VIDEO: Bob Molettiere, Candidate For Circuit Judge, Highly Regarded By His Peers
By Space Coast Daily // July 19, 2016
has practiced trial law in Brevard for 32 years
ABOVE VIDEO: Bob Molettiere is a candidate for Circuit Judge for Brevard County. His many supporters, both in the law and in the lay population, consider him the best candidate for judge, for his expertise is vast and he is highly regarded by his peers.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard may have its first singing judge if Indialantic attorney Bob Moletteire is successful for his bid as circuit judge in the 18th Judicial Circuit, which encompasses Brevard and Seminole Counties.
Moletteire, who loves to sing and play the guitar, had considered studying music in college before deciding on political science.
He does indeed sing a great tune, although he doesn’t think he would be doing much of that should he get elected judge. His experience, not his voice, is what will get him on the bench.
His many supporters, both in the law and in the lay population, consider Moletteire the best candidate for judge, for his expertise is vast and he is highly regarded by his peers.
Bob Moletteire, who has practiced trial law in Brevard for 32 years, has represented and counseled thousands of clients and has tried in more than 100 civil and criminal jury trials and numerous non-jury trials throughout the State of Florida.
Moletteire, who has practiced trial law in Brevard for 32 years, has represented and counseled thousands of clients and has tried in more than 100 civil and criminal jury trials and numerous non-jury trials throughout the State of Florida.
Being board-certified and continuously re-certified by the Florida Bar as an expert in civil trail law since 1990 denotes his deep knowledge of the law.
“It’s very important for a judge to know all the rules of evidence and procedures,” said Moletteire.
“Of the over 100,000 Florida Bar members, less than 1,100 lawyers are certified as specialists in civil trial law.”
Board-certified lawyers are screened though stringent evaluation criteria that puts their professionalism and expertise under close scrutiny. Board certification is a nod to attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in various areas of law, as well as professionalism and ethics in practice.
In fact, not only is Moletteire board-certified, he recently finished a 6-year term serving on the Florida Bar committee for Civil Trial board certification.
That committee reviewed lawyer applications for board certification and recertification. Additionally, the committee wrote and graded the exam to be taken by new applicants for Civil Trial Law Board Certification.
Licensed to practice in all courts in Florida, Moletteire was admitted to the United States Court of Appeals, 11. Circuit, as well as to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Bob Moletteire’s love for the law led him to become an adjunct professor at Brevard Community College, now Eastern Florida State College, and to teach middle schoolers about the Bill of Rights. A product of a family of non-lawyers, Moletteire was fascinated by the law and wanted to be a lawyer since he was in the seventh grade, thanks to an excellent civics teacher who nurtured his interest in politics.
His love for the law led him to become an adjunct professor at Brevard Community College, now Eastern Florida State College, and to teach middle schoolers about the Bill of Rights. A product of a family of non-lawyers, Moletteire was fascinated by the law and wanted to be a lawyer since he was in the seventh grade, thanks to an excellent civics teacher who nurtured his interest in politics.
“Politics hooked me into law,” explained Moletteire.
He was named to the National Trial Lawyer Top 100 Trial Lawyers list from 2011 to 2013.
He considers becoming a judge as the ultimate reflection of his commitment to public service.
“It’s the ultimate community service for a lawyer,” he said.
Community service is ingrained in Moletteire’s work ethic. Since 2009, he has been on the board of directors of the Daily Bread, serving as its president from 2010 through 2013.
A 4th Degree Knight with Knights of Columbus, he is very active with his church, Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, where has served on the pastoral council and as a member of the school board. From 1996 to 2001, Moletteire was also part of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Civil Service Board.
Throwing his hat into the Judicial Court ring required serious consideration, as well as encouragement by both colleagues and the general public, since winning would require him to leave a practice he has loved since he first put out his shingle in Brevard in 1983.
“I’ve had a lot of lay people and lawyers tell me over and over that I would make a good judge,” he said.
Should he win, it will mark the second time Moletteire has been in public service. When he was just 20 years old and a junior at Florida Technological University, now the University of Central Florida, Moletteire successfully campaigned for a city council seat in his hometown of Edgewood.
“My dad coerced me to run and I was part of the Edgewood City Council for two years,” he said.
“It gave me a deep appreciation for the work of council members.”
The youngest-ever member of the Edgewood City Council, Moletteire was honored by his fellow council members in the second year of his term by being unanimously elected as president of the council for the remainder of his term.
In 1983, the newly minted lawyer with a doctor of jurisprudence from the Cumberland School of law was personally handpicked by the late Norm Wolfinger, the elected state attorney for Brevard and Seminole Counties, as an assistant public defender for the 18th Judicial Circuit.
“I’ve been in Brevard ever since,” he said.
A year later, he joined a private law firm, working in both criminal and family law, but by 1986, he was devoting all of his practice to representing victims of negligence in personal injury and wrongful death situations.
Born in 1957 in Wilmington, Delaware, Moletteire moved with his family to the Orlando area in 1970, just before the opening of Walt Disney World.
The diploma for his bachelor’s degree in political science is the stuff of Golden Knights memories, for Moletteire was among UCF’s first class of graduates. He had the option to receive the degree from Florida Technological University or the University of Central Florida. He chose the latter.
He wouldn’t mind working more on his golf game and attending sporting events, but he knows that as a judge, he will probably have to leave those pastimes behind. He doesn’t mind that so much, but the music, well, that is another thing.
While proper behavior for a judge will prevent him from ever singing while on the bench, he has no plans to stop singing and playing the guitar at Holy Name of Jesus.
For more information about Bob Moletteire, call 321-253-3405 or see BobForJudge.com
(Paid for and approved by Bob Moletteire for Circuit Court Judge Brevard County)
