking violations); Parking tickets
- Section 24 Judge Frank Grey West Pasco Civil Traffic Hearings with and without injuries; West Pasco Civil Traffic Arraignments (including no proof of insurance cases)
- Section 25 Judge Frank Grey West Pasco Civil Traffic Hearings with and without injuries; West Pasco Civil Traffic Arraignments (including no proof of insurance cases)
- Section 27 Judge Frank Grey West Pasco Civil Traffic Hearings with and without injuries; West Pasco Civil Traffic Arraignments (including no proof of insurance cases)
This article was last updated on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
