Judge Margaret R. Taylor: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Margaret R. Taylor is a judge for the Hillsborough County Court in Florida. She was appointed to the bench by former Governor Jeb Bush in 2005.

Prior to her appointment, Taylor was a senior assistant county attorney with the Office of the Hillsborough County Attorney, a position to which she was named in 1998. In that capacity, she handled matters involving public finance, land use, affordable housing, and commercial transactions. This included affordable housing work for the Hillsborough County Housing Finance Authority as well as financing matters with regard to the Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the St. Pete Times Forum, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and marketing from the University of South Florida in 1989. She then completed a J.D. at St. Thomas University School of Law in 1992. She is admitted to practice in Florida and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She is also Board Certified in City, County, and Local Government Law.

After graduating from law school, Taylor began her legal career as an assistant federal public defender for the Office of the Federal Public Defender in Miami. She served in that capacity until 1995, at which time she became an assistant state attorney in the Office of the State Attorney for the Tenth Judicial Circuit. Then, in 1996, she transferred to the Office of the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit.

Her memberships have included the Hillsborough County Bar Association. She also sat on the Hillsborough County Canvassing Board.

Taylor was born in Asheville, North Carolina.