James Marsh appointed to Leon judge's seat

Tallahassee-native James “Lee” Marsh was appointed as a Leon County Circuit judge on Monday.

Gov. Rick Scott made the appointment to fill a vacancy from the retirement of Charles A. Francis. For the past two years, Marsh has served as the bureau chief of corrections litigation in the Office of the Attorney General.

Marsh was born and raised in Tallahassee and is a third-generation graduate of Leon High School. He served five years in the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Force before attending the University of Florida College of Law. He joined the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps before working as a legal aid attorney, criminal defense attorney, general counsel to three admirals and the lead prosecutor in the Southeast region for the Navy.

“I am so humbled to be allowed to serve the people of the 2nd Judicial Circuit.  As a judge, I will decide each case individually, according to the law,” Marsh said in an email. “I will treat all people in the courtroom with dignity and respect. I thank the governor for allowing me to serve the people of Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla Counties.”