The Daily Business Review's coverage of South Florida candidates in the August primary election features Q&As with candidates in judicial races across South Florida. This installment focuses on the race for Miami-Dade County Court judge, Group 32.

Candidates Christopher Pracitto and Lizzet Martinez, a family law and bankruptcy attorney, are running. Martinez did not respond to requests for comment, but here's what Pracitto has to say about what qualifies him for the judgeship. Responses have been edited for style and content.

Pracitto has been a criminal defense and family law attorney for 23 years, and has tried more than 50 cases in front of a jury and had more than 100 bench trials. For the last 19 years, he has led a criminal defense, domestic violence and family law firm in Miami. Pracitto has also taught other attorneys at Florida Bar seminars relating to the admissibility of evidence in criminal prosecutions and domestic violence cases. He has appeared on the television program “You Be the Judge,” discussing criminal defense and civil injunction actions. He was a litigation associate at Spencer & Kline, and argued hundreds of felony and misdemeanor criminal cases as an employee of the Public Defender's Office. He has been referenced in the Australian legal journal “Queen's Bench” for his expertise in domestic violence cases.

Why do you want to be a county court judge?

Pracitto: I want to become a county court judge to continue the 23-plus years of service to our community. The law is my passion and my purpose in life. Even my volunteer work with the University of Miami Law School, St. Thomas Law School and local high schools is a reflection of my love for the law. I have always known I wanted to be a lawyer and ultimately a judge. While in law school at the University of Miami, I volunteered at the Public Defender's Office to assist the poorest people in Miami to navigate through a complex court system. I have been raised in a military family, and the need to serve the public has been ingrained in me from childhood. To honor my military family heritage and the country I love, I continue to represent military veterans for free. I'm even a Boy Scout troop leader. Serving the public as a county court judge is the best way I can continue helping my community and fulfill my purpose in life.

What about your experience qualifies you for the position?

Pracitto: I have been a practicing trial attorney in the county court division for the past 23 years. If you include the two years I volunteered in the Public Defender's Office trial division, I have spent more than half of my life practicing in the exact court in which I am a candidate. I have observed many good and a few bad judges along the way. I have studied their example of how to run a fair and efficient courtroom — what works and what doesn't work. That experience has allowed me to gain an intimate knowledge of how the accompanying agencies are run, and how they co-exist with the courtroom. I am intimately familiar with the Clerk's Office, Department of Correction, police, mental health and social services, the Department of Children and Families, the Advocate Program and many more agencies. I know what is necessary to coordinate all of those moving parts and run a fair and efficient courtroom. There is no substitute for that experience and knowledge.

What's your biggest achievement so far?

Pracitto: My biggest achievement so far has to be the establishment and success of my own firm for nearly 20 years, and the connections created with our community. Those connections are clear in the diverse endorsements I have received for my judicial candidacy: the Police Benevolent Association, International Association of Firefighters, the League of Prosecutors and the Public Defender Carlos Martinez, the United Teachers of Dade, the Latin Builders Association, the AFL-CIO, the United Faculty of Miami-Dade College, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners Esteban Bovo and Commissioner Xavier Suarez. I am proud of my service to the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust's Ethical Governance Day. I pride myself on my integrity and professionalism, and I invite the public to speak with members of the court system, judges and attorneys regarding my reputation.

What would a successful term look like for you?

Pracitto: A successful term for me would include guaranteeing fundamental fairness and compassion for everyone appearing in my courtroom, guaranteeing everyone will be heard, as well as running an efficient courtroom that shows respect to the litigants, lawyers, witnesses, and staff. Most of all, maintaining the integrity and professionalism I have been known for over the last 23 years.

What is the most important issue facing the Broward circuit at the moment?

Pracitto: The most important issue facing Miami County Courts right now is access to the courts. There are so many cases that a person must wait weeks, if not months, to have access to the court system. This access to the courts is a fundamental right that must be protected. Each person must feel that they will have the opportunity to be heard. My 23 years of experience has allowed me to learn from the best judges in America. I know how to streamline a calendar to maximize the time each person will receive for their case. For example, I would set ministerial matters on an early morning calendar and allow the lawyers to appear via telephone. This would rapidly reduce the number of cases on the trial calendar, thus allowing more time for each trial case to be heard. Protecting our rights to access to the court and the opportunity to be heard is crucial.