NAVIGATION

You are here: Judicial Directory > Samantha L. Ward > Profile

Profile

Samantha L. Ward


JUDICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Year elected to the bench: 2008 for term beginning 2009
Assignments:
Current:  Criminal Justice/Trial Division 3
Past:  Domestic Relations/Family Law, Division E


EDUCATION

Law School: Florida State University , Graduated 1990
Undergraduate: University of Florida, Graduated 1987, B.A. Sociology


PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Bureau Chief, Office of the Public Defender, 1993-2009
Assistant State Attorney, Office of the State Attorney, 1990-1993
Board Certified - Criminal Trial Law since 1997
Florida Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases (January 2007 - 2011)
Florida Supreme Court Criminal Rules Committee (2012-present)
Florida Bar Grievance Committee 13B (Tampa) (2007 – 2009)
American Bar Association
Florida Bar Association
Criminal Law Section (Executive Council 2009 - 2015)
Government Lawyers Section
Family Law Section (Past)
American Inns of Court, Ferguson-White (2006 - present), Goldburg (2010 -present), Family Law (2009 - 2012), William Reese Smith (2014 - present)
Hillsborough County Bar Association
Trial Lawyers Section (Board of Directors 2005 - 2008)
Criminal Law Section
Family Law Section
Florida & Hillsborough County Association for Women Lawyers (HAWL Mentoring Committee, 1995 – 2000)
George Edgecomb Bar Association
Florida Public Defender Association, Board of Directors, August 1997 - 2005
Hillsborough County Board of County Commission, Human Relations Board (January 1998- 2009)
Faculty, Gerald Bennett Prosecutor & Public Defender Training Program @ U.F. (2004-present)
Adjunct Professor, University of South Florida Faculty, Handling Capital cases Course Advanced Judicial College (2013 - present)
Juvenile Rights and Procedure, Spring 1997
Adjunct Professor, University of Phoenix
Business Law, September 2001 - 2004


COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

The Children's Home, Inc., Board member
University of South Florida Institutional Review Board (Medical) 2005-present (Social & Behavioral, 2003-2009)
Tiger Bay Club of Tampa
The Tampa Club
Business & Professional Women
Past Cub Scout Den Leader, 2001 - 2004;
Carrollwood Hurricanes, Citrus Park Little League (Team Mom for Major & Junior Cubs)
Tampa Firefighters Museum, Board of Directors (2001 - 2005)
Member, Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church
Volunteer SERVE, Mentor Program of Hillsborough County Public Schools (past)
Mentor, DeSoto Elementary School & Palm River Elementary (past)