A Broward Circuit Court judge is assigned by the county's chief judge to one of five divisions - criminal felony, civil (cases involving more than $15,000), family, juvenile or probate. Circuit judges are elected for six-year terms and are paid $145,080 annually. All county voters decide the Broward Circuit Court judicial races. GROUP 6 Name: Charles "Charlie" Kaplan Personal: Lives in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. 43. Divorced. Three children, Emily, 8, Ben, 9, and Zachary, 12. Professional: Eighteen years in the justice system, the last 12 as a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Lauderdale. Before that, he worked as a Broward prosecutor in the sex crimes, felony trial and juvenile divisions. Education: Undergraduate degree from Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; law degree from Nova University School of Law.