About Jill Cabai

About Jill Cabai

Jill E. Cabai is a candidate for Hendry County Court Judge, running to bring experience, fairness, professionalism, and steady judgment to the county court bench.

For nearly two decades, Jill has worked in and around Hendry County courtrooms — first as an Assistant State Attorney representing the people of Hendry County, and later as a private attorney and small business owner serving local families through Cabai Law Office, P.A.

Her legal career has given her experience on both sides of the courtroom, including prosecution, criminal defense, family law, juvenile matters, domestic violence cases, narcotics offenses, DUI cases, theft offenses, serious felony matters, and the Special Victims docket. That broad courtroom experience has shaped Jill’s belief that every person who enters the courtroom deserves to be heard, respected, and treated with fairness, dignity, and integrity.

Jill believes the role of county judge requires more than legal knowledge. It requires preparation, patience, humility, sound judgment, and the discipline to apply the law faithfully — without politics, pressure, or personal preference.

Southwest Florida Roots

Jill was raised in Southwest Florida as the youngest of four siblings. She attended preschool at the Children’s Center on Sanibel Island, then St. Francis Xavier Catholic School from kindergarten through eighth grade, and later graduated from Bishop Verot Catholic High School.

Her parents were small business owners in Fort Myers in real estate appraisal, and they taught her early the value of hard work, accountability, and investing in the community around you.

Those lessons have stayed with Jill throughout her life and career. They are part of why she believes public service should be grounded in fairness, humility, preparation, and respect for the people being served.

Education and Legal Training

Jill graduated cum laude from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Environmental Studies. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law, where she also completed certificates in Land Use and Environmental Law.

She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2007.

Her legal career began in Orange County as a Certified Legal Intern at the State Attorney’s Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. She then returned home to Southwest Florida to serve as an Assistant State Attorney in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

Prosecutor, Private Attorney, and Small Business Owner

Jill served for more than eight years as an Assistant State Attorney in the LaBelle office, where she had the honor of representing the people of Hendry County.

As a prosecutor, she managed more than 100 felony cases at a time from intake through resolution and tried numerous felony, misdemeanor, and juvenile cases. Her courtroom experience included DUIs, domestic violence, theft offenses, narcotics crimes, serious violent felonies, and the Special Victims docket.

For five of those years, Jill served as the Special Victims Prosecutor, handling some of the most serious and sensitive cases in the criminal justice system. That role required compassion, attention to detail, preparation, and the ability to make difficult decisions while balancing the rights of all parties involved.

In 2016, Jill opened Cabai Law Office, P.A. in Hendry County, becoming a small business owner in the same community she had served as a prosecutor. Through her private practice in criminal defense and family law, she has continued working directly with local residents and families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

Having practiced as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, Jill understands the justice system from multiple perspectives. She believes that experience will help her serve with fairness, preparation, and impartiality from the bench.

Service to Hendry County

Jill’s commitment to Hendry County extends beyond the courtroom.

She serves on the Board of the Greater LaBelle Chamber of Commerce and is a current member and former Vice President of the Hendry/Glades County Bar Association. She previously served for many years on the board of the Caloosa Humane Society, where she helped open the Caloosa Humane Society Veterinary Clinic to provide needed low-cost veterinary services in the area.

Jill has also volunteered with the Firehouse Community Theatre and the LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation, supporting local arts, culture, small businesses, and community life.

Through the years, she has supported youth sports, community events, local celebrations, nonprofit work, and civic efforts throughout Hendry County.

Jill shows up for this community not because it is her profession, but because it is her home.

Family and Community Life

Jill lives and works in Hendry County with her husband, Alex DeStefano, a local realtor, and their rescue pets. Jill and Alex met through her volunteer work with Caloosa Humane Society — a connection that reflects one of the things she loves most about Hendry County: the way service, family, friendship, and community often overlap.

Jill is also blessed with four nieces and a nephew — her family’s hockey star — and has been fortunate to be actively involved in their education, sports, and activities as they grow.

As a Hendry County homeowner, attorney, and small business owner, Jill understands the real-world concerns facing local families, property owners, and business owners.

Why Jill Is Running

Jill is running for Hendry County Court Judge because she believes the justice system should reflect the values of the community it serves: fairness, dignity, accountability, and respect for the law.

She believes every person who comes before the court deserves to be heard. Every case deserves preparation. Every decision deserves care. And every judge has a responsibility to apply the law faithfully, impartially, and without bias.

If elected, Jill will bring nearly two decades of legal experience, a record of service to Hendry County, and a steady commitment to fairness and judicial integrity to the bench.

“A strong judiciary depends on trust,” Jill says. “It depends on judges who are prepared, impartial, and grounded in the community they serve. That is the kind of judge I will strive to be every day.”

Experienced. Fair. Rooted in Hendry County.