Circuit Court Judges On Ballot

Most voters are aware that the candidates for sheriff and county commissioner will face off in the Aug. 26 primary.

There's another lesser known, but nevertheless important, race to be decided.

John Radabaugh and Nathaniel White are running for 10th Circuit district judge, who hears cases in Polk, Highlands and Hardee counties.

The winner will take a six-year term in the seat vacated by Charles Lee Brown, who is retiring.

White Grew Up In Guantanamo Bay, London, Tampa

Nathaniel White

Age: 51

From: Bartow

Experience: assistant public defender, assistant state's attorney, private practice.

Family life: married to Debbie, children Miles, Natalie, Lisa and Jason

How he gives back: guardian ad litem, T-ball and soccer coach, member of Knights of Columbus, member of St. Thomas Church in Bartow.

Nathaniel White grew up as the son of a Navy dad.

"We moved often, and this experience exposed me to many people and different cultures as I grew up," said White. He spent two years in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and three years in London, and attended 11 schools prior to graduating from Tampa Chamberlain High School in 1974.

"I believe my diversity of experiences professionally and in everyday life make me the best choice to serve you as judge," said White.

He graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1978 with majors in banking and finance. During his last year at UF law school, he taught a class in appellate advocacy to first-year law students.

During his professional life, he was an assistant public defender in Tampa and an assistant state attorney in Bartow. In both offices, he was promoted to felony division chief, supervising three other attorneys.

During his last full year with the state attorney's office in 1987, he tried and won more felony trials than any other prosecutor.

In 1988, he went into private practice with a local legend, Jack Edmund, and for the last 20 years his private practice has been in criminal defense, family and marital law, juvenile dependency and termination of parental rights, guardianship, estate planning and general civil practice.

John Radabaugh

Age: 56

From: Lakeland

Experience: assistant public defender, assistant state's attorney, private practice.

Family life: Ann, wife of 17 years, died in 1999 of ovarian cancer. Daughter Katherine attends Agnes Scott College in Georgia. Currently married to Ursula.

How he gives back: vice president of Habitat for Humanity board, guardian ad litem, mentor at Blake Elementary, Historic Lakeland Board, Polk Museum of Art.

It seems everyone had at least a job, way back when, that seems a little odd today.

For John Radabaugh, those were his college jobs. While earning a political science degree from Miami University in Ohio, the candidate for district court judge worked as a janitor at a public school, out on the roads for the Department of Transportation, and in a Campbell Soup factory.

Law school was the University of Toledo, where he finished night classes in 1978. Days were spent in the Lucas County Welfare Department as a case worker and fraud investigator.

Today, Radabaugh has 29 years experience in prosecution, criminal defense and civil litigation. After law school, he clerked and continued in construction at Fort Lauderdale, then got a job in 1979 at the public defender's office in Key West.

He came to the Polk County public defender's office in 1983 when Jerry Hill called. He followed Hill again two years later to the state attorney's office.

In 1987, he went into private practice, and has his own office today in Lakeland.

John Radabaugh

Age: 56

From: Lakeland

Experience: assistant public defender, assistant state's attorney, private practice.

Family life: Ann, wife of 17 years, died in 1999 of ovarian cancer. Daughter Katherine attends Agnes Scott College in Georgia. Currently married to Ursula.

How he gives back: vice president of Habitat for Humanity board, guardian ad litem, mentor at Blake Elementary, Historic Lakeland Board, Polk Museum of Art.

It seems everyone had at least a job, way back when, that seems a little odd today.

For John Radabaugh, those were his college jobs. While earning a political science degree from Miami University in Ohio, the candidate for district court judge worked as a janitor at a public school, out on the roads for the Department of Transportation, and in a Campbell Soup factory.

Law school was the University of Toledo, where he finished night classes in 1978. Days were spent in the Lucas County Welfare Department as a case worker and fraud investigator.

Today, Radabaugh has spent 29 years experience in prosecution, criminal defense and civil litigation. After law school, he clerked and continued in construction at Fort Lauderdale, then got a job in 1979 at the public defender's office in Key West.

He came to the Polk County public defender's office in 1983 when Jerry Hill called. He followed Hill again two years later to the state attorney's office.

In 1987, he went into private practice, and has his own office today in Lakeland.