Judge Mendoza a finalist for federal judgeship

A former St. Augustine assistant city attorney and current circuit court judge working in Putnam County, Judge Carlos Mendoza has been announced as a finalist for a federal judgeship.

The opening is for a U.S. District Court judge in the Middle District of Florida. The finalists were announced in a news release Wednesday.

Mendoza and three other finalists were named by the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission and interviewed in Orlando on Monday or Tuesday.

After serving St. Augustine and as division chief for the Office of the State Attorney in the 7th Judicial Circuit, Mendoza was appointed to the bench in 2011. Also, he had previously served as a specially appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Navy.

The other finalists are Paul Gregory Byron, an Orlando attorney; William Jung, a Tampa attorney; and Judge Waddell Wallace III of the 4th Judicial Circuit.

The list of candidates was sent to Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio. The senators will make their recommendations to President Barack Obama.

Also on Wednesday, the nominating committee named three finalists for the position of U.S. Attorney: A. Lee Bentley III, Roger B. Handberg and Curry Gary Pajcic.

Pajcic is a Jacksonville attorney and former 4th Circuit assistant state attorney.

Handberg is an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Orlando. Bentley is acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.