M E E T
T H E
J U D G E S
by Lyndsey E. Siara – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Continued from page 16
Judge Tibbals is no stranger to volunteering his time
to help others. Before becoming a judge, he was heavily
involved with the attorney ad litem program, which was
later merged into Crossroads for Florida Kids. It was
former Judge Ashley Moody that first got him involved in
the program. He spent countless hours representing
children in delinquency and dependency court and was
recognized by the HCBA with the Jimmy Kynes Pro Bono
Service Award in 2014. He says that experience prepared
him for his current judicial assignment, but not
necessarily in the way you may first think. Through his
attorney ad litem experiences, he gained valuable
perspective on kids and families. Of highest importance
is recognizing that one’s own concepts of family life are
not necessarily that of everyone else. Judge Tibbals
believes that the foundation of patience demonstrated in
his family home and growing up in a rural area in close
proximity with all types of friends prepared him for a
critical aspect of his job — accepting people as they
appear before him, setting aside any preconceived notions
of what parents or family life “should” look like.
Of course, the job comes with its challenges. As any
judge would likely tell you, there are certain cases that
stick with you throughout your career. Whether it was
the tragedy involved, or the mental or emotional toll it
took, being the decision-maker is difficult at times. This
is acutely true in matters of family law and dependency.
The inevitable tough days have not dampened Judge
Tibbals’ enthusiasm for the Family Law Division. In fact,
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he has requested to remain in the division on two prior
occasions. In what you might consider a nod to his
hometown inklings, Judge Tibbals recently volunteered
to relocate to the Plant City Courthouse. He views the
change as an exciting opportunity to meet and work with
new people.
Although he will work full time in Plant City, Judge
Tibbals will maintain an office in the Edgecomb
Courthouse. He will also continue in his role as the
Administrative Judge for the Family Law Division, a role
he views as an opportunity to check in with his colleagues
to make sure they have the tools and help they need. “I am
just one of many captains on the team,” he observed wryly.
In all sincerity though, Judge Tibbals stressed the teamwork
aspect of his job; how all of his colleagues are ready at the
helm to help whenever needed, even when it means
answering a phone call in the middle of the night. It was a
good reminder that a judge’s job is a 24-hour-a-day post.
Of course there are countless hours in the courtroom, but
even more spent behind the veil preparing for their time
in the robe and thinking about the cases and issues before
them. Judge Tibbals is proud to be on
a team where each member tries their
hardest to “get it right.” He found this
segued into sound advice for lawyers
too — work hard and simply do your
best with what you have to work with.
Until next time…
Author: Lyndsey E. Siara – Thirteenth
Judicial Circuit
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