Candidate Profile: Joy Goodyear

Nearly two years after her first campaign for the judiciary, assistant public defender Joy Goodyea is seeking a seat on the Orange County Court. She told VoxPopuli in a recent phone interview that her motivations for the bench remain the same — to help and serve the public. 

“I'm not doing it to earn a title,” Goodyear said. “I'm not doing it to advance my career. I'm doing it because I believe I have the experience to really make a difference and help people in our community.”

Goodyear, 52, is running for the Group 17 bench on the Orange County Court, often called “the people’s court,” which adjudicates traffic offenses, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims cases up to $8,000, misdemeanor criminal matters, violations of municipal and county ordinances and monetary disputes up to $50,000. She faces incumbent Orange County Judge Cherish Adams in the nonpartisan election on Aug. 18. County Court judges serve six-year terms and earn $189,755 annually.

Goodyear said she is not interested in ladder climbing or utilizing the county court as a springboard to something higher up the judicial court system.  

“I will [stay] my entire term, and another if they'll let me,” Goodyear said. “I literally just want to serve, and it’s how I've led my whole career, but I believe I could accomplish so much more from the bench.”

Raised by a single mother in New Port Richey, Florida, Goodyear gained an interest in the legal system in high school after attending Career Day at the New Port Richey Public Defender’s Office. Fast forward several decades, and Goodyear has worked for nearly 28 years representing indigent clients who otherwise could not afford legal representation as an assistant public defender in the Ninth Judicial Circuit’s Public Defender’s Office. She said that experience did the most to prepare her for the responsibilities of a judge. 

"As a public defender, I continue to see the need for judges who can understand the people that come in front of them and who can get to the issues that underlie what bring people to court in the first place,” Goodyear said. 

Now, as Goodyear goes up against Adams, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, she said that what sets her apart is her experience representing people. She said her opponent has only represented the government in her work as an assistant state attorney rather than individual people. 

“When you represent people, you see the entire picture,” Goodyear said. “It’s not just a number, it's not just another case, it's a person who's tied to a family, who's part of our community, and you see the struggles that they're faced with,” Goodyear said. “As an attorney, you need to come up with suggestions to the court for what solutions are really going to work because every client is different … I think when you're an attorney whose experience comes from representing people, you see that difference.”

Here, Goodyear answers questions from the News Collaborative of Central Florida.

What professional experiences have best prepared you for the bench?

My 28 years as an Assistant Public Defender has been the best preparation I could ask for. As a public defender, I have represented people who are in desperate need of help. They have little to no money or resources and have been charged with a criminal offense. They often have no experience with our court system and sometimes have little education. As a result, I not only have to provide legal advice and assistance, but I also have to teach them how our system works. I have to explain what rights they have and often time correct misunderstandings they have. I often have to contend with language barriers and other issues that need to be overcome. I also try to determine what outcome is the best for my client. Many times the best outcome involves advocating for a solution that will solve the underlying problem that caused the current charge. For example, homelessness may have led to a trespass or theft charge. Drug addiction may have led to a drug charge. Untreated mental illness may have led to a assault charge.

As a public defender, I also have to work closely with the state attorney’s office and all the members of the courtroom. Public defenders often have very large caseloads so it’s very important to keep up on all of the cases and work efficiently with others. I know firsthand the problems delays in our court system can have on my clients and I have to make sure to limit those delays as much as possible. When dealing with my clients, witnesses, or victims it is not uncommon for them to become upset or frustrated and I have to always be patient and understanding.

I’ve also had the opportunity to see what solutions work best and what solutions don’t. I strongly believe that “one solution, fits all” is no solution at all. Every case is different, every individual has different needs. It is important that whatever solution is reached be one that is specifically tailored to the facts and circumstances of that specific case and individual.

All of these experiences have helped prepare me for the bench. As a county court judge, I will often have people appearing before me without attorneys. I will need to be able to explain to them how the system works and what they need to do. I will need to be patient and understanding. I will need to address any barriers that interfere with this goal. I will need to be able to work efficiently with both sides and courtroom staff. I will have to find solutions that are best for each situation as it is presented.

What role should personal values play in judicial decision-making?

My personal values help shape my character, but they do not determine what decision I will need to make as a judge. A judge's personal opinions must be set aside, as judges are required to follow the law in every case. Every person that appears before a judge, must not feel that the outcome will be based on the personal beliefs of that judge, but will be the correct decision when the law is applied to the facts of the case. Otherwise, there would be no consistency in our court system. As a public defender, I am fully aware of the importance of fairness, impartiality, and treating every person with respect. I will do everything in my power to make sure every person knows that I will give them the full opportunity to be heard and that I will make a fair decision based on the law.

How do you balance precedent with evolving societal standards?

A judge is required to apply the law as it is written. A judge can look to precedent to get clarity on how courts have interpreted that law. Following precedent provides consistency, which is critical to a fair judicial system. It is important that litigants are treated similarly even though they appear before different judges. When a law needs to be changed because of evolving societal standards, it is the legislature that is tasked with making those changes. It is important that judges are informed of those changes and make the correct rulings as time requires.

What steps do you take to avoid conflicts of interest?

I would avoid conflicts of interest by making sure not to engage in financial or business dealing with lawyers that are likely to come before the court. I would follow the Code of Judicial Conduct and review each case for potential conflicts and disclose them. If a conflict arises, I would recuse myself. It’s imperative that every litigant knows they are getting a fair hearing.

What barriers to justice do you see in the current system, and how would you address them?

The biggest barrier to the justice in the current system is delays. Every judge has heavy caseloads and it is very difficult to manage those caseloads in a timely manner. I know firsthand the problems that delays can have on individuals and their families. Often times when someone is arrested, they are immediately terminated from their job. Unfortunately, it often takes a year or longer to resolve the matter. That means that the person arrested, wrongfully or not, is unemployed for that length of time. That has immeasurable adverse impacts on the individual and their family. In civil cases, the stress of a pending lawsuit can be very difficult to deal with. When that case can take years to resolve, that is a long period of time that the parties are dealing with that stress and all of the impacts it has on them and their families. If I am elected, I will do whatever it takes to reduce the delays that exist in our system. I believe that is best accomplished through keeping track of each case, knowing where the litigation stands, and being able to address any issues that arise in a timely manner. I will also make sure that hearing time is available so that cases can be heard.