Robert Leonard Crongeyer Jr.

Having served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the U.S, District Court for the Northern District of Florida for ten years in PensacolaPanama City, Tallahassee and Gainesville and having served in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit of Florida in Fort Myers for an additional six years, I believe I offer a calm and understanding temperament and good ability to work closely with counsel and parties.  I was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida for several years, prosecuting federal crimes and defending suits against the U.S. government.  Moving on, I then practiced as a partner in a three-lawyer general practice firm with attorneys Henry Barksdale and J.B. Murphy in Pensacola working as a criminal defense attorney and pursuing plaintiffs' and defendants' civil cases in Florida and across the country, as far away as the state of Wyoming.  Subsequently, I was selected by the federal court judges and and served ten years as United States Magistrate for the Northern District of Florida, hearing civil maters and presiding over crimes and offenses on federal properties.  I drafted the original Rules of the District Court as well as several later editions. As Magistrate, I was also designated by the U.S. Department of State to reresent the United States conducting hearings in Lima, Peru, pursuant to a treaty betweeen the United States and the nation of Peru for the return of American citizens to the U.S..

After ten years with the District Court, I was invited to join the well respected law firm of Beggs & Lane as a full partner where i actively practiced as a litigator and trial attorney for fourteen years. I was area counsel for CNA Insurance Companies, represented attorneys and doctors in medical and legal professional malpractice cases, represented architects, engineers and contractors in construction cases, defended personal injury cases and served as General Counsel for the Santa Rosa Island Authority. I was named to "Who's Who in American Law", admitted to the American Board of Trial Advocates and served on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal Rules Committee.

I then moved to Fort Myers and accepted appointment in a newly created position as sole Magistrate in the Civil Division of the Circuit Court, dealing with all types of civil litigation.  As the only Civil Division Magistrate in the Circuit Court, I considered and determined myriad issues raised in personal injury and damage lawsuits, many of which were extremely significant and complex. Recently I returned to my home town of Pensacola to be closer to family and friends. Here I was invited to rejoin the Beggs & Lane firm and for the past year and a half I have practiced exclusively in the specific areas of Mediation and Arbitration, also accepting occasional appointments as a Special Master in the state and federal courts.

I have been married to the former Esther Redmond of Pensacola for 34 years and have two stepdaughters, two brothers and a number of grandchildren located here in the Pensacola area.  Accordingly, I am very pleased to again reside in northwest Florida to be closer to my family.