The Hon. C. Joseph Boatwright, II is a judge for the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal. He was appointed to the bench by Governor Ron DeSantis on January 1, 2023.
Prior to his appointment, Boatwright was a judge for the Putnam County Court, a position to which he was elected in 2012. Before that, he was an assistant state attorney in the Office of the State Attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit. In that capacity, he prosecuted both misdemeanor and felony cases, managing the Putnam County Office.
Boatwright earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida. He spent the next few years working as the principal of Open Bible Baptist Academy before completing a J.D. at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, in 2002. As a law student, he was a member of the Catholic University Law Review, and he clerked for the American Center for Law and Justice. Boatwright has also received an LL.M. in taxation from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law, and an LL.M. in admiralty and marine affairs from Tulane University Law School.
After graduating from law school, Boatwright began his legal career as an attorney in the Law Office of Donald E. Holmes. He represented individuals and government entities in family, real property, tax, and local government law matters.
His memberships have included the boards of Arc of Putnam County, Project Lighthouse, Habitat for Humanity, the Putnam County Police Athletic League, the University of Florida Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, and the Ark Youth Ministries.
He has been involved with the Rotary Club of Palatka, Scribes: American Society of Legal Writers, the St. Augustine American Inn of Court, and the Federalist Society. He has also taught legal courses as an adjunct professor at Florida Coastal School of Law, Regent University Law School, Liberty University, and St. Johns River State College.
Born and raised in Putnam County, Boatwright attended Palatka High School. He was a resident of East Palatka, Florida, at the time of his appointment.