Ian Richards (judge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian J. Richards
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| County Court Judge of Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit | |
| In office January 2009 – January 2015 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ian Jason Richards
May 31, 1975 Derbyshire, England, United Kingdom |
| Citizenship | American British (formerly) |
| Residences | Hollywood, Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Florida International University (B.Acc) University of Miami School of Law (JD) |
| Profession | attorney, judge |
Ian Jason Richards (born May 31, 1975) is a former county court judge from Florida. He was a judge in Florida's 17th Judicial Circuit. A judge is a public official who listens to and decides cases in a court of law.
Richards made history as the first African-American judge to be elected countywide in Broward County, Florida. He was known for an event where he quickly acted to protect a witness in his courtroom.
Meet Ian J. Richards
His Early Life and Education
Ian J. Richards grew up in South Florida. His father was a mechanic and his mother was a registered nurse. He went to Shadowlawn Elementary School and later graduated from Miami Norland Senior High School.
Richards continued his education at Florida International University. In 1999, he earned a Bachelor of Accounting degree. Later, in 2002, he received a law degree (called a Juris Doctor) from the University of Miami School of Law. While at law school, he was part of the Honor Council.
Richards is married and has three children.
Important Career Steps
Ian J. Richards has had an interesting career in law. From 2002 to 2004, he worked as an Assistant State Attorney. This means he was a lawyer who represented the state in court cases.
After that, from 2004 to 2008, he worked as a private attorney in South Florida. This means he had his own law practice. In 2009, he was elected as a County Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit. He served in this role until 2014.
In 2014, Richards ran for re-election but was not chosen again. Even though major local newspapers supported him, he was defeated. Richards is a member of several important legal groups. These include the Broward Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association.
