The Hon. Mark W. Klingensmith is a judge for the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Rick Scott on August 12, 2013.
Prior to his appointment, Klingensmith was a judge for the 19th Judicial Circuit Court, a position to which he was named in 2011. The 19th Judicial Circuit encompasses Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie Counties.
Klingensmith earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 1982. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law (1985) and an LL.M. in judicial studies at Duke University School of Law (2016). He is also Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Florida Bar (2001).
After graduating from law school, Klingensmith entered into private practice, working as a civil litigation attorney at Sonneborn, Rutter, Cooney & Klingensmith (formerly Metzger & Sonneborn). He worked in that capacity until his appointment to the bench, supplementing his practice with service as a commissioner (2008 to 2009), a vice-mayor (2009 to 2010), and a mayor (2010 to 2011) for the Town of Sewall’s Point.
His memberships have included the Martin County Bar Association, the St. Lucie County Bar Association, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Justice Major Harding American Inns of Court. He has also been involved with the Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County, the Executive Roundtable of St. Lucie County, and the Board of Directors of Palm Glades Girl Scout Council.
Raised in West Palm Beach, Florida, Klingensmith attended John I. Leonard High School. He is the author of “Lyrics in the Law: Music’s Influence on America’s Courts,” a book published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2020.
