Richard B. Orfinger has been a Judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeal since 2000, and served as the Court’s Chief Judge from 2011 to 2013.

While a Circuit Judge for the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida from 1991-2000, he served as Chief Judge from 1996-1999. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Orfinger was a shareholder in the firm of Monaco, Smith, Hood, Perkins, Orfinger and Stout, P.A. from 1990-1991, and a shareholder in Orfinger and Stout, P.A. from 1979-1990.

His public service includes working as an Assistant State Attorney in the Seventh Judicial Circuit from 1976-1978. Judge Orfinger has served on numerous court committees and workgroups including the District Court Budget Commission from 2009-2013, serving as its Chair from 2011-2013; the State Court Administrator Selection Committee in 2013; the Court System/Clerk of Court Revenue Stabilization Workgroup in 2011 and the Judicial Branch Governance Study Group from 2009-2011.

Judge Orfinger received a B.A. from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1974. He was awarded his J.D. with honors from the University of Florida College of Law in 1976. Judge Orfinger was instrumental in organizing the Seventh Circuit's Committee on Professionalism in 1997. He was a founder and has been a member of the Dunn-Blount Chapter, American Inns of Court, Volusia-Flagler Counties since 2001 and was its president from 2002-2004. He also served on the Florida Supreme Court's Commission on Professionalism from 2001-2006, and the Florida Bar’s Professionalism Committee.

Judge Orfinger has been an instructor at the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies and has been a frequent lecturer on ethics and professionalism topics. He is a member of the Florida Bar Association, Volusia County Bar Association, and is admitted to practice before all Florida Courts, the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Judge Orfinger was born in Daytona Beach, Florida, is married and the father of two children.