Six applicants in running for 12th Circuit judge vacancy in Bradenton

MANATEE-- Six applicants will be interviewed to fill a vacancy on the 12th Circuit Court bench, which covers Manatee, Sarasota and DeSoto counties.

The 12th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission announced the short list of applicants Thursday who will be interviewed for consideration in filling the vacancy left by Senior Circuit Court Judge John Lakin's sudden retirement.

Lakin stepped down amid an investigation into his taking baseball tickets from a law firm with a pending case involving the firm in front of him.

The list includes:

Don T. Hall, DeSoto County court judge since 1995.

Mary R. Hawk, partner at the law firm Porges Hamlin Knowles and Hawk, specializing in alternative dispute resolution, elder law and real property and probate law.

Renee L. Inman, a Manatee County family law magistrate since 2010.

Kurt E. Lee, private practice attorney in Sarasota.

Fred E. Moore, partner at the law firm Blalock Walters in Bradenton, specializing in business, civil litigation and trial, commercial litigation, construction, dispute resolution, eminent domain, probate and trust litigation and trial law.

Anthony G. Ryan, private practice attorney in Sarasota.

The commission has until May 6 to submit recommended applicants to Gov. Rick Scott.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter@JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published April 14, 2016 at 11:15 PM with the headline "Six applicants in running for 12th Circuit judge vacancy in Bradenton ."