Hillsborough Judge | 13th Circuit, Group 30

Winner: Martha Cook

An incumbent draws a challenger after six years on the bench.

	Martha Cook, 59	Constance Daniels, 41
Current position	She has been a circuit judge since getting elected in 2002. She currently hears civil cases.	A sole practitioner for 11 years, she does personal injury law, juvenile dependency and delinquency law, criminal law, and family law.
Past experience	Most of her term, she presided over dependency trials and adoptions, as well as domestic relations matters during the past year. She has been an attorney in Florida since 1977. From 1994 to 2002, she worked in private practice as a mediator and arbitrator. She’s a former litigation partner for Holland & Knight and an associate at Carlton Fields. She began her career as an assistant attorney general. She was Hillsborough County’s pro bono guardian ad litem attorney of the year in 1997.	She has practiced law for about 13 years and worked as a certified legal intern in the State Attorney’s Office. She spent a year as a substitute teacher before landing her first job at the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office. Personnel records show she worked there for a year before being terminated for insubordination. Daniels says she resigned to start her own law firm in 1997.
Community involvement	She is active with Bell Shoals Baptist Church, Tampa Prep and the Brandon Rotary. She is a member of the Ferguson White Inn of Court and the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers.	Boys and Girls Club of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Academy of Hope, Bible-Based Fellowship Church legal ministry.
What makes them qualified to serve as a judge	“I have 30 years of legal experience, have conducted hundreds of trials and thousands of hearings,” she said. “I feel it’s a very important role we play as judges to help people. I really care about what happens to people.”	“I have a broad spectrum of experience. I practice personal injury, criminal law on the state and federal level, and family law since I was a third-year law student, and juvenile dependency law. I will preside with integrity and can relate to the community.”
Education	Bachelor’s degree, Stetson University; master’s degree, University of South Florida; law degree, University of Florida College of Law.	Associate’s degree, Santa Fe Community College; bachelor’s degree and law degree, University of Florida.
Assets	Home, stocks, savings.	Bank accounts.
Liabilities	Mortgage, loans.	Mortgage, student loans.
Income	Judicial salary.	Law salary.
Personal	Married to William Henry Sedgeman, one daughter.	Single, one son.
Website	Yes	Yes
E-mail	Yes	Yes
Net worth	$181,588	-$231,289

About the job: Circuit judges, elected on a nonpartisan basis to six-year terms, preside over criminal and civil cases. They handle felonies, such as murder and robbery, as well as divorces, juvenile cases, probate and guardianship, and lawsuits alleging damages in excess of $15,000. The job pays $145,080.