Hon. John Cooper (Retired)

For Scheduling Call: (850) 877-1028

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

John Cooper is a retired Circuit Judge and a member of the Florida Bar.  During his 23 years as a judge, he served in the Civil, Probate, Family and Criminal divisions of multiple counties within the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida. He handled over 27,000 cases during his judicial career.

In his 27 years in private practice in Tallahassee, John worked in most areas available to that practice, including legal areas of civil litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, products liability, medical negligence, civil rights, employment, corporate and business, banking, commercial, real estate, land use planning, law enforcement liability, local and state government, probate, and appellate practice.  His law practice involved representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court.  He wrote his own appellate briefs and presented multiple oral arguments in the Florida Supreme Court and Florida First District Court of Appeal, as well as the Fifth and Eleventh Federal Circuit Courts.  John was admitted to the Florida State Courts, U.S. Supreme Court, Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeals (Federal), and the U.S. District Court of Florida (Northern and Middle Districts).  At the time he became a judge, he was rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell, was a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, and a Certified Circuit Mediator.

As a judge, John was honored to receive awards from the American Board of Trial Advocates - Trial Judge of the Year - 2007; President’s Distinguished Jurist Award - 2016; and Trial Judge of the Year - 2017.  In 2008 he received the Thurgood Marshall Award.

While he was assigned to many areas of practice during his judicial career, John was considered an expert in the broad array of civil practice.  As a judge, he handled cases in the same areas he did in private practice plus numerous cases involving tax disputes, constitutional and statutory interpretation, and election disputes. 

As a practicing attorney, John maintained contact with attorneys and mentored many of them on cases and their law practices.  As a judge, he spent much time talking with and helping judges, magistrates, and staff attorneys. 

Personal:

John was born in Lakeland, Florida and attended the Auburndale public schools.  After graduating from Auburndale High School in 1968, he attended undergraduate and law school at Florida State University.  John is married to Paula Burns and they have two adult daughters.  In his spare time, he enjoys his family, talking with friends, reading, and gardening.