Judge Hugh A. Carithers: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Hugh A. Carithers (Ret.) served as a judge for the 4th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. Carithers was appointed to the bench by former Governor Lawton Chiles in 1993. He retired in 2019.

The 4th Judicial Circuit encompasses Clay County, Duval County, and Nassau County. Carithers held assignments in Duval County, presiding over cases in all divisions of the court. He also sat as an Administrative Judge of the Family Division, and he served as an associate judge on the Florida First District Court of Appeal.

Carithers earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Washington and Lee University in 1969. He spent the next few years with the United States Navy, completing a nine-month deployment in Vietnam before receiving a J.D. from the University of Florida, Fredric G. Levin College of Law, in 1974.

After graduating from law school, Carithers entered into private practice in 1976. He started as an associate at Shepherd, Fletcher, Hand & Adams. Then, in 1980, he moved to Hand, Drew, Carithers, Showalter & Mercier. Over the course of his legal career, Carithers specialized in family law matters.

His memberships have included the Executive Committee of the Conference of Circuit Court Judges, the Florida Court Education Council, the Florida Family Law Rules Committee, and the Sexual Assault Advisory Council. He served as president of the Board of Directors of Florida Legal Services and the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.

He is a recipient of the Mary Singleton Award from the City of Jacksonville (2004) and the Liberty Bell Award from the Jacksonville Bar Association (2016).

Carithers was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. When not presiding over legal proceedings, he enjoys reading and running.