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Profile

JUDICIAL BIOGRAPHY 
Appointed to the bench in 2017


ASSIGNMENTS
County Civil, Division L, February 2018 – January 2020
Traffic Division F, February 2018 – January 2020
Unified Family Court, Juvenile Dependency Division, Division C, January 2020 – January 2022 (Acting Circuit)
County Criminal, Division A, January 2022 – December 2022
Unified Family Court, Family Law, Division A, January 2023 - Present


EDUCATION
Stetson University College of Law, Juris Doctorate 1995
University of Florida, Bachelors of Science 1992

 

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Prior to her appointment, Judge Oster was a Senior Assistant County Attorney in the Employment and Regulatory Services Division of the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, where she was employed for over eighteen years.  As a Senior Assistant County Attorney, Judge Oster provided full-time legal services to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, departments under the County Administrator, and various boards and councils.  These services ranged from rendering legal advice pertaining to employment decisions, contract review, drafting and enforcement of various county ordinances and representing the County in administrative, state, and federal court litigation.

From 1997 to 2000, Judge Oster served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, where she was responsible for discovery, motion practice, and trying both non-jury and jury trials related to criminal prosecution.

From 1996 to 1997, Judge Oster served as an Assistant Public Defender for the Tenth Judicial Circuit, where she provided criminal defense representation to those who are indigent.  Such representation included discovery, motion practice, and trying both non-jury and jury trials.

 

CERTIFICATION
Board Certified in City, County and Local Government Law, 2012

 

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (PAST AND PRESENT)
Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers - Vice-President of Programs, Vice-President of  Membership, Treasurer, Member of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Board of Directors, co-chair of Judicial Relations Committee, co-chair of Diversity Committee, Mentor

Hillsborough County Bar Association – member, co-chair of the Diversity Committee, co-chair of the Judicial Pig Roast Committee

Second District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission – Past Chair and Member

Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission – Past Chair and Member

Ferguson-White Inn of Court – Bencher, Master, Barrister

Cheatwood Inn of Court - Barrister

The Florida Bar Grievance Committee “E” - Member

Tampa Connection – Member of the Board of Directors (Tampa Connection is a working board that screens and selects non-profit organizations for its class members to work on year-long projects that fulfill a specific agency need, providing class members with an opportunity to directly impact their local community)

Bay Area Legal Services Pearl Society – Member (Pearl Society is an informed giving circle of women united in their support of legal aid and the desire to make a difference)

Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Professional Awards Subcommittee – Chair and Member

George Edgecomb Bar Association – Member

Former Martial Arts Instructor and Fourth Degree Black Belt – trained both adults and children in Tae Kwon Do for over ten years

 

AWARDS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PUBLICATIONS
Florida Trend’s Legal Elite for Government Lawyers (2014 – 2017)

Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers Professionalism Award

Florida Association for Women Lawyers Leaders in the Law Award 

Published in the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s The Lawyer Magazine the following articles: Lilly Ledbetter: A Crusader for Equal Pay for All and Disability Diversity in the Legal Profession, in addition to several others

Presenter to the Florida Association of County Attorneys on substantive matters

Presenter and guest speaker to the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers on the pathway to the judiciary

Presenter and guest speaker to the Hillsborough County Bar Association on the pathway to the judiciary

 

COURT ADMISSIONS
Florida State Courts

United States District Court, Middle District of Florida

United States Supreme Court