Judge Hayes received his B.A. in 1970 from the University of Georgia and his J.D. in 1972 from the University of Florida. In 1988, he became the first judge in Florida to be awarded the Master of Judicial Studies degree from the University of Nevada-Reno; he has received his Diploma of Judicial Skills from the American Academy of Judicial Education; former Secretary and President of Naples North Rotary; former Secretary and President Elect of the Collier County Bar Association; past member, Board of Directors United Way of Collier County; past member, Florida Bar Code & Rules of Evidence Committee; he has served as a member and teacher on the Education Committee for the Florida Conference of Circuit Court Judges, writing papers for presentation on "Evidence, Medical & Other Experts"; "The Deposition, a Discovery Device"; "Judicial Disqualification"; and "Civil Lawsuits Involving Prisoners." Author of "A View From the Probate Bench: Attorney’s Fees and More," presented at the Florida Bar Probate Law 2016 Seminar; he currently serves as a judicial liaison to the Executive Council of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar (2004-present); 2015 Jurist of the Year, American Board of Trial Advocates, SW Fla. Chapter.

Judge Hayes is a member of the Michael R. N. McDonnell American Inns of Court (Collier County Chapter); past member, Supreme Court Steering Committee on Families and Children in the Court, (2004-2008); chairman, 20th Judicial Circuit Indigent Services Committee, (2004 to 2008); past member, Supreme Court Committee on District Court of Appeal Workload and Jurisdiction; past member, Supreme Court Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal (Misdemeanor) Cases; he has served as an Associate Judge on the Second District Court of Appeals. Judge Hayes authored the Introduction of the Florida Bar’s CLE manual, Evidence in Florida, 5th & 6th Editions, and Chapter 13 "Florida Trial Objections"; he is the author of "Capital Jury Selection in Florida and Texas", 12 Nova Law Review 743 (1988); appointed Judicial Mentor for the 20th Circuit in 1998 to 2020; Fellow of the Florida Bar Foundation; he is a retired Captain, United States Army-Military Intelligence; appointed by Gov. Rubin Askew to the County Court bench in 1978, and by Gov. Bob Graham in 1982 to the Circuit Court bench. Judge Hayes is serving his 44th year in the Collier County Judiciary.

Judge Hayes served for two terms as Chief Judge of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit (2003-2007), and has served as the Administrative Judge for Collier County on multiple occasions. Judge Hayes is married and has two terrific children.

In November 2020, Judge Hayes was re-elected without opposition to another 6-year term office, and he was honored to receive his commission and Executive Order from the honorable Gov. Ron DeSantis.