About James Richard
James Richard Barnes trained first as a political scientist and then as a lawyer. He earned a B.A. in Political Science from Saint Leo College in 1987 and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi in 1990. Those credentials set the stage for a long career in public defense and criminal practice in northwest Florida.
Barnes began his legal career in 1990 at the Office of the Public Defender in Escambia County. The work was hands-on from the start. He handled arraignments, motions and jury trials for clients who could not afford counsel. In 1992 he expanded his courtroom practice and joined Eddins, Riddlehoover and Barnes. That move marked his first foray into private practice while maintaining a steady presence in trial work.
Over the next decade Barnes moved through several law firms, including Young, Bill, Fuegett and Roumbos in 1999 and Michles and Booth in 2001. Each stop added new clients and new case types, but criminal defense remained a through line. He gained admission to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida in 1992, allowing him to handle federal matters as well as state cases. He has been a member of the Florida State Bar since 1990.
In 2009 Barnes opened his own practice under the name James R. Barnes - Lawyer at Law. The change reflected a desire for greater control over case selection and courtroom strategy. His solo practice handled a mix of misdemeanor and felony cases, and it continued to represent clients in federal proceedings when appropriate. Colleagues describe him as steady in the courtroom and pragmatic in case preparation.
Barnes has long been active in local professional groups. He belongs to the Escambia/Santa Rosa Academy of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a regional bar association that focuses on criminal defense issues, and to the Northwest Florida district of the federal court. Those memberships keep him plugged into local practice standards and the shifting terrain of criminal procedure.
He has practiced law in Florida for more than three decades. His work has kept him in courtrooms across Escambia and surrounding counties, and he remains engaged in trial and appellate work. He concentrates his practice on criminal defense and on matters in the Northern District of Florida.
