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Crist Appoints Hillsborough Judge To Fill Vacated Circuit Seat

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 7, 2008

TAMPA -- Hillsborough County Judge Thomas P. Barber has gotten the nod to jump up to the circuit court bench.

Barber, who handles misdemeanor criminal cases, will fill the seat left vacant on Feb. 1 when Circuit Judge Monica Sierra resigned to continue as a volunteer for a humanitarian organization in Israel's West Bank. Sierra sat on the family court bench handling juvenile dependency issues.

Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment of Barber was announced Tuesday.

In 2004, Barber was appointed to the county bench. He was re-elected in 2006. Barber graduated from the University of Florida in 1989 and from the University of Pennsylvania law school in 1992.

County judges make $137,020 per year. The circuit judge position pays $145,080.

Sierra's term began in 2003, and she would have been up for re-election in August. With Barber's appointment, he will sit until 2010, when he can run for re-election.

With Barber's county judge seat open, the Judicial Nominating Committee will ask for applications to fill that position.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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