Julie H. O’Kane served as a Circuit Judge for 18 years in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.  She was initially appointed in 2003 by former Governor Jeb Bush and was elected without opposition in 2004, 2010 and 2016.  She served as an Administrative Judge for the Civil/Complex Business, Criminal and Appellate Divisions.  By invitation, Julie served as an Associate Judge with the Fifth District Court of Appeal on three occasions.

Over the course of 18 years, Julie presided over cases in the Complex Business, Civil, Family and Criminal Divisions of the court.  She conducted hundreds of jury and non-jury trials and has experience handling a wide variety of civil and family disputes. 

In 2010, Julie was the recipient of the Gary Formet Award of Judicial Excellence from the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Prior to her appointment as a judge in 2003, Julie was a partner at deBeaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris & Neal, LLP, a local Orlando law firm, where she worked for over twelve years.  She specialized in commercial and insurance litigation, representing plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court.  Julie was elected as the law firm’s first female partner after five years of service as an associate attorney.

Julie is a member of The Florida Bar, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the Orange County Bar Association, and the First Central Florida American Inns of Court. 

Julie is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit (Civil) Mediator.  She is qualified by the Florida Supreme Court to arbitrate civil disputes. Julie is also a Certified Mediator for the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida.

A native Floridian, Julie was born and raised in West Palm Beach.  She received her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1991 and her undergraduate business degree from Florida Atlantic University in 1987.  While in law school, Julie interned with former Chief Judge Alexander Paskay, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida. 

Julie is married to Matthew O’Kane, a partner with Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.  They are proud parents of graduates from the University of Virginia and the University of South Carolina.