Holding Court

Presiding in her third-floor courtroom at the St. Lucie County Courthouse, Judge Janet Croom’s petite frame seems almost dwarfed by her long, black judicial robe. But the attorneys who practice before her and the jurors who decide civil cases in her court soon understand her true stature. 

Croom ascended to the bench last spring with two decades of trial experience, an impressive array of academic qualifications and a personal style that has earned the admiration of many. Her previous law partners and her former courtroom adversaries are not surprised by this reaction of attorneys and jurors, having witnessed firsthand her competence and diligence.

Appointed by Governor Rick Scott, the Vero Beach resident is the 19th Judicial Circuit’s newest circuit court judge. Watching her, it’s obvious that the 47-year-old Arkansas native, who admits she did not see herself in this position a mere two years ago, relishes her role. “I love the mental stimulation,” she says. “Being a trial attorney for 21 years was great, and I had planned on continuing and expanding my practice of business law. But when this opportunity came up, I saw it as a new angle to experiencing the law, which I love and which is my career.”