Coral Gables attorney Rita Maria Baez is running for an open seat on the Miami-Dade Circuit Court bench in the Nov. 3 general election. Baez, 61, faces Bonita Jones-Peabody in the nonpartisan race for Circuit 11, Group 69.
The seat is open because Circuit Judge Richard Hersch, who sits in the Circuit Criminal Division, is not seeking re-election, according to the Miami Herald. Baez finished first in the Aug. 18 nonpartisan primary with 37.13% of the vote, collecting 82,673 votes, according to the Florida Bar News.
Baez said she wants to "make the courtroom a place that's accessible for all Miami-Dade County people," according to the Herald.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Circuit Court Judge, Circuit 11, Group 69
- Residence: Coral Gables
- Age: 61
- Education: Bachelor of arts, University of Miami (1987); juris doctor, St. Thomas University School of Law
- Languages: English and Spanish, according to her campaign website
- Personal: Miami native. Her parents emigrated to the United States from Cuba, Baez said on her campaign website. Her father was a physician who served on the medical team for the April 17, 1961, Bay of Pigs Invasion, according to the site.
Experience and public service
Baez has practiced law for approximately 30 years, according to the Herald. She runs her own practice on South Douglas Road in Coral Gables, specializing in representing plaintiffs in auto accident and slip-and-fall cases, Baez told the Herald. She said she has litigated thousands of cases and participated in 80 jury trials.
Baez filed for the Group 69 race on Aug. 25, 2025, and qualified on April 20, 2026, by paying the qualifying fee, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
In the August 2024 nonpartisan primary, Baez ran for Miami-Dade County Court judge. She received 49.2% of the vote but lost to incumbent Christopher Green, who received 50.8%, according to Ballotpedia.
On the issues
Judicial philosophy: Baez said serving as a judge "should not be an entry point" but "the culmination of a long career as a litigator," according to her voluntary self-disclosure statement filed with the Florida Bar. She said the bench demands "the perspective that comes from years in the courtroom: making arguments, evaluating evidence, working through complex issues, and understanding the real-world impact of judicial decisions."
Endorsements
The following organizations have endorsed Baez, according to their public statements:
- Hispanic Police Officers Association, which said Baez possesses "the experience, integrity, and judicial temperament necessary to serve the residents of Miami-Dade County with fairness and impartiality"
- Christian Family Coalition (CFC) Florida, which gave Baez a "Highly Qualified" rating
The general election is Nov. 3. We profiled her opponent, Bonita Jones-Peabody, on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
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