JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A distinguished judge with more than 30 years of law experience, Judge Marcia Morales Howard has the fate of more than 650,000 Jacksonville voters and about a million residents in her hands.
“She’s been very methodical about it which is her style she’s a very detailed and organized judge,” said Jacksonville attorney Curtis Fallgatter.
Fallgatter said he’s worked with Judge Howard on about 20 cases or so over the years. Right now, she’s being tasked with making sure voters, particularly Black voters, get a fair shot at representation across the community. This comes as the city council is trying to get redistricting maps approved and ready to go by Nov. 8.
“If you don’t have a neutral fair judge like a federal judge who can step in to make sure they do it correctly so that the voters are getting a fair shake on redistricting, then politics will rule the country and voters will not get their representation,” said Fallgatter.
Fallgatter said Howard is a judge who’s always prepared and thorough. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Vanderbilt University and is a graduate of the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law. She started her professional legal career back in 1990 and spent 13 years in private practice.
In 2003, Howard became a U.S. Magistrate Judge, and four years later she was appointed by Republican President George W. Bush to serve in her current lifetime role as U.S. District Court Judge for the Middle District of Florida.
“The beauty of the federal system with a lifetime appointment she can do the right thing and that’s what she’s doing and she’s holding people’s feet to the fire to make sure they get it done,” said Fallgatter.
In one of her rulings, she found there was “a compelling case that race was the predominant factor in the drawing of the challenged districts,” and that the shape of the districts was “dictated by race.” In which the court is convinced that allowing the election to proceed with districts that the court has found are substantially likely to be unconstitutional.”
“In terms of this redistricting issue and making sure that politics do not dictate it and be in compliance with the law and that’s what she’s done,” said Fallgatter.
Ex-Jacksonville City Councilmembers Katrina Brown and Reggie Brown faced Judge Howard for sentencing after the two were convicted on federal charges of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. In another notable case, a 22-year-old Jacksonville man was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison for sex trafficking a child.
But, her duties go beyond how one would traditionally see her in the courtroom. She’s the daughter of Cuban immigrants who’s gotten the chance to welcome more than 500 new Americans at their naturalization ceremonies.
Judge Howard was also honored this year as the recipient of the 2022 distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award. She has also committed more than 200 hours of pro bono and community service work.
“She works really hard to try to get the cases done right and this is a classic example of it,” said Fallgatter.
Judge Howard has chaired the middle district of Florida bench bar fund committee and is active in civics outreach initiatives for Jacksonville students.