LOCAL

County Judge Bradley Harper named to Circuit Court bench, replacing retired Judge Krista Marx

Gov. Ron DeSantis also named April Bristow, general counsel to the judicial circuit, to the Palm Beach County bench.

Jane Musgrave
Palm Beach Post

Palm Beach County Judge Bradley Harper, who in 2016 became the first Black judge to earn a spot on the county bench by election instead of appointment, on Thursday became a circuit judge.

Harper was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace longtime Circuit Judge Krista Marx, who retired on July 31

Judge Bradley Harper stands in his courtroom on Friday October 11, 2019.

A former civil litigator, Harper becomes the first Black man to be either appointed or elected to the county's circuit bench since Moses Baker was tapped in 1994. Baker, who spent most of his 23-year career in juvenile court, stepped down in 2017. Three Black women currently are circuit judges.

Given the number of Black men who become entangled in the criminal justice system, Harper said Friday that it's crucial to have a diverse bench that reflects the community.

"It's important to have judges who are well-rounded and have given a great deal of thought to our country's founding and the painful history of racism in America," he said.

Harper, who traveled to Tallahassee on Thursday to meet with DeSantis and other newly appointed judges, said he was humbled by the appointment.

"I'm grateful," he said. "God is good. He gives us grace even when we won't deserve it."

More:Palm Beach County Chief Judge Krista Marx to resign July 31

More:Glenn Kelley to become Palm Beach County's chief judge in July, replacing Krista Marx

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April Bristow, who has been general counsel to the county’s judicial circuit since 2019, was also appointed to the county bench. She replaces Judge Sandra Bosso-Pardo, who is retiring on Sept. 30.

Harper received his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and his law degree from the University of Florida. 

Bristow, who served as an attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal and also handled construction disputes for a national law firm, received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her law degree from Stetson University. 

Harper’s elevation to the circuit bench will create an opening in county court. That position also will be filled by DeSantis.

jmusgrave@pbpost.com