BUSTAMANTE SPEAKS
WITH CEDAR KEY RESIDENTS
Judge Luis Bustamante spoke with an audience of approximately twenty individuals at City Hall at 5 pm on July 6, 2026. He is one of two candidates currently vying for the open Levy County Court Judge position. Both Bustamante and his opponent will be on the August 18 Primary Ballot where all Levy County residents may vote.
Hardly a simple audience, which contained multiple lawyers, Bustamante spoke easily, charming the audience with humor and tales of his judge and lawyer experiences. He recounted his growing up in Florida through his law degree at Florida State University in 1993, his years as a prosecutor, and now as the Levy County Court Judge who replaced the late Judge James Browning.
Memorable notes were many. Bustamante said he believes in being “all in.” He explained that “all in” means that he ought not sit behind his desk too much; instead, he needs to be part of the community. To that end, he spends time teaching school children about the law by having the youngsters try the “Case against Goldilocks,” whose crimes included breaking in, etc. Students enjoy, said Bustamante, learning abbot the law and understanding that judges and lawyers are real people whom one day, they might become. Bustamante proudly showed the audience his notebook full of students’ responses to his visits.
Bustamante also talked about treating people respectfully, no matter the age, the status, the charge against them, or the complications. He tries to dispatch cases quickly as, he said, the longer people linger in court process, the more difficult it is for them.
Indeed, Judge Bustamante is living his “all in” attitude. He is often in Cedar Key, at new firetruck gatherings, at City Hall to induct new commissioners, at our school, and at our restaurants.
The audience had many questions for Bustamante which he easily answered, explaining the workings of the different court systems, the heavy workloads of the courts and the differences between being a prosecutor and being a judge.
Attendees included: Sheryl Belcher, Doris and Johnathan Ferguson, Kathyand Mr. O’Neill, Dawn Callahan, Mike Hamilton, Anne Miller, Pam Meyers, Maureen Magee, Doris Hellerman, Luis and Mina Bustamante, Jeri Treat, Mandy and Frank Offerle
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