The newest face on the bench of Florida’s 16th Judicial Circuit is one already widely familiar in the Florida Keys. In a press release on Feb. 26, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of former County Court Judge James Morgan III, of Marathon, to fill the position vacated when Luis Garcia retired after 24 years on the bench in November 2024.
“Thank you for your trust and confidence in appointing me as a Circuit Judge,” Morgan wrote in a letter to DeSantis confirming his resignation from his prior post. “I am and will be forever grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of Monroe County and the State of Florida. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as a Monroe County Court Judge for the past three years.”
A graduate of the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law, Morgan served more than eight years as a prosecutor with the U.S. Marine Corps after law school. He then moved to Key West, serving as an assistant public defender in the 16th Judicial Circuit.
In October 2021, Morgan was sworn in by Judge Mark H. Jones as a county judge after being appointed by DeSantis. He was re-elected in 2024 after going unchallenged through the qualifying period, and now joins Jones, Timothy J. Koenig and Chief Judge Bonnie Helms as one of four circuit judges.
While county judges handle county court matters, including misdemeanors, civil suits of less than $15,000, small claims and traffic violations, circuit judges typically handle felonies, civil suits exceeding $15,000, domestic relations and probate and juvenile court matters.
