Mark W. Klingensmith at a glance
- Current role
- District Court of Appeal Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Florida · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Mark W. Klingensmith
District Court of Appeal Judge · Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal
Biography
Professional career
- Rick Scott) Chief Judge, Fourth District Court of Appeal (2022–2025)
- Chief judge service: Chief Judge, Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, 2022-2025
- Judge, Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal, commissioned 2013
- Circuit Judge, Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, commissioned 2011
- Shareholder, Sonneborn Rutter Cooney & Klingensmith PA, 1992-2011
- 25 years in private civil litigation practice at Sonneborn Rutter Cooney & Klingensmith PA and predecessor firms (1986–2011)
- Adjunct Professor, Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration, Nova Southeastern University, Winter 1997
- Junior Partner, Metzger Sonneborn & Rutter PA, 1990-1992
- Associate, Metzger & Sonneborn PA, West Palm Beach, February 1986-1990
Education
- Duke University — LL.M. (2016)
- University of Florida — J.D. (1985)
- University of Florida — B.A. (1982)
Additional information
- President, Florida Conference of District Court Judges, 2024–2025.
- Author of Lyrics in the Law: Music’s Influence on America’s Courts (2020).
- Commissioner, Vice-Mayor and Mayor, Town of Sewall's Point, Florida, 2008-2011
- Florida Bar board-certified in civil trial law in 2001; recertified in 2006 and 2011.
- Bar admission: Supreme Court of the United States, 1991
- Bar admission: Florida Bar, 1986
- Bar admission: State Bar of California (inactive), 1986
- Editor-in-Chief, Florida Journal of International Law, 1984–1985.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Media And Still Photography
Statewide
Electronic media and still-photography coverage is allowed in Florida public trial and appellate proceedings under Rule 2.450's equipment and conduct standards, always subject to the presiding judge's control of decorum, distractions, and fair administration.
Subject at all times to the authority of the presiding judge to: (i) control the conduct of proceedings before the court; (ii) ensure decorum and prevent distractions; and (iii) ensure the fair administration of justice in the pending cause, electronic media and still photography coverage of public judicial proceedings in the appellate and trial courts of this state shall be allowedFlorida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.450, Media and Still Photography Coverage ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.450, Media and Still Photography Coverage
Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked September 28, 2026.
Florida appellate courts official judge directories official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked October 9, 2026
View Florida appellate courts official judge directories official judicial roster ↗CourtListener judicial biographical directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View CourtListener judicial biographical directory ↗Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.450, Media and Still Photography Coverage
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Florida Rule of General Practice and Judicial Administration 2.450, Media and Still Photography Coverage ↗