Late judge praised for more than two decades of service to community
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The newly-dedicated Jon B. Morgan Osceola County Courthouse PHOTO / OSCEOLA COUNTY
The Osceola County Courthouse is now officially the Judge Jon B. Morgan Courthouse, after a public dedication ceremony Friday.
The Osceola County Commission passed the name-change resolution in February, and the lettering on the façade was installed in the fall.
Morgan, a longtime Ninth Circuit Court Judge, was a fixture of the legal system for more than four decades. After serving on the bench for nearly 23 years, he retired in December 2020 and passed away on Jan. 28, 2021 after a cancer fight.
Circuit Court Judge Lisa T. Munyon recalled the many attorneys Morgan mentored over the years, as well as the respect held for him by the legal community.
“Judge Morgan’s kind heart and generous spirit were legendary,” Munyon said. “He was renowned for his tireless work ethic, never-ending patience, and abiding integrity.”
Migdalia Perez, president of the Osceola County Bar Association and local defense attorney, Richard Nick Kelley recalled years of friendship with Morgan. Kelley told the crowd Friday about his first day on the job at the state attorney’s office in 1979, when life-long friendship was established, and Perez called the Courthouse “Jon’s House,” and said he was “home.”
The County Commission commissioned a bronze plaque with his likeness, which will be installed in the lobby for all visitors to see.
“I served with Judge Morgan on the Public Safety Coordinating Council and he was always a tremendous advocate for justice,” said Osceola Commission Chairman Brandon Arrington. “The Commission was pleased to honor him by re-naming the Courthouse. We did it without any second thoughts because he was such a valued community leader, who was always mindful of those he served. He left his mark on the judicial system and programs for teens, victims of domestic violence and those suffering from substance abuse and mental health issues.”
Judge Morgan served nearly 23 years as a County Judge, a Circuit Judge, and as an Administrative Judge for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. He also served in the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s office and was Chief of the Osceola Division.
He was a member and leader of the Osceola Bar Association, Osceola Teen Court Board of Directors, Juvenile Justice Council Executive Committee, Center for Drug Free Living Board of Directors, and many other organizations throughout his career.
Morgan was instrumental in the design of the County’s new Courthouse in 2000 where he served as a Judge, in Courtroom 5F at the end of the hall of the top floor, for a large part of his career.
Editor Ken Jackson contributed to this report.
