Florida
Lance Neff
Judge of Florida's First District Court of Appeal, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 2, 2026. He wrote the Oct. 7, 2026, opinion ordering the Hope Florida grand jury report expunged.
In the records
- Education: bachelor's degree, Valdosta State University; law degree, Florida Coastal School of Law. (Office of the Governor, “Governor Ron DeSantis Makes One Judicial Appointment”, March 2, 2026)
Official contact
- Website
- https://1dca.flcourts.gov/
Offices and candidacies
- Before 2020 Senior assistant attorney general in the Florida Office of the Attorney General (dates not stated in the governor's announcement). (Office of the Governor, “Governor Ron DeSantis Makes Three Judicial Appointments”, Oct. 19, 2023)
- 2020 Became general counsel of the Florida Department of Corrections. Also chief of military justice for the Florida Army National Guard. (Office of the Governor, “Governor Ron DeSantis Makes Three Judicial Appointments”, Oct. 19, 2023)
- Oct. 2023 Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis as a circuit judge in the Second Judicial Circuit (Leon and surrounding counties), filling the vacancy left by the death of Judge Carroll. (Office of the Governor, “Governor Ron DeSantis Makes Three Judicial Appointments”, Oct. 19, 2023)
- March 2, 2026 Appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the First District Court of Appeal, filling the vacancy created when Judge Adam Tanenbaum was elevated to the Florida Supreme Court. The appointment came 33 days after the Hope Florida grand jury report was filed under seal (Jan. 28, 2026). (Office of the Governor, “Governor Ron DeSantis Makes One Judicial Appointment”, March 2, 2026)
- Oct. 7, 2026 Wrote the panel opinion in In re: Leon County Grand Jury Presentment, Fall of 2025 (No. 1D2026-2435), ordering the grand jury report on the Hope Florida settlement expunged in full. Judge M.K. Thomas joined; Judge Ross Bilbrey concurred in part and in the result. (Florida First District Court of Appeal, “In re: Leon County Grand Jury Presentment, Fall of 2025, No. 1D2026-2435 (copy via WFLA)”, Oct. 7, 2026)