Judge Leigh Frizzell Hayes is a native of Lee County. Judge Hayes earned her AA from Stephens College, BA from Indiana University and an MA from the University of South Florida. She earned her JD from Emory University Law School.

The governor appointed Judge Hayes to the Circuit bench in 2016 after 19 years as a Lee County judge. Prior to that she was the senior staff attorney for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. She is a member of the Florida Bar, Georgia Bar and District of Columbia Bar.

Judge Hayes has numerous community involvements. She was twice appointed by the Lee County Commission to the Health and Human Services Board where she served as vice chair of the Children and Families/Aging and Adult committee and was previously a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem. Judge Hayes is an Elder in her church.