Thomas Gallen
| Thomas “Tom” Gallen, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| 180px | |
| Florida House of Representatives | |
| In office 1965–1972 |
|
| Florida Senate | |
| In office 1972–1978 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 28, 1932 Tampa, Florida |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Alma mater | Florida State University, University of Florida |
| Occupation | Judge |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1952-1955 |
| Unit | Special Forces |
Thomas “Tom” Gallen, Jr. (born December 28, 1932) is a retired Florida State legislator and Circuit Judge.
Early Life and Education
Gallen was born in Tampa, Florida in 1932.[1] He attended the University of Tampa, leaving during the Korean War in order to enlist in the Army Special Forces.[2] He was a member of the inaugural group of Green Berets formed in 1952 and deployed to Bad Tolz, Germany in 1953, serving until 1955.[1][3] After leaving the army he returned to school, receiving a BS in Business Administration from Florida State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida.[4] Gallen's father, Thomas Gallen, Sr., had been a lawyer as well, practicing for only a few months before the Great Depression, then leaving law, but Gallen Jr. was never made aware of this fact until after he graduated from law school.[2]
Legal Career and Public Service
Gallen was a law partner at the law firm of Miller Gallen Kaklis and Venable from 1960 to 1985.[5] During this period he also held public office, serving as a member of the Florida legislature for 12 years, first in the Florida House of Representatives, where he served from 1965-1972, before being elected to the Florida Senate.[6][7] During his time in the Senate, he became chairman of the Senate Rules and Calendar Committee.[8] He served in the Florida Senate from 1972-1978 before leaving office, opting to return to practicing law rather than seeking reelection.[9] In 1985, he was elected to the 12th Judicial Circuit as a Circuit Judge, where he was elected as Chief Judge in 1998, and served until he retired in 2002.[10] In 2005, Judge Gallen received the Manatee County Bar’s Lifetime Achievement Award.[11] He currently serves as a Senior Circuit Judge for the 12th Judicial Circuit and Associate Judge on the 2nd District Court of Appeals.[12][13] In 2009, he issued a legal opinion that lead to the release of James Bain, after DNA evidence was used to prove he was wrongfully convicted of rape after 35 years in prison.[14] In 2013, he was named to the Manatee County Rural Health Services Board of Directors.[15]
References
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