After 15 years on the bench, Bradenton area judge is retiring. DeSantis to fill vacancy.
After serving 15 years on the bench, Circuit Judge Debra Johnes Riva has announced her plans to retire this summer.
In a resignation letter dated Feb. 1, Riva notified Gov. Ron DeSantis that she will be retiring at the end of the day July 1.
But Riva’s six-year term is not set to expire until January 2025. Retiring before the completion of her term will force DeSantis to appointment someone to fill her seat.
“It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties since my election to the bench in 2007,“ Riva said to the governor. “I ask that you convene the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission in hopes of expeditiously appointing my successor.”
Earning her law degree at Nova Southeastern University in 1991 and her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida in 1988, Riva went on to become establish herself as a prosecutor with the State Attorney’s Office.
Among the cases she prosecuted was Joseph Smith — who kidnapped, raped and killed 11-year-old Carlie Brucia on Super Bowl Sunday in 2004.
Smith who was sentenced to death, died while awaiting his execution on death row last July.
Riva took her seat on the circuit bench in January 2007. She ran unopposed for the Group 20 seat, one of two new judgeships created by the Florida Legislature to help deal with a projected increase of felony cases at the time.
The 12th Judicial Circuit includes Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties.
Riva ran unopposed in 2012 and 2018 elections. Judges in Manatee County are rarely opposed in elections, and more often than not over the years, judges have retired before their term has ended — which means an appointment by the governor rather than residents getting to elect their judges.
Currently, Riva sits on the juvenile bench in Sarasota. Among the trials and cases she has presided over the years is the case against Orlando “Scrappy Loco” Valenzuela Jr. in the 2007 fatal shooting of 9-year-old Stacey Williams III.
Valenzuela, a minor of the time of homicide, was re-sentenced by Riva in 2019.
The Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission met late Monday afternoon to discuss a timeline for nominating someone to fill the vacancy. The commission announced on Tuesday afternoon that it is taking applications for nominations through 5 p.m. March 22.
Sitting on the Twelfth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission are:
- Developer and former Florida State Sen. Patrick K. Neal
- State Rep. William C. Robinson Jr.
- Hunter G. Norton
- Varinia M. Van Ness
- Anthony J. Rolfes
- Ashley S. Hodson
- Nancy E. Cason
- Alvin Brown
- Bonnie Lee Polk
