Candidate: Danny Villazon

Candidate Statement

Danny Villazon is an experienced attorney, ready to serve the people of Osceola County as County Judge.   He grew up in Miami, Florida where his parents Horacio Antonio Villazon and Mercedes Maldonado had come seeking opportunity and a better life.  Danny is proud of his Hispanic heritage, his father having come from Havana, Cuba and his Mother from Utuado, Puerto Rico.

Danny Villazon met his wife, Grace Marie Velazquez of San Juan, Puerto Rico in Miami.  They have been married for twenty-eight (28) years and have two children, Alex Villazon and Robert “Robby” Villazon.

Mr. Villazon began his career in the legal field as a County Court Bailiff.  Upon graduation from Florida International University, Mr. Villazon obtained a position as a State of Florida Probation Officer.  Inspired by the judges he worked for, Danny decided to further his education and attend Law School at Florida State University’s College of Law. Upon graduation from Law School, he joined the Office of the Public Defender for Florida’s Second Judicial Circuit.

As an Assistant Public Defender, Mr. Villazon handled felony, misdemeanor and juvenile cases.  This experience, early in his career, allowed him to gain considerable trial experience. He also had the honor to be selected by the Public Defender to attend the National Criminal Defense College, Summer Trial Practice Institute.

Mr. Villazon and his wife, moved to Central Florida when he became a Senior Attorney with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Real Estate. In that capacity, he represented the State of Florida in numerous hearings before Administrative Law Judges and before the Appellate Courts of the State.  Mr. Villazon was promoted to Chief Attorney supervising several other attorneys and maintaining an active case load.

In 2001, Mr. Villazon joined Robert Wesley the Public Defender, for Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, as the Osceola County Bureau Chief.  As Bureau Chief, Mr. Villazon not only maintained an active caseload, but also supervised several assistant public defenders.   In addition, Mr. Villazon attended many community functions on behalf of the Public Defender’s Office, worked in Osceola County’s Drug Court and served on the Center for Drug Free Living’s Board of Directors.

Mr. Villazon resigned from the Public Defender’s office in order to pursue his goal of starting a private law practice in Osceola County, Florida.  While in private practice Mr. Villazon was retained to represent the Florida Real Estate Commission (“FREC”) as its legal advisor.  In addition to representing FREC, Mr. Villazon represented numerous children and their families in the community in dependency proceedings.

Today Mr. Villazon has an active statewide practice representing real estate professionals throughout the state.  He is a frequent lecturer at local Board of Realtor Offices and speaks on real estate license law, contracts and ethics.  Mr. Villazon is currently the attorney for the Osceola County Board of Realtors and serves on the Florida Realtors Local Board Attorney Committee where he served as Chairman.