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Robert A. Young, Of Counsel

Phone: (863) 676-8584
E-mail: r.young@gibsonvalenti.com
Fax: (863) 676-0548

Overview:

Bob was educated in Florida's public schools and at the University of Florida (B.S. Elect. Eng.; J. D. Law). After 11 years in private practice, he served for 17 years as a judge (Polk County and the Tenth Judicial Circuit). Since his retirement, he has been in private practice (of counsel) with Gibson and Valenti in Lake Wales and as general counsel for government agencies and a religious non-profit.

Areas of Practice:

Arbitration - more
Voluntary Trial Resolution
Civil Trial Practice
Administrative Law

Reported Cases

A computer-aided search reveals over 80 reported appellate cases in which Bob was involved either as litigator, trial judge or associate appellate judge. Considering only those reported opinions in which he was appellate counsel, the following may be of interest:

Constitutional Law & Criminal Procedure
Simmons v. State, 915 So. 2d 732 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
Sarasota Herald-Tribune v. State, 924 So. 2d 8 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
Akridge v. Crow, 930 So. 2d 346 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
Armstrong v. State, 429 So. 2d 287 (Fla. 1983)
Massey v. State, 389 So. 2d 712 (Fla. 2d DCA 1980)
Ogilvie v. Stokes, 346 So. 2d 1035 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977)
Seaver v. Wiegand, 504 F.2d 303 (U.S. 5th Cir. 1974), cert. den. 421 U.S. 924 (1975)
Sumner v. Williams, 30 So. 2d 472 (Fla. 2d DCA 1974)

Civil Cases
Best v. Lakeland Regional Medical Center, 899 So. 2d 424 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005)
Wilson v. Rex Quality Corp., 839 So. 2d 928 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003)
Michigan Nat. Bank-Michiana v. Baumgart, 408 So. 2d 599 (Fla. 2d DCA 1981)
Hines v. Lykes Pasco Packing, 374 So. 2d 1132 (Fla. 2d DCA 1979)

Lecturer

Dean and Lecturer, Traffic Adjudication Seminar, Florida Conf. of County Court Judges, 1986 - 1989
Lecturer, Judicial Immunity and Liability, Florida Judicial College, 1994 - 1998
Faculty Chairman and Lecturer, Religious Traditions and the Courts, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, 1996 - 1998
Faculty Chairman, Philosophy of Law, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, 2000
Instructor, Handling Capital Cases, Florida Judicial College, 1999
Instructor, numerous programs, Conference of Circuit Court Judges, 1994 - 2000
Principal Instructor, Religious Traditions and the Courts, Ohio, Utah and Idaho Judicial Conferences, 1997 - 1998

Published Works:

Judicial Selection: The Importance of Independence and Accountability, Supreme Court of Florida and Univ. of South Florida (Prof. Steven C. Tauber, Ph.D. principal author), June 2000
Walters v. State, 710 So.2d 606 (Fla. 2d DCA 1998). West Publishing (with staff attorney)
Religious Traditions and the Courts, NASJE News, (with Blan L. Teagle, principal author), Summer, 1997
Florida Duty Judge Manual, Office of State Courts Administrator, 1996
Judicial Immunity Course Materials, Office of State Courts Administrator, 1996-1999
Voting Rights Act and Judicial Elections, The Florida Bar News, (written with Karen Emerson, Staff Attorney), 1990
Florida Traffic Magistrate Training Manual, Office of State Courts Administrator (several chapters), date unknown.

Bar Admissions:

Florida Bar, 1972
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, 2002
U.S. District Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1981
U.S. District Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1981
U.S. Supreme Court, 1976

Service to the Bench and Bar:

Florida Supreme Court Appointments:
Florida Court Education Council, 1996 - 2000
Florida Conference of Circuit Judges, 1998 - 1999
Executive Committee, 1994 - 1996
Florida Bench - Bar Implementation Commission, 1995
Florida Gender Bias Implementation Commission, 1993
Florida Conference of County Court Judges, President, 1992
Judicial Council of Florida, 1989 - 1994

Florida Bar Appointments:
Judicial Administration, Selection and Tenure Committee, The Florida Bar, Chairman, 1995
Bench - Bar Commission of Florida, 1993

Other Offices:
American Inns of Court, President, Willson Chapter, 2000
American Inns of Court, Appellate Law Chapter, 2006

Education:

University of Florida, B.S. Electrical Engineering, 1961-1966
University of Florida, Juris Doctor, 1966-1969
National Judicial College, General Jurisdiction Course, 1984

Honors and Awards:

Achievement Award Implementation of Mediation Program, Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1998
Distinguished Service Award, Conference of County Court Judges, 1988
Volunteer Mediator Program, The Florida Bar Foundation Award, 1991
The Florida Bar President's Pro Bono Service Award, 1983

Military:

Acoustical Research Branch, 1969-1971
Human Engineering Laboratory, United States Army, Aberdeen, MD

Legal Profession

Gibson &Valenti (of counsel), 2000- present
General Counsel, Public Defender, Tenth Jud. Circuit, 2003 - present
Circuit Judge, Tenth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1994 - 2000
Judge of the County Court, Polk County, Florida, 1983 - 1994
Wilkins, Moorman & Young, 1982 - 1983
Trakas & Young, P.A., 1980 - 1982
Moorman & Young, P.A., 1976 - 1980
Assistant Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1972 - 1976

Family

Born September 26, 1943. Robert has been married to Marlene Duffy Young since 1978. They are parents of 3 children; Christopher (27), Lauren (22) and Meghan (20).