David Young

Judge Young is known for his sharp sense of humor, his compassion, and his provocative sentencing. While on the bench in Miami, he once dropped an opera singer's disorderly conduct charges in exchange for a virtuoso courtroom performance. In another case, he decided it was appropriate to jail an 87-year-old woman for 31 years -- the same number of years she had spent on the lam prior to her arrest for murder. Young captured the nation's attention during a high-profile case in May, 2005, when he sentenced two America West airline pilots to jail for attempting to operate a plane while intoxicated. His strong sense of personal responsibility is coupled with a real concern for people. In Miami he was a strong advocate for a unique probation monitoring program, under which he met monthly with individuals with addiction problems. His dedication to fair justice has resulted in being honored with the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Award of Distinction on three separate occasions. Born in Miami, Judge Young followed in his father's footsteps when deciding a career. His father, attorney Burton Young, was elected President of the Florida Bar and is listed in the Best Lawyers in America, widely regarded as the preeminent referral guide to the legal profession of the United States. A one-time law clerk for F. Lee Bailey's law firm in Miami, Judge David Young attended Tulane University, where he was President of the Student Body. He later graduated from the University Of Miami College Of Law. In 1984, he became a Florida assistant state attorney under Janet Reno, a position he held until 1987. After holding several prestigious legal positions in Miami, in 1993 he was elected as County Court Judge in Miami-Dade County, and he was re-elected twice. Then in 2000 Judge Young was elected as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami-Dade and was re-elected to that position. In May of 2007, Judge Young stepped down in order to take his passion for justice into the homes of millions of Americans as host of his new series, Judge David Young. Judge Young sits on the board of the Miami-Dade Humane Society and devotes time to many animal rescue initiatives. He is a huge fan of Broadway musicals, and is an avid collector of penguin items. Judge Young is often called as a legal expert by national outlets such as CNN's Larry King Live, FOX News Channel and TruTV. Young lives in Miami with his partner of 12 years, Judge Scott Bernstein, and their dog Maggie.