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The Honorable David R. Ellis

Division 25·Pinellas County · Florida
1,331 cases since 202062% FJ rate
Division Context

Section 25 - Pinellas County Family Law Division. Dissolution of marriage, equitable distribution of marital assets, alimony, child custody and timesharing plans, modification proceedings, and contempt matters. 6th Judicial Circuit.

How the judge operates

Judge David R. Ellis has served in Pinellas County Family Law (Section 25) since 2016, transitioning from private practice. He maintains a methodical courtroom that processes cases at steady pace without sacrificing attention to complex issues, using online scheduling for short hearings and formal CMC/JA workflows for extended matters.

Background

CourthouseNorth County Courthouse, Clearwater
Year on Bench2016
Law SchoolMercer University (J.D.)
UndergraduateFlorida State University (B.S. 1987)
Assumed OfficeJanuary 2018
Pre-Bench CareerPrivate practice attorney in Pinellas County
Bar Associations
The Florida BarClearwater Bar Association

Closed Dissolution Cases

From 7,853 dissolution cases · Pinellas County · 2020–2026

Total Cases1,331
Final Judgments82962%
Dismissed2
Avg Filings / Case104
With Children426
Without Children451
Reopened Cases252

Most Frequent Attorneys

Bar & Civic Roles

  • Elected to Section 25 (Pinellas North County, Clearwater). Admitted 1992, Mercer University School of Law J.D. President, Clearwater Bar Association 2016-2017
  • Board of Directors 2012-2018
  • President, Clearwater Bar Foundation 2009-2012. Recipient, Ralph Richards Award (Clearwater Bar's highest honor) 2014. 26 years family law trial experience prior to election.

David R. Ellis is modeled as a family-court bench actor in Section 25, with 3 graph connections and 3 documented trap signals.

All data sourced from public court records. Judges are bound by Florida law, not personal tendencies. Past case patterns reflect caseload composition and case complexity — they do not predict how a judge will rule in your specific case.