The Honorable Scott D. Polodna, who began his service as a judge in 2006, passed away on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, after losing his battle with cancer. He was 51. On Friday, March 23, 2018 Courtroom 5E in Osceola County will be renamed in his honor.

Born in Chicago, IL, Judge Polodna moved to Florida 40 years ago. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a law degree from the University of Florida. Judge Polodna taught criminal evidence at Valencia College, and served as an assistant public defender for 10 years in the Orange-Osceola Public Defender’s Office and as an assistant county attorney in Osceola. Judge Polodna’s commitments to the community included board service with Community Vision and the Osceola Education Foundation. He was a 2002 graduate of Leadership Osceola, leading a project aimed at protecting and preserving environmentally sensitive lands.

Judge Polodna served as a judge for over 10 years with integrity and tireless dedication to ensuring that all Floridians are afforded justice, performing his duties as a judge not only with passion, but more importantly, with compassion. He was a circuit judge in Osceola County in the criminal division, and in the civil division where he specialized in probate, guardianship, and mental health issues. His death is a great loss to the citizens of our Circuit, especially in Osceola County. He was a dedicated colleague, and a dignified, compassionate person and jurist. He helped many people improve and change their lives.

The loss of Judge Polodna has greatly affected this community, yet his legacy will live on in the Ninth Circuit. The dedication of Courtroom 5E of the Osceola County Courthouse fittingly serves as a lasting reminder of the valuable contributions he made in the lives of everyone he met.