Spotlight on Alumni: Judge Danielle Brewer

AVON PARK, Fla. – April 11, 2022 – Judge Danielle Brewer, an alumna of South Florida State College (SFSC) through its Dual Enrollment program, became DeSoto County Judge in 2016. She spoke about her career in law and the importance of serving her community.

SFSC: Where are you originally from?
DB: I was born and raised in DeSoto County. My family settled here in the late 1800s. 

SFSC: Did you graduate from DeSoto High School?
DB: I graduated from DeSoto High School in 2005. Go Bulldogs!

SFSC: Why did you decide to attend SFSC?
DB: I attended SFSC through DeSoto High School’s Dual Enrollment Program. After graduating from high school, I transferred my credits from SFSC to the University of Florida. 

SFSC: What was your major at the University of Florida?
DB: At the University of Florida, I majored in Animal Sciences with minors in Plant Sciences, Food and Resource Economics, and International Studies in Agricultural and Life Sciences. 

SFSC: What made you decide to attend law school?
DB: I decided to attend law school during my junior year at the University of Florida. I made this decision because I looked at all of the things I loved to do and was passionate about—reading, writing, and advocacy for the agricultural industry nationally and internationally—and decided that becoming an attorney would allow me to pursue all of these interests in my career. 

SFSC: Where did you practice law? In what area of law did you concentrate your practice and why did you choose that concentration?
DB: I practiced law at Swaine & Harris, P.A. (now Swaine, Harris & Wohl, P.A.) in Lake Placid, Fla.  I focused my practice in the areas of commercial civil litigation and transactions, with an emphasis in agricultural matters. I chose this area because of my background in the agricultural field and because I enjoyed civil litigation and transactional issues while in law school. 

SFSC: How is it that you were appointed DeSoto County Judge?
DB: I was appointed by Governor Rick Scott as DeSoto County Judge in 2016. I made the decision to apply for appointment because I wanted to give the governor an opportunity to select a DeSoto County native to serve DeSoto County. At the time, no other applicants were from DeSoto County. I felt that it was extremely important for a person living in DeSoto County to have the responsibility of the County Judge, rather than someone who was not from here.   

SFSC: In what ways do you feel that it’s served your community?
DB: I have been actively involved in Twelfth Judicial Circuit and branch-wide committees that foster and enhance access to justice. Specifically, since 2019, I have served on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Technology Committee and, from 2020-2021, on the Florida Commission for Access to Civil Justice. Both committees focused on allowing litigants access to the courts. These efforts were imperative when faced with the various challenges beginning March 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Additionally, since 2016, I have spearheaded the implementation of the following court programs for DeSoto County: 

• DeSoto’s Comprehensive Case Management Court (including Drug Court, Veterans Court, DUI Court, and Mental Health Court)
  • Resulting in significant benefits to the community by reducing recidivism and jail population, saving tax dollars associated with recurrent jail stays and health and family issues, and encouraging participants to be accountable to their community

• DeSoto County Pretrial Services
  • Resulting in additional supervision for defendants released on bond, fewer bench warrants issued for failure to appear and more information provided at First Appearances for the judiciary to make better-advised decisions as to a defendant’s release

• DeSoto County Truancy Court
  • Resulting in a significant increase in school attendance for habitually truant children

• DeSoto County Driving While License Suspended (DWLS) Court
  • Resulting in hundreds of defendants obtaining their driver’s licenses, ensuring more insured drivers on the road and payment of past-due court costs, traffic fines, and child support
  • I also participate in the DeSoto County Clerk’s Office hosted “Operation Green Light” annually.

SFSC: You created DeSoto’s Comprehensive Case Management Court. What is it and why did you feel it was necessary?
DB: The Comprehensive Case Management Court is a problem-solving court, permitted by Florida Statutes, that serves defendants that suffer from addiction and/or mental health disorders. I wanted to begin this program in DeSoto County to address recidivism amongst criminal defendants by addressing two of the principal underlying causes of recidivism—addiction and mental health. This Court results in significant benefits to the community by reducing recidivism and jail population, saving tax dollars associated with recurrent jail stays and health and family issues, and encourages participants to be accountable to their community. 

SFSC: You serve as a faculty member for the Florida Judicial College. What is the Florida Judicial College?
DB: Florida Judicial College is often referred to as “New Judges School.” All new judges are required to attend during their first year on the bench. I teach in the County Court Civil Track. 

SFSC: You’ve served on South Florida State College’s Foundation Board. Why was that important to you?
DB: Serving on the Foundation was important to me because I believe that deserving local students should be able to affordably attend college or learn a trade—if they choose to—while being able to continue living and working in DeSoto County. 

SFSC: What local organizations or associations do you regularly participate in that serve your community in some way?

Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo, Inc.
Board of Directors – January 2020-present
Member – 2017-Present 

Jim Crews Playground Foundation, Inc.
Board of Directors – December 2013-present 

Arcadia Rotary Club
Member – 2018-present
Interact Club Sponsor – 2018-2019 

Arcadia Mainstreet Program, Inc.
Board of Directors – 2018-present

DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce
Member – 2018-present

Take Stock in Children
Mentor – 2021-present 

SFSC: Why do you feel that it’s important to serve the community?
DB: I believe that it is important to serve your community because it makes the place a better place to live for everyone. If every person utilized just one of their personal strengths to better their community, there would be countless opportunities created and benefits enjoyed. I love living in DeSoto County and I want people to be able to share this sentiment for years to come. 

SFSC: Would you encourage prospective students to attend SFSC?
DB: Absolutely! SFSC provides countless opportunities for local students. Whether you are a Dual Enrollment student or a person who has decided to attend college after some life experience, SFSC has an opportunity for you to fulfill your goals and do so affordably. SFSC is an invaluable resource for our community!

SFSC: Is there anything else you’d like people to know about you?
DB: I count myself very fortunate to serve the citizens of DeSoto County. Some may consider a judicial position to be one of power. I firmly disagree and believe that it is one of responsibility—responsibility to the law and to the people we are tasked to serve. I am proud to have been entrusted with this responsibility and am honored and privileged to serve DeSoto County as County Judge.