John M. Selden
Of Counsel
After more than 40 years of experience in defending persons accused of serious crimes, Mr. Selden now practices as “Of Counsel” to the firm of Aaron Delgado & Associates.
Legal Education
Mr. Selden graduated from Long Beach High School (N.Y.), at age 16, with Regents Scholarship and Advanced Placement college credit. He is a graduate of Princeton University (1978), and New York Law School (1981). He was admitted to the Bar of New York in 1982, and New Jersey in 1983, where he practiced for several years (both currently inactive). He was also admitted to, and practiced before, the United States District Courts for those regions, and the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Upon moving here to Florida, he was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1991.
Professional Career
In the early 1990’s, Mr. Selden worked as an Assistant Public Defender in the 13th Judicial Circuit as a Felony Lead Trial Attorney and division supervisor. He regularly conducted jury and non-jury trials of serious criminal cases while supervising, training and mentoring other section attorneys. Earlier, he had served as Chief of the Appeals/ Research Division, including writing over 30 briefs on appeal, training and supervising attorneys and paralegals in the research and preparation of memoranda at both trial and appellate levels, presenting in-house seminars on appellate practice. He presented extraordinary writs, briefs and oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court on a matter certified to be of great public importance. R.J.A. et al. v. Foster et al., 603 So. 2d 1167 (Fla. 1992)
Upon leaving that office in late 1994, Mr. Selden engaged in the private practice of law comprised of some trust and estate planning (limited to living trusts), together with assigned conflict counsel work on criminal appellate cases to the 3rd District Court of Appeal.
Beginning in June of 1999, Mr. Selden joined the local Public Defender’s Office for the 7th Judicial Circuit. Most recently, he has served in the High Crimes Division, handling 1st and 2nd degree murder cases at both the trial and appellate levels, including Supreme Court arguments and training in death penalty matters. His prior experiences included serving in the Appellate Division briefing and arguing matters to the 5th District Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as handling all of the Office’s trial level cases in actions under the Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act (formerly “Jimmy Ryce”), in the four Counties of the Circuit for many years. For some of that time, he served as supervisor of 11 attorneys in two felony, one juvenile, and two misdemeanor court divisions in the DeLand office.
Personal Life
Mr. Selden has been a Florida resident for 33 years and has lived in the Volusia County area for the last 24 years. He is a certified referee in the sport of Rugby Football and certified as both a Referee Coach and Referee Assessor for USA Rugby and the International Rugby Board (IRB).
Areas of Expertise:
Education
New York Law School, Juris Doctor, June 1981
Princeton University, Bachelor of Arts, June 1978
Bar Admissions
Florida - 1991
U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeal - 1985
U.S. District Court (N.J.) - 1983
