Judge Janette C. Dunnigan: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Janette C. Dunnigan (Ret.) was a judge for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Manatee County. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Lawton Chiles in 1994. Dunnigan retired in 2017.

The 12th Judicial Circuit includes DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota Counties.

During her judicial tenure, she presided over the Civil, Criminal, Family, Juvenile, Probate, and Guardianship Divisions. Dunnigan also served as an administrative judge in Manatee County and was instrumental in helping to establish a Juvenile Drug Court program there.

She received a B.S. in business administration from Florida State University in 1978. Dunnigan went on to earn a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law in 1980.

After graduating from law school, she began her legal career as an intern with the Office of the Public Defender for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit in Sarasota County (1980 to 1981). Upon completing her internship, Dunnigan became a full-time misdemeanor attorney, holding assignments in Manatee County before becoming a felony assistant public defender in both Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Dunnigan later entered into private practice, where she handled civil, commercial, and criminal law matters until 1989. She then became an assistant state attorney with the Office of the State Attorney for the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, remaining in that capacity until her appointment to the bench in 1994.

In addition, Dunnigan taught advanced legal writing as an adjunct professor at the Thomas Cooley School of Law and served as an instructor at Florida State University College of Law and an adjunct professor at Manatee Community College.

Her memberships included the American Inns of Court, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and the Manatee County Bar Association. Dunnigan was also a member of the Sarasota Teen Court Board, the Manatee County Teen Court Advisory Board, the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, and Manatee County Children Services.

Some of her committee memberships included the Florida Bar Long Range Planning Committee, the Legal Assisting Advisory Committee for Manatee Community College, and the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee.