Candidate Profile: Kristy Zinna

Kristy Zinna is one of two candidates that will be competing in a runoff election for the Manatee County Court Judge Group 4 bench. A Florida native and long-time Manatee County resident, she has worked for both the State Attorney’s office as a prosecutor and the Public Defender’s office as an assistant public defender.

Zinna then left the public sector for private practice, first in criminal law, then in civil, where she has practiced almost exclusively since 2013. A lifelong resident of Florida, Zinna went to Tillman Elementary, Lincoln Middle School, and Palmetto High School. She earned her B.A. from the University of South Florida and her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in 2008.

Zinna currently serves on the board of directors for Manatee County Tiger Bay and is a member of the Manatee County Bar Association, Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and Supporters of Law Enforcement. She also served as vice president of the Manatee County Chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Zinna brings a broad swath of legal experience to her candidacy, having been involved with all aspects that come before a county judge. She has litigated cases in Traffic Court, Family Law Court, Injunction Court, Small Claims Court, and County Civil Court, representing plaintiffs and defendants. Zinna is quite familiar with the Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Rules of Civil Procedure. She believes her diverse legal background makes her a better candidate.

Zinna says that after her husband Rory, a local prosecutor, passed away after a very public and protracted battle with bone cancer, the community was there for her and she wants to serve her community in return.

Zinna says that the experience created within her a deep empathy for the unique problems every person faces and that she understands that every individual standing before the court is likely to be scared and anxious. Because of this, she says she has developed a patient demeanor and response while dealing with others and has become known for her calming presence in court, traits she will be guided by if elected.