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Stephen Brown (Florida)

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Stephen Brown
Image of Stephen Brown

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments
Last election

August 20, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Florida State University, 2004

Law

University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2007

Personal
Profession
Attorney at law
Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

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Personal LinkedIn

Stephen Brown ran for election for judge of the Florida 9th Circuit Court. He lost in the primary on August 20, 2024.

Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Stephen Brown earned a bachelor's degree from Florida State University in 2004 and a law degree from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2007. His career experience includes working as an attorney and state supreme court-certified mediator. He previously worked as an assistant state attorney in the 9th Circuit of Florida. He also has a Florida Real Estate Broker's License. Brown has been affiliated with the Orange County Bar Association and the Orange County League of Women Voters.[1]

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Orange County, Florida (2024)

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Florida 9th Circuit Court

Incumbent Craig McCarthy won election outright against Stephen Brown in the primary for Florida 9th Circuit Court on August 20, 2024.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Craig McCarthy
Craig McCarthy (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
51.3
 
83,145
Image of Stephen Brown
Stephen Brown (Nonpartisan) Candidate Connection
 
48.7
 
78,939

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 162,084
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Brown received the following endorsements.

Campaign themes

2024

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia
Released June 2, 2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Stephen Brown completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Brown's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

I am an attorney and a mediator. I believe that all people are valuable and must be treated fairly and with dignity. I hate injustice in all forms. I believe that healthy dialog and diversity of opinions do not divide America, but make it stronger. Most importantly, I want everyone to have a seat at the table.
  • I am running for this seat because I care about people and I've seen the rules applied differently to different people.
  • As an attorney, I have tried more than 70 jury trials as first chair and I have appeared in nearly every division of the Circuit Court: Criminal, Family, Juvenile, and Civil, which makes me highly qualified for this position.
  • I share the values of the residents of Orange and Osceola Counties and central Florida needs judges that reflect community values.
Criminal Justice: Victims rights and defendant's rights.

Children: Both in family court and dependency court, children must be the center of the court's attention.

Equity: All people should be treated with dignity and respect in the court system and should have equal opportunities.
I look up to all of the members of our community that invest their time, talent, and treasure into building a more equitable and just society.
The most important characteristics of an elected trial judge are diverse legal experience, a comprehensive understanding of the rules of court, empathy for all who appear before the court, and humility.
I have an extremely strong sense of justice and equity. I am well-versed in the law and rules of court and evidence. I have diverse knowledge of nonlegal topics that would inform my decision-making. Most importantly, I am a believer in America and the promise of equal justice under the law.
The core responsibilities of a circuit judge are to apply the law to the facts of each particular case, to treat all litigants and attorneys with respect, and to avoid political bias.
I would like to be remembered as a humble servant who left the world a little better than he found it.
I was very young when the Berlin Wall fell but I vividly remember watching news coverage on a small black and white television that my mom kept in the kitchen. While I didn't fully understand the significance of this event, it did instill in me a strong sense of the value of personal liberties and freedom from tyranny.
I spent my summers in high school and college working at a Boy Scout summer camp. At camp, I learned the values of leadership, friendship, teamwork, integrity, and patriotism. All of these values have influenced my legal career.
A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr
Mickey Mouse because he is eternally optimistic despite whatever life throws his way and he always makes the best of every situation.
I live on the Autism spectrum which causes me difficulty in social interactions. Over the years I have learned to overcome this obstacle. Fortunately, Autism has been an asset for my mastery of the law. Based on the rules and predictability of court procedures, I feel most "at home" in a courtroom.
As a co-equal branch of government, the Judiciary is the backstop against overreach by the executive and legislative branches.
I firmly believe that everyone who comes before the court should be heard with dignity and respect. The constitution and laws must be followed fairly for each person before the court.
Thurgood Marshall fought for freedom and equality. He eventually argued before the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education and was ultimately appointed to the Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson. He exemplifies the best attributes of the legal profession.
Empathy is one of the most important qualities for a judge. Although judges are bound by the Constitution and laws, a little bit of empathy goes a long way in making litigants feel heard and respected and maintaining the legitimacy of an respect for the courts.
I am running for this seat because I truly care about people and I've seen the rules applied differently for different people. I am highly experienced and qualified for this seat. I believe in servant leadership and it is my time to give back to my community for all that is has given to me.
I believe that previous experience as a government attorney in a litigation role is highly beneficial for judges. Politics has no place in the judicial system and politicians should not become judges.
My biggest concern about the legal system in Florida is the politicization of the judiciary by gubernatorial appointments to vacant seats. I firmly believe that trial judges should be selected by the people within their jurisdiction. I am also concerned about the inconsistent application and interpretation of court rules.
No. This is not a stepping stone for me. I would like to devote the remainder of my career to serving the citizens of Orange and Osceola counties as a trial judge.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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External links

Candidate

Florida 9th Circuit Court
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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 21, 2023.

    Florida courts

    Federal courts:

    Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida

    State courts:

    Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court

    State resources:

    Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida

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