Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Benjamin Rich, managing assistant state attorney for St. Johns County, as the county’s newest judge.
Rich has been with the State Attorney’s Office since 2010 and has overseen the St. Augustine office for the last six years.
He is expected to take the bench next month, State Attorney R.J. Larizza said in a press release.
“Ben Rich is an honest and genuine man who will serve from the bench with dignity and grace,” Larizza said. “He will do an outstanding job – as he did while working with us at the State Attorney’s Office.”
With Rich stepping into his new judicial role, Assistant State Attorney Sarah Thomas will become the next managing assistant state attorney in St. Augustine.
Thomas has spent her career in the office since 2015, beginning as an intern before passing the Florida Bar Exam and moving into a full-time prosecutor role.
She currently prosecutes homicide and major crime cases in St. Johns County.
Larizza said he is confident in her ability to lead.
“Sarah Thomas is a gifted attorney and a fearless prosecutor,” he said. “I have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead the St. Augustine office. It is extremely gratifying to be associated with these two incredible people. They serve our citizenry well!”
The St. Augustine office is part of Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit, which covers St. Johns, Volusia, Flagler and Putnam counties. The managing assistant state attorney oversees daily operations and case management for the county’s prosecutors.
