Judge James F. Stewart was appointed to the Twentieth Circuit bench by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2025. Judge Stewart was born and raised in Michigan, and graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a minor in Spanish. He attended Northeastern University School of Law and received his Juris Doctor degree in 2007.

Prior to his appointment, Judge Stewart served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit for over 17 years. In 2022, Judge Stewart became a Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney leading the Collier County Office where he trained, managed, and mentored other prosecutors. In his career at the State Attorney’s Office, Judge Stewart prosecuted many high-profile cases, including a number of homicides.

Judge Stewart has served as a director on the boards of both the Collier County Bar Association and the Collier County Bar Foundation, and was previously a member of the Michael R.N. McDonnell Chapter of the American Inns of Court. He also served as a Vice Chair of the Florida Bar’s Criminal Procedure Rules Committee, and in 2023 was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to serve on the Committee on Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases. He is currently a member of the Florida Bar’s Constitutional Judiciary Committee.

Judge Stewart is married with two children. Judge Stewart’s wife, Ashli, was born and raised in Collier County, and also practices law in Naples.

Judge Stewart is currently assigned to the civil division in the Collier County Circuit Court.