Jason Allen-Rosner and family campaigning at the polls. Photo courtesy.
By: Jen Russon
You may have seen candidate Jason Allen-Rosner, along with his family in their red shirts at the polls during the primaries. He persevered in a four-way judicial race where he now faces a run-off election on November 6.
What you may not know is that Allen-Rosner, who is running for Broward County Circuit Court Judge Group 38, also has deep roots in the community.
In 1985, two months before his 6th birthday, his family moved from Brooklyn, New York and settled into the Royal Grenadier II neighborhood on the corner of Riverside and University Drive.
“Across from the upside down building,” he said.
The 39-year old attorney grew up in Coral Springs, playing little league with friends, including now City Commissioner Larry Vignola and attending Broward County Public Schools.
Allen-Rosner and his two younger sisters, Jamie and Marissa, were among the first students to attend Riverside Elementary. He then attended Ramblewood Middle and graduated from JP Taravella High School in 1997 where former classmates remember him from the debate team. One of them, Coral Springs resident Keren Prize Bolter, said he is a stand-up guy; a person of high integrity and intelligence.
Jason went on to receive a full scholarship to the University of Florida and then to graduate law school from the University of Miami.
Allen-Rosner began his legal career serving the government as an attorney in the Broward County Public Defender’s Office. He ultimately moved in to private practice, opening his own firm and serving his clients as a trial lawyer for civil, criminal and family matters. He fights to ensure his clients’ rights are protected but is most proud that people trust him with the safety and best interest of their children when it comes to family law.
The now judicial candidate is also the city appointed Chairman of the Hollywood Firefighters’ Pension Board.
“Our first responders risk their lives to protect the residents of our community, so it’s an honor to volunteer to ensure I do everything in my power to see that they and their families are supported financially in their retirement,” Allen-Rosner said.
In 2011, Jason was hand selected by then Chief Judge of Broward County, Coral Springs resident Peter Weinstein, to be a hearing officer – a duty Jason took on in addition to his daily legal practice. In this role he presided over traffic infractions in Broward County and was responsible for ruling on issues that routinely would come before him in the role of a circuit court judge: motions to dismiss, the entry of evidence, and the final ruling determiner of fact in trials to name a few. He had the same jurisdiction as county court judges in these matters and his rulings were only appealable to a higher court.
“He’s the kind of person who knows what he wants, figures out how to get there, and usually does it on the first try,” said his mother Sheryl Rosner who lives in the Westwood community in Tamarac with Jason’s father, Daniel, who worked for the post office as a mail carrier, proudly serving the community for 30 years.
Allen-Rosner’s wife of thirteen years, Kara, also brimmed with positivity and confidence, describing her husband’s laser-like focus on getting to the truth in every civil, family and criminal trial he tackles.
“Being a judge is what he truly wants to do, loves to do and has always been driven toward. I believe Jason has the integrity and the personality to always be fair and impartial,” said Kara, a graduate of Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the University of Florida. Her mother Susan Barbakoff is a longtime teacher/guidance counselor at Coral Springs and Sawgrass Springs Middle and still resides in North Springs.
Kara and Jason met when the pair worked at Pine Crest Day Camp, she as a lifeguard and Allen-Rosner as a camp counselor. They became college sweethearts and married almost 13 years ago. He said that falling in love with her was the defining moment in his life, and a large driver of his career aspirations.
The couple has a son and a daughter – Miles, 7, and Hannah, 5. They may be little, but are, nonetheless, part of a grass-roots effort to get their father elected. The family lives in Hollywood, enjoy playing sports, and pound the pavement in those matching red campaign T-shirts – knowing that every vote matters.
An effort to meet as many voters as he can is something that Allen-Rosner said is hard, but something he feels compelled to do. He has acknowledged that judicial candidates, required by law to be nonpartisan, are restricted in what they can say.
“A judge has the responsibility to be fair and impartial to everyone that comes before the court. A judge must maintain the integrity of the courts so that everyone in the community trusts that they will get a fair chance. I promise, that if I am fortunate enough to be elected by the people of Broward County, that I will not let them down.”
Allen-Rosner has been endorsed by the Police Benevolent Association, Fraternal Order of Police, International Union of Police Associations, Broward County Professional Firefighters, AFL-CIO, The Hispanic Vote, and the Broward Principal’s and Assistants’ Association. More about him on Jason4Judge.com.