Judge Marlene M. Alva - Seminole County Judges

Seminole County Judge Marlene Alva, was appointed to the bench in 1992. She was a 39-year-old former chief assistant public defender for Brevard and Seminole counties, and was sworn in as Seminole County's first woman judge. She was appointed by Gov. Lawton Chiles to the county judgeship left vacant when Judge Harold Johnson died of cancer in November. In 1977 Judge Alva started her career at the State Attorney’s office in Brevard County after getting her la degree from Stetson. Prior to becoming a judge she represented some household names in Central Florida. Seminole County Judge Alva represented William Cruse, the former librarian and convicted mass murderer awaiting execution on death row. She also defended Eddie Willis, sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his father. She was, until her last day on the job, the lead attorney for June Anne Sharabati, a West Melbourne woman accused of killing her two children.