LET JUSTICE BE DONE, Judge Don H. Lester is presiding at jury trial,
On October 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM, jury selection began in the employment law and breach of International Association of Firefighters collective bargaining agreement case of former Fire and Rescue Chief SCOTT BULLLARD v. ST. JOHNS COUNTY, with the six-person jury trial originally set for October 21-23 before the Honorable Judge Howard Maltz in courtroom 351. But Judge Maltz is not presiding.
Trial is now being held before 4th Circuit Court Judge Don H. Lester. https://www.claytodayonline.com/stories/judge-don-lester-finds-balance-between-picking-a-tune-dispensing-justice,20598
The jury has been selected and trial will resume at 8:30 AM on Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
Here are the court notes from the first day of trial:
COURT NOTES
CASE # CA23-1937
JUDGE: DON H. LESTER
DEPUTY CLERK: JOSHUA PINKNEY
COURT REPORTER: AMANDA ROBINSON BAILIFF: T. SMITH
PLAINTIFF: BULLARD, SCOTT
ATTORNEY: DELEGAL, THOMAS ALBERT III
DEFENDANT: ST. JOHNS COUNTY
ATTORNEY: WHEELER, GARY RANDALL
DATE: 10/20/2025 ROOM# 264 TIME 8:30 AM
TYPE OF PROCEEDING: JURY SELECTION / PICK & GO
NOTES:
ATTENDANCE:
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY JAMES POINDEXTER
PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY ALEXANDRA UNDERKOFLER
PLAINTIFF SCOTT BULLARD
DEFENSE ATTORNEY COLIN THAKKAR
DEFENSE ATTORNEY JERRY POOLE
DEFENSE ATTORNEY RYAN ROSS
DEFENSE COUNSEL PARALEGAL LESLIE ZAPOT
COURT IN SESSION @ 9:21 AM
DISCUSSION HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL PERTAINING TO
HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS @ 9:21 AM
COUNSEL ENTER INTO EVIDENCE JOINT EXHIBITS @ 9:30 AM
1 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County 000033-34: October 2, 2023
email from Joy Andrews regarding Fire Rescue Admin Changes announcing
Plaintiffs termination/resignation
2 - S. Bullard - Clay County BOCC Doc. Prod. 000012-14: Change Personnel Notice
reverting Patrick Welch from Section Chief to Battalion Chief
3 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County 000035-37: Change Personnel Form promoting
Page 1 of 5
Filed 10/20/2025 05:26 PM with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, St. Johns County, Florida, DIN: 113Robert Snell to Interim Fire Chief from Battalion Chief
4 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County 000038-40: Memorandum from Plaintiff to
Fire Rescue Personnel regarding Department Update and Organizational Flow
Charts
5 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County 000041-43: Change Personnel Form promoting
Plaintiff to Interim Fire Chief from Battalion Chief
6 - Scott Bullard v .St. Johns County 000063-67: Change Personnel Notice
promoting Plaintiff to Fire Chief from Battalion Chief
7 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County 000074-76: Change Personnel Notice reverting
Patrick Welch from Section Chief to Battalion Chief
8 - SJCBC000079: October 18, 2023
response to Plaintiffs October 19, 2023 grievance from SJCBCC
9 - SJCBC000104: October 4 ,2023 Letter regarding Plaintiff's Resignation effective
October 3,2023
10 - SJCBC000105: October 3, 2023 Employee Voluntary Resignation Form for
Plaintiff
11 - SJCBC000382-85: October 3, 2023 email from Plaintiff to J. Andrews, B.
Bradley, and Board of County Commissioners requesting reversion to Battalion
Chief position
12 - SJCBC000478-79: Personnel reclassification for Business Manager Sean McGee
dated December 15, 2023
13 - SB_OO000l-04;SB_002003-08; SB_002030: Composite exhibit of pay records
reflecting Plaintiffs compensation following Termination from employment with
Defendant
14 - SB_000005-44;SB_000122-57; SB_002016-2028: Composite exhibit of plaintiff’s
job applications following his termination from employment with defendant
15 - SB_000045: Plaintiff's final pay stub from St. Johns County Fire Rescue dated
January 12, 2024
16 - SB 000046-121: Collective Bargaining Agreement between St. Johns County
Professional Firefighters and Paramedics IAFF Local 3865 Supervisory Unit and St.
Johns County Board of County Commissioners 2022-25
17 - SB_000237: St. Johns County Fire Rescue Department Organizational Chart
under Section Chief- Operations Welch
18 - SB_001460: June 2, 2023 letter from L. Hutchinson to Plaintiff formally
notifying Plaintiff of his appointment to Fire Chief position with Defendant
19 - SB_001641: October 9, 2023 emails between R. Snell and Plaintiff regarding
Plaintiffs step 1 grievance
20 - SB_001635: St. Johns County Florida Board of County Commissioner Pay Plan
FY24
21 - SB_001642: October 18, 2023 email from Plaintiff to J. Andrews regarding
Plaintiffs step 2 grievance
22 - SB_001643: October 20, 2023 email from Plaintiff to J. Andrews regarding
Plaintiffs step 2 grievance
23 - SB_001644: October 18-19, 2023 emails between Plaintiff and J. Durden
regarding Plaintiff's step 2 grievance
Page 2 of 5 24 - SB_001646: October 4, 2023 email from Plaintiff to J. Andrews and L.
Hutchinson containing Plaintiff's resignation letter
25 - SB_001651-52: October 6, 2024 email from L. Hutchinson to Plaintiff
confirming receipt of resignation letter
26 - SB_001890: October 20, 2023 letter from B. Bradley to Plaintiff denying
grievance
27 - SB_002000-02: Plaintiffs step I and step II grievances submitted on October 9,
2023 and October 18,2023
28 - SB_002030: Plaintiffs April 2025 Offer Letter from First Coast Technical
College
29 - SJCBC000816: Breakdown of Bullard's benefits (5 pgs)
30 - SJCBC00739-43: County spreadsheet reflecting battalion chief positions
31 - SJCBC00744-49: County spreadsheet reflecting battalion chief positions
32 - Expert report prepared by Joyce Eastridge, MBA, and all schedules thereto
33 -All answers to interrogatories served by any party
34 - All answers to requests for admissions served by any party
35 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000648-000658; List of Battalion Chiefs
36 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000750-000751; Shift Differential Personnel
Notice for Michael Cuzzort dated October 15, 2023
37 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000754-000758; Change Personnel Notice
for Michael Cuzzort dated April 28,2024
38 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000768-000769; Shift Differential Personnel
Notice for Sean McGee dated October 15, 2023
39 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000772- 000776; Change Personnel Notice
for Sean McGee dated March 17,2024
40 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000777; Letter confirming Sean McGee's
appointment to Fire Chief dated March 11, 2024
41 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000760-000767; Memorandum from Sean
McGee to Fire Rescue Personnel regarding Organizational Structure
42 - Scott Bullard v. St. Johns County - 000778-000782; Change Personnel Notice
for Scott Acampora dated May 26,2024
POTENTIAL JURORS SEATED @ 9:53 AM
POTENTIAL JURORS SWORN IN @ 9:55 AM
THE COURT READS STATEMENT OF THE CASE TO POTENTIAL JURORS @ 9:55
AM
VOIR DIRE BY THE COURT @ 10:09 AM
COURT IN RECESS @ 10:15 AM
COURT IN SESSION @ 10:30 AM
Page 3 of 5POTENTIAL JURORS SEATED @ 10:33 AM
CONTINUED VOIR DIRE BY THE COURT @ 10:34 AM
VOIR DIRE BY ATTORNEY POINDEXTER @ 10:50 AM
SIDEBAR HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL & COURT REPORTER @
11:08 AM
CONTINUED VOIR DIRE BY ATTORNEY POINDEXTER @ 11:10 AM
VOIR DIRE BY ATTORNEY THAKKAR @ 11:23 AM
POTENTIAL JURORS RELEASED FOR BREAK @ 11:47 AM
COURT IN RECESS @ 11:48 AM
COURT IN SESSION @ 12:22 PM
PARTIES BEGAN JURY SELECTION @ 12:24 PM
POTENTIAL JURORS SEATED @ 12:31 PM
POTENTIAL JURORS RELEASE FOR THE DAY @ 12:35 PM
THE JURY SWORN IN @ 12:35 PM
JURY RELEASED FOR LUNCH @ 12:36 PM; TO RETURN BY 1:30 PM
COURT IN RECESS @ 12:37 PM
COURT IN SESSION @ 1:38 PM
DISCUSSION HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL PERTAINING TO
PRELIMINARY MATTERS @ 1:38 PM
JURY SEATED @ 1:42 PM
THE COURT ADDRESSES THE JURY @ 1:42 PM
THE COURT READS JURY INSTRUCTIONS TO THE JURY @ 1:44 PM
ATTORNEY POINDEXTER OPENING STATEMENT @ 1:54 PM
ATTORNEY POOLE OPENING STATEMENT @ 2:07 PM
Page 4 of 5PLAINTIFF SCOTT BULLARD SWORN IN @ 2:18 PM
RULE OF SEQUESTRATION INVOKED @ 2:19 PM
ATTORNEY POINDEXTER DIRECT QUESTIONS PLAINTIFF SCOTT BULLARD @
2:19 PM
DISCUSSION HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL PERTAINING TO
TRIAL SCHEDULING MATTERS @ 3:30 PM
COURT IN RECESS @ 3:30 PM
COURT IN SESSION @ 3:47 PM
JURY SEATED @ 3:47 PM
ATTORNEY THAKKER CROSS-EXAMINATION QUESTIONS PLAINTIFF SCOTT
BULLARD @ 3:47 PM
SIDEBAR HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL, WITHOUT COURT
REPORTER @ 4:54 PM
ATTORNEY POINDEXTER RE-DIRECT QUESTIONS PLAINTIFF SCOTT BULLARD
@ 4:55 PM
JURY RELEASED FOR THE DAY @ 5:05 PM; JURY TO RETURN BY 8:30 AM
TOMORROW
DISCUSSION HELD BETWEEN THE COURT AND COUNSEL PERTAINING TO
PRELIMINARY MATTERS @ 5:06 PM
COUNSEL TO BE PRESENT TOMORROW BY 8:30 AM
COURT IN RECES
Here is the former docket:
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