James Russo was elected Public Defender for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida by the citizens of Brevard and Seminole Counties in 1980.  He has been reelected to seven successive terms, most recently in 2008 and is the longest Republican office holder in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.  Prior to his election as Public Defender, Mr. Russo served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit and was in private practice.

Known to his colleagues, employees, family and friends as "J.R.", Mr. Russo was born in New Jersey and moved to Brevard County from Virginia in 1958.  A graduate of Cocoa Beach High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Louisiana State University in 1972 and a Juris Doctor Degree from Louisiana State University School of Law in 1975.  He is authorized and admitted to practice law in Florida , Louisiana and the United States Federal Court, Middle District of Florida .

Mr. Russo has been active in efforts to promote an effective and efficient criminal justice system in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit.  He was the prime mover and a founding member of the Seminole County Mental Health Task Force.  Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to serve on the State of Florida Article V Indigent Services Advisory Board he was instrumental in the transition of indigent public defense services being a state obligation rather than a county responsibility.  He is a member and former chairman of the Leadership Roundtable and a member of the Public Safety Coordinating Commission.  He is proud to be the 2007-2008 Chairman of the Florida State Employees Charitable Campaign for Brevard County .   

Statewide, Mr. Russo is a member of the Board of Directors of the Florida Public Defender's Association, Inc., having served one term as President, three terms as Secretary and two terms as Treasurer.  He was a member and Past President of the Board of Directors of the Florida Institutional Legal Services, Inc.

Professionally, Mr. Russo is a member of the Board of Directors and Master Attorney in the Vassar B. Carlton Chapter of the American Inns of Court for Brevard County, and is a member of the Brevard County Civilian Military Community Relations Council.

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