Michael J. Hooi

The Honorable Michael J. Hooi Unified Family Court, Division E Edgecomb Courthouse 800 E. Twiggs St., Room #429 Tampa, Florida 33602 Courtroom #413 Judicial Assistant: Denisse Meireles (813) 272-6997 famlawdive@fljud13.org Zoom Meeting ID: 917-102-0630 Password: Not required Court Zoom Link Administrative Orders Judicial Biography Judicial Biography Judge Michael J. Hooi The Honorable Michael J. Hooi Michael J. Hooi is a circuit judge in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. He first joined the bench in 2021, when Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to the Hillsborough County Court.

Before becoming a judge, Hooi practiced at Stichter, Riedel, Blain & Postler, P.A., in Tampa, Florida, where he handled both litigation and transactions. He represented creditors and debtors in corporate and consumer bankruptcies, out-of-court workouts, and alternatives to bankruptcy, and litigated in trial and appellate state and federal courts. He also worked on complex transactions, some of which involved international clients. While in private practice, he was recognized in multiple years by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star, by Best Lawyers as a One to Watch, and by the Florida Supreme Court for exceptional pro bono service.

Judge Hooi began his legal career as a law clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit for Judge Charles R. Wilson after graduating from the University of Florida. While in law school, Hooi was a managing editor of the Florida Law Review , a research assistant for a criminal-procedure treatise, and a teaching assistant for courses in business law, legal research and writing, and appellate advocacy. He also received the Gertrude Brick Award from the law review and interned for Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich at the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He majored in philosophy at Vanderbilt University, where he was an Arts & Science College Scholar.

Judge Hooi is a descendant of Chinese immigrants. His paternal grandfather emigrated with his family from China and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. His mother is a naturalized Chinese-American citizen from Indonesia.