Third District Court of Appeal Judge Linda Ann Wells, who served as the court’s first female chief judge, will retire March 31.

Wells was appointed to the appellate court by then-Gov. Jeb Bush in 2003 after serving as counsel to the Florida Department of Children & Families. She began her legal career in private practice at Fine Jacobson Schwartz Nash Block & England, later moving to Holland & Knight and Russo, Wells & Associates.