Florida Judicial Externship
2 - 4 Credit Hours
(variable credit enrollments available: 42.5 hours per credit. 7-12 credits for State Supreme Court placement)
Overseeing Professor:
Brooke J. Bowman, Professor of Law
Director of Moot Court Board
[email protected]
This course is an experiential course placing students in chambers with an assigned judge at the trial or appellate level. A judicial externship is an opportunity for students to learn procedure and an area of practice through the lens of the judiciary. Students may conduct legal research and writing, review and make recommendations on civil or criminal cases, draft memoranda or orders as well as observe court proceedings. Apart from the field experience, students enrolled in this course keep weekly journals to dialogue with the overseeing professor about their experience and their own professional identity. Generally, students are placed in one of three settings: (1) the Florida Supreme Court Fellows Program; (2) in-chambers with a judge at one of Florida’s District Courts of Appeal; or (3) in-chambers with a judge at one of Florida’s Circuit Courts. Depending upon the court, students may apply through the on-campus application process for externship courses or may directly apply to the court and seek course credit. To enroll in this course, students must apply through Stetson’s formal externship program and be contacted by the professor overseeing the externship. Students may also attend the general externship course to assist with general skill development.
Placement Locations:
• Sixth Judicial Circuit (Clearwater and St. Petersburg)
• Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Tampa) - Students must apply directly to the 13th Judicial Circuit. View more details.
• Second District Court of Appeal, Stetson University College of Law, Tampa Campus* (Limited/Rare travel to Lakeland may be required) Students must apply directly to the Second DCA. The DCA application is available on their website.
• Florida Supreme Court (Tallahassee)
Circuit Court/DCA Program Requirements:
• 42.5 hours per credit;
• Online classroom component - Mondays from 4:55 - 5:55pm;
• 15 pages of original written work; and
• Weekly journal
Circuit Court/DCA Eligibility Requirements:
• Successful completion of all first-year required courses;
• Be in good academic standing;
• Pass background check; and
• No legal employment/volunteering during externship semester.
Circuit Court/DCA Application Requirements:
• Submit a completed application by the appropriate deadline (for more information, visit our Clinics and Externships page); and,
• Timely submit additional documentation as required for this program. (Students are notified of additional requirements after applying and being provisionally placed in the program.) *Students must apply directly to the Second DCA. The DCA application is available on their website.
State Supreme Court
State Supreme Court Program Requirements:
• 298 summer, 510 hours per fall/spring semester
• Attend some to all of the weekly Monday Individual Externship course -
4:55 p.m. - 5:55 p.m.
State Supreme Court Eligibility Requirements:
• Successful completion of all first-year required courses AND EVIDENCE;
• Be in good academic standing;*
• Pass background check;
• Must have received a letter of approval (sometimes called a Notice of Registrant Clearance) from The Florida Board of Bar Examiners; and
• No legal employment/volunteering during Externship semester.
State Supreme Court Application Requirements:
• Students are selected for participation in this Externship program by the Florida Supreme Court. Application procedures and deadlines for this program do not always conform to other Stetson programs.
• Contact Professor Bowman for more information regarding application procedures for this program.
*This program is highly competitive and students must possess a strong academic record to be considered for this program.