The state Judicial Qualifications Commission accused a Pinellas-Pasco circuit judge of misconduct Monday related to a social media post and materials she produced during her campaign for office.
Jennifer Cruz Dubbeld, who was elected to the bench in 2024, broke rules that prohibit judges and judicial candidates from engaging in inappropriate political activity, according to records filed with the Florida Supreme Court.
Specifically, Dubbeld was accused of disparaging one of her opponents in a Facebook post, soliciting financial contributions and publishing campaign materials that gave the false appearance of attorneys and public officials endorsing her candidacy.
Her actions “mislead the public, raised an appearance of impropriety and reflected poorly on judicial independence,” attorney Gregory Coleman, chairperson of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, wrote in a report.
The commission, which investigates complaints against the state’s judges, found that Dubbeld violated Canon 7 of the state’s Code of Judicial Conduct, which strictly regulates what judges and judicial candidates can and cannot do during campaigns. The canon is designed to protect the impartiality of the judiciary.
Dubbeld agreed to receive a public reprimand and a 20-day suspension from office, according to court records.
Her attorney, Scott Tozian, said he has represented many judges and judicial candidates who have run afoul of the rules, which are strict.
“When you run for judge, it’s a different campaign than when you run for a partisan political office or any political office,” Tozian said. “In judicial campaigns, you really are restricted in what you can say and post.”
Before running for judge, Dubbeld worked 17 years as an assistant public defender in Pinellas and Pasco counties.
She came in second place in a three-way primary race in August 2024, finishing 6 points ahead of appellate attorney Cornelius Demps. She went on to win the general election, beating civil attorney Nick Fiorentino by fewer than 1,000 votes out of more than 600,000 ballots cast.
Since taking the bench, she has been assigned to the circuit’s New Port Richey courthouse in divisions that handle juvenile delinquency; probate, Baker Act and risk protection cases; adult drug court and veterans treatment.
A notice of formal charges filed Monday afternoon in the Supreme Court lists various allegations stemming from Dubbeld’s campaign activities.
They included a charge that she authored a Facebook post during her campaign disparaging one of her opponents, though it is not clear from the records which one.
“Actual courtroom experience matters, just as being straight forward and not misrepresenting qualifications (as some have done),” she wrote, according to the commission.
Another allegation concerned a handout Dubbeld’s campaign produced, which featured a QR code linking to an account set for financial contributions. The handout included the text “scan here” beside the code and the words “Committee to Elect Jenn Dubbeld.”
Dubbeld admitted she personally gave out the document at events and acknowledged it could be seen as a request for donations, according to court records. Judicial candidates are prohibited from personally asking for money.
Also deemed problematic were photographs Dubbeld’s campaign used that showed her with other candidates, including U.S. Reps. Laurel Lee and Gus Bilirakis, who had active opposition in political races.
Other photos featured on her campaign website showed various public officials and attorneys, implying that they had endorsed her when they had not, according to the court records.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission began an investigation into Dubbeld’s campaign actions in June. She testified before an investigative panel in September and “took immediate responsibility for her conduct,” according to a report on the commission’s findings.
“She has remorse that her conduct could have misled the public or reflected poorly on judicial independence,” the report stated.
The report noted that the commission was particularly concerned that Dubbeld personally solicited campaign donations. In an agreement with Dubbeld, they recommended her suspension and a public reprimand.
The Florida Supreme Court will have the final say about the discipline Dubbeld receives.
