Civil and Criminal Experience

Mr. Collins was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1997 and the Federal Bar a short time later. He began his legal career in Miami, Florida as an Assistant State Attorney. He transferred to the Public Defender's Office in Pensacola, Florida and was with that office for fifteen years. While working at the Public Defender's Office, he served as the Chief Assistant Public Defender for Okaloosa County, Felony Supervisor in Escambia County, and Misdemeanor Supervisor in Santa Rosa County.
When called again to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Collins served in Jordan with 5th Special Forces Group. He also served at European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. While in the military, Mr. Collins progressed from E-1 to E-8 before accepting a direct commission as a Judge Advocate. He later became qualified as a Special Forces officer. With over twenty-nine years of military service, the majority of which was in Special Operation units, Mr. Collins continues to serve in the Army Reserves.

Professional Associations and Membership

In 2004, Ms. Weaver was honored to be appointed as a Magistrate for the First Judicial Circuit and was assigned to the Circuit Court of Okaloosa County. As Magistrate, Ms. Weaver was assigned to the family law division. Ms. Weaver presided over a family law division docket hearing and deciding family law cases, including, but not limited to divorce, custody, child support, alimony modifications, visitation/timesharing, contempt/enforcement motions, paternity and military divorce issues. Further, she was assigned to the dependency division of the juvenile court and presided over hundreds of cases involving abandonment, abuse and neglect of children. As part of her duties in the dependency division, she presided over the Family Focused Dependency Drug Court which provided an opportunity for parents with substance abuse and/or alcohol addictions to obtain treatment with court monitoring. To be able to preside over the drug court, Ms. Weaver received comprehensive drug court training at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada which has proven to be invaluable in her representation of clients in criminal and family law cases. Ms. Weaver was also assigned to the probate division and presided over Baker Act and Marchman Act hearings and determined whether or not a person should be involuntarily committed to a mental health or substance abuse facility. In addition, Ms. Weaver presided over county civil matters and circuit civil matters including landlord/tenant, county civil suits, small claims and forfeiture cases. 
　

 

Areas of Practice

• Criminal Law

• Military Law

• Family Law

• Probate Law

• Immigration Law

• DUI and All Traffic Offenses

 

Certified Legal Specialties

• Certified Family and Certified Circuit Civil Mediator, Florida Supreme Court

 

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 1997

 

Education

• Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Lansing, Michigan

• Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky

 

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Florida Bar Okaloosa-Walton County Grievance Committee

• Member of the Pensacola Chapter of the Inns of Court

• Current member of the First Judicial Circuit’s Bench and Bar Professionalism Committee

• Board of Directors for the Northwest Florida Drug and Alcohol Council

 

Past Employment Positions

• U.S. Army , E-1

• Combat Engineer in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg

• 7th Special Forces Group as a Special Forces Engineer (SFODA)

• Public Defender's Office in Pensacola

• Chief Assistant Public Defender for Okaloosa County

• Felony Supervisor in Escambia County

• Misdemeanor Supervisor in Santa Rosa County