Judge candidate one step closer to dream

Rhoda Sokoloff dreamed about going to law school and becoming a judge since she was 16.

Forty years later, she is one step closer to making that happen.

Sokoloff has filed to run for a seat being vacated by Broward Circuit Judge Linda Vitale. The state’s Elections Division posted her filing Tuesday.

Sokoloff has practiced family law since she graduated from Nova Southeastern University law school in 1999. She has worked as a solo practitioner since 2001 in Fort Lauderdale and serves as a guardian ad litem.

Her road to the race has been a winding one. The Toronto native started her undergraduate degree in her 30s, taking part-time classes. While she worked to complete her degrees during the next nine years, she suffered personal tragedy, including the death of both parents and a brain tumor in her son.

She said her life experiences would help her be a better judge.

"I would be an excellent judge based on all the barriers I had to overcome," Sokoloff said.