The man believed to have been behind the wheel in a 2012 single-vehicle crash that left three young men dead and a fourth seriously injured after the speeding car struck a tree and split in half has been sentenced to five years of probation. The man believed to have been... Read More

Alachua County Judge Candidates The Eighth Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission sent out letters Wednesday notifying half of the 30 applicants that they will be interviewed for the jobs, according to commission chairman Brian S. Kramer. The interviews, which are open to the public, are scheduled for March 22. Immediately after... Read More

OCALA - William Wilkus, 55, was acquitted on three capital sexual battery charges on a 5-year-old girl Thursday, but the jury found him guilty of lewd and lascivious conduct. “Obviously, the jury worked really hard for four hours . . . and reached a verdict based on the evidence of... Read More

OCALA - Derrick McNair laid his head down on the table in front of him Friday after jurors declared him not guilty of murder. Both McNair and court spectators appeared stunned when Circuit Judge William T. Swigert read the verdict. Members of McNair’s family gasped and cried quietly, while friends... Read More

After four hours and 20 minutes of deliberations, a 12-member jury declined to find James Theral Carlton guilty of first-degree murder Friday afternoon. But it did find him guilty of the lesser offense of second-degree murder for the 2010 death of Michael Nichols. After four hours and 20 minutes of... Read More

The list of attorneys being considered for two Alachua County Judge vacancies has been whittled down to 15. The 8th Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission sent out letters Wednesday notifying half of the 30 applicants that they will be interviewed for the jobs, commission chairman Brian S. Kramer said. The list... Read More

The applicants are all vying for the opportunity to fill the judicial vacancy left by Judge Brian Lambert, who was appointed to the appellate bench by Gov. Rick Scott in late May. The list is in. Fourteen members of the local legal community submitted applications to the 5th Circuit Judicial... Read More

Juan Angel Losoya, 31, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder with a firearm, and agreed to a 33-year sentence in exchange for his testimony against co-defendant Arnold Lee “Sonny” Evans. Losoya, Evans and a third man, Anselmo Iniguez, were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder in... Read More

The positions were vacated when former County Judges Victor Hulslander and Mary Day Coker were recently appointed to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court bench. Thirty attorneys applied to be considered for the vacancies and 15 of them were interviewed by the 8th Judicial Circuit Nominating Commission on Monday. The commission... Read More

Despite hearing blistering comments from the victim’s family, convicted murderer James Carlton kept his composure during a sentencing hearing Thursday, during which a judge imposed a 22.25-year prison term. If Carlton, age 67 and in poor health, survives the sentence, he will serve the rest of his life on probation.... Read More