EDUCATION:

After graduating from Melbourne High School, Judge Jacobus attended the University of Florida where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Florida College of Law in 1973.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY:

Governor Lawton Chiles first appointed Judge Jacobus to the circuit bench in September 1995. Since that time he has served unopposed.

JUDICIAL HISTORY:

Chief Judge:
Judge Jacobus was elected by his fellow judges to serve as Chief Judge for a two-year term beginning July 2001. As Chief Judge, he was responsible for all administrative functions of the court and oversaw major building
projects in both Seminole and Brevard Counties.

Division Assignments:
Since his appointment to the bench, Judge Jacobus has presided over hundreds of criminal, civil, family, dependency, and probate cases. He is currently assigned to the Family/Civil Division.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS:

The 2002 Jurist of the Year Award:
The Brevard and Seminole County Bar Associations presented the Williams-Johnson Outstanding Jurist Award to Judge Jacobus in June 2002. The Eighteenth Circuit’s Outstanding Jurist Award is named in honor of two
revered circuit judges, now retired: Volie A. Williams of Seminole County and Clarence T. Johnson, Jr. of Brevard County. The award is given for judicial independence, knowledge of the law, integrity, and intellect.