Special Magistrate Services

Brevard County, Florida is requesting qualifications for Special Magistrate Services under RFQ 3-26-11, with a proposal deadline of June 11, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. — a deadline that has passed. The RFQ tabulation indicates no proposals were received by the closing date.

The position requires a Florida-licensed attorney in good standing with the Florida Bar for a minimum of five years, with jurisdiction over code enforcement, land development, contractor licensing, vested rights determinations, nuisance abatement, dangerous animal cases, and adult entertainment licensing. The Special Magistrate will conduct hearings at minimum monthly on the third Thursday of each month at 9:00 a.m., with additional hearings scheduled as needed. Based on 2025 historical data, the County anticipates approximately 12 code enforcement and contractor licensing hearings annually, three dangerous dog/aggressive dog hearings, and vested rights cases as needed. Hearings are held at the Brevard County Government Center in Viera, Florida. The Special Magistrate must hold a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and have practiced law in Brevard County.

The five-year contract carries a projected budget of $350,000 for the full term; compensation is subject to determination through the RFQ process. Pricing adjustments may only be considered after twelve months and require written County approval. Reimbursable costs such as travel are subject to negotiation. The County provides hearing rooms, a clerk for administrative support and recording services, a laptop, and County Attorney representation when necessary.

The Special Magistrate must maintain professional liability insurance of $2,000,000 per claim and general liability insurance of $1,000,000. The County requires General Liability, Auto Liability, Workers' Compensation, Professional Liability, and Cyber Liability with minimum limits of $5,000,000 per claim.

Evaluation criteria are weighted: Knowledge of Laws (35 points), General Local Government Experience (25 points), Magisterial Experience (15 points), Communication Skills (20 points), and References (5 points). Proposals required three hard copies and one electronic copy on USB flash drive. The County may terminate with thirty days' notice; the Contractor may terminate with ninety days' notice for good cause.