Judge John Kastrenakes was leaving his seat vacant, hence there was a race for Group 23 of the Palm Beach County Circuit Court. On the bench, the victor took the position of John Kastrenakes’ position who was retiring. There were two contenders for the position: Alcoya St. Juste and Caryn Siperstein. Siperstein won the elections even though both had previously conducted unsuccessful campaigns for the local bench. Let’s Know About The Candidates, Alcoya St. Juste and Caryn Siperstein Political Career, Affiliation, Campaign, and What’s Common Between Them?
To win over voters, St. Juste, a seasoned juvenile dependency attorney, and Siperstein, an associate senior attorney general, had emphasized their backgrounds. Both of them have been lawyers for about 20 years. Both have experience hearing cases and rendering quasi-judicial decisions while acting as mediators, arbitrators, or special masters. Both submitted applications to be appointed by the governor to vacancies on the bench. Only St. Juste has been chosen out of the two.
More About Caryn Siperstein:
Siperstein represents government officials and agencies while working for the Attorney General’s Office. She ran for circuit judge in 2020. Before arriving in Palm Beach County 12 years ago, Siperstein managed her practice in New Jersey. She claimed to have a thorough understanding of the law. For the August 2022 election, Caryn Siperstein ran as a candidate for judge of the Palm Beach County Circuit Court. According to her, she handles a wide range of matters in her current position, including civil rights claims, eminent domain cases, and personal injury cases. She handled divorce, child custody, child support, and time-sharing cases for the county court system during the three years she worked as a full-time mediator.
More About St. Juste:
From her office in West Palm Beach, St. Juste, who ran for judge in 2018, handles divorces, personal injury cases, and other legal matters. However, as her firm specializes in juvenile dependency issues, many of her clients are mistreated, neglected, or abandoned children or parents who fear losing their children. She has lived in Palm Beach County her entire life and was born in Boynton Beach. The fact that St. Juste was born and raised in Palm Beach County, close to Boynton Beach, “I think is essential,” she remarked. “Palm Beach County is where I call home, and I care about Palm Beach County and making a difference there,” I’m looking to bring my experience and my approach there. She would also add the necessary diversity to the bench as a Black woman. Just six of the county’s 54 circuit and county judges are black. Three of those are among the 35 judges on the circuit court.
Results:
Both candidates ran excellent campaigns, but Caryn Siperstein ultimately prevailed in the nonpartisan contest. The winning candidate will have a six-year tenure. Circuit judges now earn $182,060 annually as a result of a recently legislatively approved raise.
