Michael A. Kalil

Circuit Court Judge Michael A. Kalil was born and raised in Jacksonville. Judge Kalil attended Wolfson High School, graduating as a member of the National Honor Society in 2001. Upon graduation, he attended the University of North Florida, majoring in philosophy. While at UNF, Judge Kalil served as the Chief Justice of the Student Government. While in college, Judge Kalil chaired a statewide judicial council among all Florida public universities, which then led to his participation in College Leadership Florida, a program of Leadership Florida. Judge Kalil also participated in the pre-law and mock trial programs while at the University of North Florida, and upon graduation in 2005, attended Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. While attending Stetson Law, Judge Kalil focused on Stetson’s Trial Advocacy program. He also served as the Student Bar Association class representative and was awarded the Stetson College of Law Certificate in Leadership Development. Upon graduation in 2008, Judge Kalil was awarded the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award for over 200 pro bono service hours. While in law school, he gained invaluable experience as a certified legal intern at the Office of the Public Defender. Upon graduation, he joined the Duval County Office of the Public Defender as an Assistant Public Defender in 2009. While serving the citizens of Duval County, Judge Kalil tried 29 cases and practiced various areas of criminal law, including juvenile, misdemeanor, and felony cases. In 2011, Judge Kalil joined the Law Offices of John Kalil, P.A., in Jacksonville where he continued his career as a civil trial lawyer and focused on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.

In 2017, Judge Kalil was appointed by Mayor Lenny Curry and confirmed by the Jacksonville City Council to the Civil Service Board, a quasi-judicial review board, and elected to Vice-Chairman of the Board in 2018, serving on the Board until April 2020. He is an active member of the Jacksonville Bar Association, the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association, and Leadership Florida.

Judge Kalil was elected to the Circuit Court bench in 2020 and sworn in on January 5, 2021. Upon taking the bench, Judge Kalil presides over juvenile delinquency and dependency cases. Since 2022, Judge Kalil has served as the Administrative Juvenile Court Judge for Duval County. In 2022, Judge Kalil became co-chair of the Circuit Advisory Board of the Department of Juvenile Justice, advising the Fourth Judicial Circuit. Since 2022, Judge Kalil has also served as the Adoption Committee Chairperson of the Jacksonville Bar Association.

In 2023, Judge Michael Kalil was awarded the Justice of the Year award by the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center for his work reducing the number of girls involved in the juvenile justice system. In 2024, the Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association honored Judge Kalil as a 2024 Breaking Barriers Honoree for investing in the future of our youth. Additionally, in 2024, Judge Kalil received the Boselli Foundation's Advancement Award for his work on juvenile delinquency mentorship. In 2025, Judge Kalil was nominated by Congressman John Rutherford and selected by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute for the national 2025 Angels in Adoption award.

Judge Kalil enjoys presiding over the holiday adoption events held at the Duval County Courthouse that celebrate the adoptive families and the permanency for children involved in foster care.