Incumbent Palm Beach Circuit Judge Jeffrey Dana Gillen and Fort Lauderdale trial attorney Henry Quinn Johnson will square off in Florida's primary elections Aug. 18 when they'll compete for Palm Beach Circuit Judge, Group 16. Here's why each candidate says they deserve a vote. Responses have been edited for style and content.

Related: 2020 South Florida Elections: Use this Voter Guide to Learn More About Candidates Running for Judge

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Judge Jeffrey Dana Gillen

Gillen rose to the bench in 2013 after serving as a labor and employment attorney and was reelected without opposition in 2014.

Why are you running for this position?

The people of Palm Beach County deserve to keep a judge who has served them for seven and a half years in two civil divisions, a family/domestic violence/guardianship/mental health division and now in a felony criminal division and has received very favorable approval evaluations by the lawyers who have appeared before him over the years. My record and the lawyers' evaluations of me prove that I am fair, impartial, knowledgeable and efficient.

What about your experience qualifies you for the position?

My seven and a half years of highly-regarded, fair, impartial, knowledgeable and efficient experience qualifies me to be kept as the people's circuit judge in Palm Beach County.

What's your biggest achievement so far?

I have been able to use my decades of experience as a lawyer serving the people of Palm Beach County and Florida in four different divisions, resolving all matters placed before me in a fair, impartial and efficient manner. I have been uniformly recognized as being respectful of the time of the parties and the lawyers, and significantly, the jurors and prospective jurors, while moving cases to resolution. I have achieved that efficiency despite handling high caseloads in each of the four divisions over which I have presided.

What would a successful term look like for you?

Just as with my previous terms, I will consider my next term to have been successful if I am able to continue to move cases to justice efficiently while being cognizant of and accommodating to the time of all participants, especially that of the prospective and selected jurors.

What is the most important issue facing your district at the moment?

The most important issue facing the circuit now is finding a way to safely ensure that cases do not stall, so that justice can be achieved in as fast-yet-fair a manner as possible.

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Henry Quinn Johnson

Johnson is a trial attorney at Albertelli Law in Fort Lauderdale, and is a U.S. Army veteran.

Why are you running for this position?

I bring an extensive amount of legal, trial and world experience to the position—more than any other candidate in this race. I have tried more jury trials and have a greater breadth of experience than any other candidate in this race. I also have a significant educational background: A law degree from the University of Florida; a Master of Science in urban planning from Florida State University; a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of South Carolina; graduated from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps School, Chemical Corps School and Transportation Corps School and the U.S. Army Command General and Staff College; and served as a legislative intern at the Florida House of Representatives.

In addition to my legal experience, I served our country for 27 years as a U.S. Army soldier, lieutenant colonel and judge advocate general. I am a uniquely qualified and experienced trial attorney with real world leadership experience ready to serve the people of Palm Beach County. I will bring that experience with me to the bench.

What about your experience qualifies you for the position?

For the past 22 years, I have served you as a Florida assistant statewide prosecutor, an assistant attorney general, an assistant state attorney and as a trial attorney. I have tried more than 100 jury trials and more than 500 contested nonjury trials. I have also tried thousands of noncontested jury trials, evidentiary hearings and other oral arguments. I have also litigated in every division of the circuit court including civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate.

I have handled contested criminal and civil cases around the state as a litigation attorney. In criminal cases, I have litigated all types of serious felony and misdemeanor crimes, as a prosecutor and criminal defense and juvenile defense attorney, and handled all crimes, including homicides, sexual battery, domestic violence, drug trafficking and white-collar. In civil, I have litigated cases in eminent domain, family law, probate, personal injury, small business litigation, contract law and real estate law, including foreclosure litigation.

As a judge advocate general, I have litigated cases on military installations around the world involving military justice, administrative law, operational law, contract and fiscal law, legal assistance counseling, detention operations, intelligence/information operations law and cyber law issues. As a soldier and lieutenant colonel, I have senior level experience in extensive planning and operations, management and coordination between diverse and complex multi-level organizations.

I am also an Afghanistan War veteran, a Bosnian War veteran and a Gulf War veteran. I have received numerous awards for my valor, including the Legion of Merit Medal, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Southwest Asia Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the NATO Medal.

What's your biggest achievement so far?

My extensive jury trial experience, my long commitment to public service and my military service to our nation during times of war.

What would a successful term look like for you?

Completion of the full six-year term of office, if elected. Equal justice under the law. Service—judicial service to the community. Fair and impartial justice for everyone. Honest and transparent with the community. Dedication to the law and guaranteeing individual rights.

What is the most important issue facing your county at the moment?

The COVID-19 pandemic. People are really concerned about their health and the health of their families. There is going to have to be a complete restructuring of the courtroom and jury process to ensure we keep the jurors, court personnel, attorneys and judges safe during jury selection, during the trial and during deliberations. All parties involved are going to have to maintain proper social distancing protocols.

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