Bio provided by candidate:

State Attorney Andrew A. Bain serves as the chief prosecutor for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Florida, representing Orange and Osceola counties. Appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in August 2023, he is dedicated to creating a safer community by holding violent offenders accountable and prosecuting crimes fairly.

With a background rooted in community service and a passion for equity, Bain aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community while providing transparent and effective administration within the criminal justice system.

Bain was born in Fort Lauderdale and is the son of a pastor and grew up with a strong sense of duty to serve others. He graduated from Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach and played football at the University of Miami. He majored in psychology and African American studies and graduated with honors. He later earned his law degree from Florida A&M University College of Law in 2013.

Bain served as an assistant state attorney in the Ninth Judicial Circuit for seven years before being appointed as a judge by Governor Ron DeSantis in June 2020. Orange County residents elected him to

the judgeship in 2022.

In his current role, State Attorney Bain aims to restore public safety, strengthen community relationships, support the well-being of victims and proactively collaborate with local organizations to

deter and prevent crime.

Bio provided by candidate:

As state attorney, Monique Worrell’s tenure has been marked by bold initiatives, visionary leadership and an unwavering commitment to equity.

Worrell is a former public defender and Democrat who was elected state attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, serving from 2021 to August 2023. She is running again in 2024 to regain her position.

Worrell earned her law degree from the University of Florida. She worked as assistant public defender and private criminal defense lawyer. She also taught at the University of Florida law

school for 16 years and served as the founding director of its criminal justice center.

She was hired in 2018 by state attorney Aramis Ayala as the director of the conviction integrity unit. In 2019, she became the chief legal officer of Reform Alliance, and she returned to the conviction integrity unit in 2020. When she was ran for state attorney and was elected, Worrell became the second African-American elected as state attorney in Florida and the first of Caribbean descent.

In August 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended her from office and appointed Orange County Judge Andrew Bain to replace her. DeSantis accused Worrell of "neglect of duty and incompetence,” which Worrell denied and called it a “political hit job” to benefit DeSantis’ presidential campaign.

Bio provided by panelist:

Fred J. Lauten is a mediator in the Upchurch Watson White & Max Mediation Group. He served as a judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit for 26 years and as chief judge of the circuit for the last five of those years. During his career on the bench he sat in every division of the county court and in various divisions of the circuit court. Judge Lauten presided over the Ninth Circuit’s Business Court division from 2007 until 2012.

As a judge, Lauten presided over a wide variety of cases including complex civil, criminal, probate, guardian and mental health cases. Prior to serving as chief judge, he served as administrative judge in the civil and criminal divisions. Fred also has been an associate judge on the Fifth District Court of Appeal.

Fred had significant involvement in the statewide judicial system. He served as dean of the Florida Judicial College, the college that teaches all new judges in the state, from 2006 to 2010. Fred served as the education committee chair of the Conference of Circuit Court Judges for four years and also served as a Florida Supreme Court mentor for new judges. Fred has been appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to numerous statewide committees including the Judicial Management Council, the Trial Court Budget Committee and as Chair of the Working Interdisciplinary Committee on Guardianship Stakeholders.

Fred received numerous awards for his service on the bench including the 2016 American Board of Trial Advocates Trial Judge of the year, the 2018 James G. Glazebrook Jurist of the year and the 2018 Mental Health Association’s Community Hero Award.

• He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Rollins College and a law degree from Villanova University and earned an MBA from Rollins’ Crummer School of Business.