Published: July 02, 2008 08:45 am      

Hingson elected president of Third Circuit Bar Association

Live Oak’s Decker new vice president

The Third Judicial Circuit Bar Association gathered at Camp Weed for the group’s 2008 annual meeting and dinner June 13. There were approximately 150 attorneys and guests in attendance at the annual event. The Third Judicial Circuit Bar Association is a group made up of attorneys and judges who are members of the Florida Bar and who practice in the Third Judicial Circuit. The Third Judicial Circuit encompasses Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor counties.

The Third Circuit Bar had a memorable evening as it celebrated a homecoming of sorts. The theme for the evening’s festivities was “Celebrating the Past, Present and Future.” The group recognized those attorneys who have been members of the bar for 30+, 40+ and 50+ years. The group paid special recognition to its two longest practicing bar members, Herbert Darby and John Norris, both of Lake City. Darby and Norris have been members of the Florida Bar and practicing attorneys for 59 years. Darby is a partner in the Lake City law firm of Darby, Peele, Bowdoin and Payne. Norris is a partner in the Lake City law firm of Norris and Norris. The bar also passed a resolution in honor of the legacy of another one of North Central Florida’s legal icons, Ernest Page Jr. of Madison. Mr. Page passed away in June of 2006. Mr. Page’s son, Ernest Page III (of Madison), and grandson, Ernest Page IV (of Dowling Park), are also attorneys practicing in the Third Circuit. Both were present at the event, as well as Mr. Page’s widow, Margaret, to accept the resolution.

Other highlights of the evening included recognizing the Third Circuit’s past Florida Bar Board of Governor’s Representatives, and the election of the 2008-09 Third Circuit officers and board. Todd Hingson, an assistant state attorney in Lake City, was elected president of the association. A.J. Decker, of the Decker Law Firm in Live Oak, was elected vice president. Kyle McLeod, of the Public Defender’s Office in Live Oak, was elected treasurer, and Kendra Hinton, of the Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel in Lake City, was elected secretary.