MICHAEL KALIL

A Halloween adoption event at the Duval County Courthouse on Friday celebrated 12 children who now have new families.

Two dozen area foster children became permanent members of their new families on Friday -- just in time for Mother’s Day.

It was an exciting moment for several families.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two civil rights organizations joined together for a motorcade protest in downtown Jacksonville Tuesday morning. The controversy that they are voicing outrage over revolves around the actions of Florida Circuit Court Judge Tyrie Boyer and Jacksonville attorney Michael Kalil on April 24, which are under investigation by the Florida Bar. Now, both the Jacksonville NAACP and the Northside Coalition are calling for an investigation because they said it was unfair for Kalil to win the seat in that manner. “We are concerned that Jacksonville attorney Michael Kalil violated the qualification process so he could win an election as a circuit court judge by default and without an election," President of Jacksonville NAACP Isaiah Rumlin said. He has not announced any intention to withdraw from the race since calls for him to do so began in April.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Bar said Monday it is investigating after last-minute moves made by a Circuit Judge and a Jacksonville attorney led to that attorney winning the judge’s seat by default — without an election. The deadline for candidates for the circuit judge positions to file their qualifying papers to run for judge was April 24. Judge Boyer also said he’d heard he would have opposition from either Kalil or Attorney Rhonda Peoples-Waters. In a statement from her campaign, Peoples-Waters said she asked Judge Boyer directly if he was planning on retiring. I met with Judge Boyer and Chief Judge Mahon last fall and made that preference clear.