To serve as Dean of St. Thomas University College of Law.

Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro
Former Florida Circuit Court Judge · Current Law School Dean
Dean.Professor.Former judge.
Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro tried cases for the State, represented the accused, and presided as a Circuit Judge in Broward and Orange County. She explains what the law requires, what the judge is weighing, and what happens next.
As seen on: FOX News, CBS, ABC News, NewsNation, Court TV, Newsmax, WKMG.
Former Circuit Court Judge in Florida’s Ninth and Seventeenth Circuits.
STU Law’s rise in U.S. News rankings over three years, reported in April 2026.
Television introduction
Tarlika Nuñez-Navarro, Dean and Professor of Law at St. Thomas University College of Law and a former Florida circuit court judge
Producer media kitLegal experience.
Clear answers on air.
Available for breaking legal news, live and taped television, podcasts, keynote speeches and speaking engagements. Send your topic, proposed time and deadline through the booking form.
Suggested television segment questions
- What does the law require, and what evidence will matter most?
- How do prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges approach the same case?
- What distinguishes a university disciplinary process from a criminal investigation?
- What happens next: court rulings, sentencing, appeals or executive clemency?
Why Nuñez-Navarro
A trial looks different from each chair. The prosecutor decides what to charge and what to leave out. Defense counsel decides which fights are worth having in front of a jury. The judge rules on the objection in real time, knowing the record will be read on appeal. Nuñez-Navarro has made all three kinds of decisions, and that is what she brings to a broadcast.
Her courtroom experienceExpertise
| Area | What she covers |
|---|---|
| Criminal trials | Jury selection, evidentiary rulings, motions for judgment of acquittal, reading a verdict form. |
| Charging and pretrial | Charging decisions, bond and pretrial detention, plea negotiations, speedy trial. |
| Florida criminal law | Stand Your Ground immunity hearings, death-penalty sentencing, Williams rule evidence. |
| Sentencing and treatment courts | Scoresheets, downward departures, drug court and diversion. |
| Judicial decision-making | How trial judges rule, preserving issues for appeal, what appellate courts review. |
| Legal education | Bar passage, skills training, where the profession is headed. |
| Lawyer well-being | Mental health in the profession, informed by her work chairing The Florida Bar’s Mental Health and Wellness Standing Committee. |
| Title IX & university discipline | Campus disciplinary proceedings, due process and the relationship to criminal investigations. |
What colleagues say
“Her perspective from the bench is very helpful — and she is always objective and fair in her analysis. She is amazing to work with and I love having her on my show.”
“She consistently delivers insightful, objective, and unbiased analysis that informs, engages, and resonates with audiences.”
“She offers an objective perspective on the law and can explain issues from the prosecution, defense, and judicial decision-making perspectives.”


