Hon. Darren D. Farfante '89

The Hon. Darren D. Farfante '89 was invested as a judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit during a special ceremony Thursday (Oct. 5) at the George Edgecomb Courthouse downtown.

Before a full courtroom of supporters attending the investiture, along with a packed hallway watching on TV monitors, Farfante became the 17th known Jesuit High School alumnus to become a county, state, or federal judge, and the second youngest (Yon Alberdi '92). Farfante was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott.

The event had a decidedly Jesuit feel. Both of Farfante's sons, Max '18 and Spencer '20, are current Jesuit students. School president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. said the invocation, and the benediction was given by Fr. Len Plazewski ’83, pastor of Christ the King. Three of the special presentations were made by alumni classmates of Farfante's – Gordon Hill '89, Derek Alvarez '89, and Kevin McLaughlin '89.

Hill is president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. McLaughlin, who is the immediate past president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, made his presentation on behalf of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Alvarez made the final presentation, representing the Jesuit Bar Association. He gave Farfante a gift, a ceremonial gavel affixed to a plaque that commemorated the occasion, "Presented by Jesuit Bar Association, Jesuit High School of Tampa."

The Chief Judge of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, who presided over the investiture, is Hon. Ronald N. Ficarrotta '76. (Judge Ficarrotta is pictured at right on the homepage.) And many others with Jesuit connections were in attendance or took part, such as circuit judges Rex M. Barbas '69, Gregory P. Holder, P '04, and Robert A. Bauman, P '17, and Farfante's brother, Dino Farfante '80, who performed the Administration of Oath along with Farfante's sister, Dana Farfante Reina.

Farfante practiced law with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, and previously served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division. He received his bachelor's, master of laws, master of accountancy, and law degree from the University of Florida.

Below is a photo slideshow from the event, and below that is a list of all current known Jesuit High School judges. The 17 alumni judges represent five decades of graduates from Jesuit - the 1950s, '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. 

 

Jesuit High School of Tampa

County, State, or Federal Judges

 

Yon Alberdi '92
Dennis Alvarez '64
Manuel Alvarez '73
Rex Barbas '69
James Dominguez '65
Darren Farfante '89 
Ronald Ficarrotta '76
Thomas Gallen '50
Russell Healy '74
Richard Lazarra '63
Manuel Lopez '69
Frank Lynch '70
Sam Pendino '62
Mark Pizzo '70
Christopher Sabella '84
Samuel Salario '88
Charles Wilson '72