Ian Richards (judge)
American judge (born 1975)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ian Jason Richards (born May 31, 1975) is a former county court judge in the Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit.[2] Richards was the first African-American judge to be elected countywide in Broward County, Florida.[3] He presided over State of Florida v. John Reasee, in which Richards jumped over his bench to protect a witness who was being attacked by the man against whom she had testified.[4]
Ian J. Richards | |
|---|---|
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| County Court Judge of Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit | |
| In office January 2009 – January 2015 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ian Jason Richards[1] May 31, 1975 |
| Citizenship | American British (formerly) |
| Education | Florida International University (B.Acc) University of Miami School of Law (JD) |
| Profession | attorney, judge |
Early life and career
Richards, the son of a mechanic and registered nurse, grew up in South Florida. He attended Shadowlawn Elementary School in the heart of Liberty City,[5] and later graduated from Miami Norland Senior High School. Richards earned his Bachelor of Accounting degree, in 1999, from Florida International University. In 2002, Richards received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Miami School of Law. Richards was a member of the UM Law School’s Honor Council.
Richards was defeated in a bid for re-election in 2014,[6] despite his re-election effort being endorsed by major local newspapers.[7]
Richards is married with three children.
Career achievements
- 2002 to 2004 – Assistant State Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit
- 2004 to 2008 – private attorney in South Florida
- 2009 to 2014 – elected County Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit
Richards is a member of the Broward Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, and Federal Bar Association