Four nominated for Manatee County judicial vacancy

Four have been nominated by Gov. Rick Scott to be considered for the Manatee County judge vacancy left by Judge Charles Sniffen’s appointment to the circuit court bench.

Following the interviews of seven candidates on Wednesday, four candidates have been nominated to Scott by the Judicial Nominating Commission of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit to be considered for the vacancy left by now Circuit Judge Charles Sniffen.

The four nominated are:

▪ James Fowler Jr., criminal attorney

▪ Paul Olah, litigation and construction attorney

▪ Dana Moss, criminal attorney

▪ Renee Inman, a circuit court magistrate in Manatee County

Sniffen, who previously presided over one of the Manatee County court’s civil and criminal divisions, was appointed by Scott to fill the vacancy left behind by Senior Circuit Judge Janette Dunnigan’s resignation. In April, Dunnigan sent her resignation to the governor announcing that she would be retiring at the end of August before her term expired.

The four nominated candidates will meet with Scott’s office and then those chosen to continue will later meet with Scott himself before an appointment is made.

This story was originally published September 27, 2017 at 8:33 PM with the headline "Four nominated for Manatee County judicial vacancy."