Candidate: James Moon

Campaign Website: www.MoonforJudge.com 

My solemn promise to the voters of Collier County, is that I will uphold the Constitution of the United States and the rights it affords each of us and conservatively enforce the rule of law.  I fully accept the tremendous responsibility that comes with this position. I believe that a well run legal system needs judges who are devoted to ensuring the integrity, impartiality, and most important - the independence of the bench. The judge is not there to create law and legislate, they are there to apply the law equally to all who come before it. It would be my absolute privilege to be entrusted with your vote and the ability to serve as your next Collier County judge.

EXPERIENCE IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE CANDIDATES:

This election comes down to considerable experience differences between the candidates:

1. Jim has 20 years of experience and has practiced during that entire time in Collier County.  Blake has been licensed 7 years.
2. Jim has both government and private practice experience having run his own law firm.  Blake spent 3 years working for the Court System as a staff attorney and the last 4 as a public defender.
3. Jim has tried over 35 jury trials, both civil and criminal.  Blake has failed to report any jury trials.
4. Jim has tried over 100+ civil bench trials.  Blake has never tried a civil trial.
5. Jim has tried well over 100+ criminal trials. Blake has not reported any bench trial experience.
6. Jim has acted in a quasi judicial role on 100's of code enforcement cases, hearing witnesses, deciding on evidence and ruling.  Blake has no experience in this capacity.
7. Jim has served on multiple arbitration panels deciding cases brought before him.  Blake has no experience in this capacity.
8. Jim has extensive civil and criminal experience.  Blake has limited civil experience.
9. Jim has both prosecution experience having served with the Naples State Attorney Office and defense experience.  Blake has only served in a defense capacity.
10. Jim has been entrusted by the Florida bar to serve on the 20th Circuit's Ethics Panel which oversees complaints lodged against local attorneys. Blake has not.

When you have to come to court, do you want someone with considerable experience to hear your case?  Vote for experience on the bench this election.

BACKGROUND/EDUCATION:

I have served my Country in the military, the State of Florida as a prosecutor, and now wish to serve Collier County as its next county judge.  I have served the area in a legal capacity for over 20 years now and would like to continue serving this community as the next County Judge. I have personally handled thousands of criminal and civil cases, having tried numerous civil and criminal matters to jury and hundreds more cases as bench trials.

I first started coming to Collier County in 1989 and moved here permanently in 1997. My wife and daughter both attended Naples High and are true Floridians with both being born here. Naples is and always will be the Moon home and my desire to serve as Collier's next judge stems from my and my family's deep roots within the community here and desire to maintain the Naples way of life.

 I am the epitome of the American dream, having been raised in a small town in mid Michigan. I attribute my own success to the sacrifices and hard work of my parents which allowed me to be the first geneteration to attend college. My father spent over 40 years in the foundry ensuring his kids would have more opporuntities than he did. It is also through their teachings to remain humble, my Christian upbringing and my military service that my moral character and strong belief in personal service to others and ethics above all else were instilled.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Jim took his first job with the State Attorney's Office prosecuting criminal offenses here in Collier County and has been active in the courtroom with both civil and criminal cases ever since. After leaving the prosecutor's office, he went to work with Circuit Judge John McGowan and HenryJohnson, then moved on to open his own office where he focused on civil litigation and criminal defense work. Through much hard work and sacrafice, he built his own office up until merging into the national firm Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, where he is a partner with a primary focus in litigation. He is certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a mediator and qualified as an arbitrator. He has been rated Excellent by the Martindale attorney rating system for the past ten+ years.

PROFESSIONALLY:  He has served as the Head of the City of Naples Code Enforcement Board hearing code violation cases within the City; on the Florida Bar Military Affairs Committee which assists veterans with legal issues; Florida Bar Professional Responsibility Committee; multiple attorney ethics boards; and as an arbitrator appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi to the New Car Lemon Law Board and by Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, to the Department of Financial Services Insurance Dispute Mediation Board. He also serves on the 20th Judicial Circuit Lawyer Ethics Board for attorney grievances. He was appointed to the Florida Bar Protect Democracy Committee and its speakers bureau and worked with Junior Achievement and Big Brothers/Big Sisters assisting area youths. He is a member of St. Anne's Catholic Church.

MILITARY SERVICE: He proudly served his country as an Infantryman with the Army National Guard. Additionally, he is a life member of the 38th Infantry Association and a 20+ year member of the American Legion and member of Amvets Post 23 in Naples.

FAMILY/COMMUNITY: Jim has lived in Naples over 20 years and is married to Doris Sloan-Moon (a long time Naples resident and Naples High graduate) and together they have one daughter, Kaitlyn, who also attended Naples High.  Between he and his wife, they have combined, over 60 years invested in the Naples Community. In his spare time, he enjoys volunteering for homeless animal causes, travel, the Everglades and fishing.