On the Bench Magistrate Gilberto Perez At the end of May, Gil Perez ascended to the Lee County family law magistrate bench. It’s the culmination of a career that began with the gentle prodding of an influential educator. “In ninth grade, my Legal Studies teacher, Mr. Potter, kept making me the judge in all of our mock trials,” Magistrate Perez said. As a high school junior he took an elective course in psychology, which fascinated him and led to a bachelor’s degree in that field, providing a solid framework for a career focused on family law. It is the area where he feels he can make the most significant difference in people’s lives. In one standout case during his career, Perez represented a childhood friend and her husband. “After some challenges, they were able to adopt their two foster children. There wasn’t a dry eye in the courtroom that afternoon.” As a magistrate he intends to provide timely hearings and rulings in his high-volume docket. “Often times, those cases which require the court’s intervention are the ones that are the most contentious. I think these families will benefit from getting to court as soon as possible and then getting their results shortly thereafter,” he explained. Taking the magistrate bench is a natural next step for the attorney who has long been focused on serving the community, whether as a legal aid attorney, assistant attorney general or assistant state attorney. He was such an active board member for the Lee County Legal Aid Society that representatives of that organization told this magazine they have accepted his resignation with a great deal of, well, resignation. Attorneys who will practice in front of Magistrate Perez would do well to come to court prepared: “Know your client, the facts of your case, and the law.” A good measure of professional courtesy will also go a long way, especially toward opposing counsel and pro se litigants. Perez expects his 20 years’ experience as an attorney to serve him well. “In those twenty years, I have fostered the ability to work well with and respect others, regardless of their education level, socioeconomic status or origin.” When not on the bench, he values spending time with family and friends for a quiet evening at home or dinner and a show.
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June 2015 | RES GESTAE
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