Candidate: Philip J. Yacucci Jr.

JUDGE YACUCCI HAS BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT OF ST LUCIE COUNTY FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS, AND HAS SERVED FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS AS YOUR ELECTED ST LUCIE COUNTY JUDGE, GROUP 2. PHIL WAS BORN IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE AND ATTENDED ST MARKS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL (1969-1973) WHERE HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE VERY FIRST GRADUATING CLASS IN WHAT WOULD BECOME THE LARGEST CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE. JUDGE YACUCCI THEN ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE GRADUATING WITH A BA DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE (1973-1977). PHIL THEN ATTENDED FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW (1977-1980) WHERE HE EARNED HIS JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE. PHIL THEN SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT (FORT PIERCE OFFICE) FROM 1980-1985 PROSECUTING A NUMBER OF MAJOR CASES IN OUR AREA, INCLUDING SEVERAL HOMICIDES AND DRUG TRAFFICKING CASES. JUDGE YACUCCI THEN ENTERED PRIVATE PRACTICE FROM 1985-1988, FIRST AS A SOLO PRACTITIONER SPECIALIZING IN CRIMINAL LAW, AND THEN AS A PARTNER IN THE LAW FIRM OF BARNES AND YACUCCI. PHIL THEN CAMPAIGNED FOR AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN WINNING THE ELECTION OF 1988 FOR THE POSITION OF THE ELECTED PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR THE 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT. HE SERVED IN THAT POSITION UNTIL 1993 WHEN HE RETURNED TO PRIVATE PRACTICE. AS THE ELECTED PUBLIC DEFENDER PHIL WAS ONE OF THE ONLY ELECTED OFFICIALS TO STILL TRY HOMICIDE CASES PERSONALLY--SAVING THE COUNTY LARGE LEGAL FEES FOR CONFLICT COUNSEL. IN ADDITION PHIL BEGAN THE PRACTICE OF CHARGING CLIENTS A MINIMAL FEE FOR SERVICES AND FOR THE FIRST TIME BROUGHT IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO RECOUP FUNDS FOR ST LUCIE COUNTY--A PRACTICE THAT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY. FROM 1993-2002 PHIL REMAINED IN PRIVATE PRACTICE BECOMING ONE OF THE FIRST CERTIFIED DEATH PENALTY ATTORNEYS IN THE 19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, AND TRYING OVER 100 JURY TRIALS, INCLUDING A NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE CASES. PHIL ALSO BECAME A CERTIFIED FAMILY AND COUNTY COURT MEDIATOR VOLUNTEERING TO HANDLE A NUMBER OF FAMILY COURT MEDIATIONS PRO BONO (WITHOUT CHARGE). IN 2002 PHIL DEFEATED THE INCUMBENT AND WAS ELECTED ST LUCIE COUNTY JUDGE, AND HAS PROUDLY SERVED IN THIS POSITION FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS. DURING THIS TIME JUDGE YACUCCI HAS PRESIDED OVER NEARLY 200 JURY TRIALS AND THOUSANDS OF MOTIONS, HEARINGS, PLEAS, SENTENCES, FIRST APPEARANCES, AND NUMEROUS OTHER DUTIES. JUDGE YACUCCI HAS HANDLED THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DIVERSION PROGRAM (DVDP) FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS HELPING QUALIFIED OFFENDERS TO RECOGNIZE AND CORRECT THEIR BEHAVOIR--MANY TIMES CONTRIBUTING TO THE SAVING OF MARRIAGES/RELATIONSHIPS AND BREAKING PATTERNS OF ABUSE. IN ADDITION, JUDGE YACUCCI SERVES AS THE COUNTY COURT MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SAFTEY COORDINATING COUNSEL (PSCC) AND HAS SERVED IN THAT CAPACITY FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS. PHIL HAS ALSO BEEN A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR AT THE POLICE ACEDEMY AT IRCC TEACHING CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURES. ADDITIONALLY OVER THE YEARS PHIL HAS MEMBERSHIPS IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TRIAL ATTORNEYS, ABA, AND NUMEROUS MEMBERSHIPS IN BOTH PROSECUTION AND DEFENSE ASSOCIATIONS. PHIL HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE MARIA FOR NEARLY 11 YEARS AND THEY HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, ALLIE, AGE 8, A STUDENT AT ST ANASTASIA. PHIL ALSO HAS TWO GROWN CHILDREN, KATIE AND PJ, WHO ALSO ATTENDED ST ANASTASIA BEFORE GOING ON TO BOTH ATTAIN COLLEGE AND GRADUATE DEGREES. THROUGHOUT HIS 34 YEARS HERE IN ST LUCIE COUNTY JUDGE YACUCCI HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF HIS CHURCH COMMUNITY AND VERY ACTIVE IN ALL OF HIS CHILDREN\'S LIVES. PHIL HAS ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN OUR COUNTY AS A VOLUNTEER AND AN ATHELETE--PARTICIPATING MANY YEARS IN BOTH FORT PIERCE AND PORT SAINT LUCIE CITY LEAGUE SOFTBALL AND BASKETBALL.