No one's officially taking names yet, but Hillsborough Circuit Judge William Levens says he plans to apply for the upcoming Florida Supreme Court openings.

Four of the seven justices will be gone by the end of 2009. Two of the justices, Raoul Cantero and Kenneth Bell, are resigning to move back to their hometowns with their families.

So how would Levens, 61, cope with leaving Tampa for Tallahassee?

"My wife and I are empty nesters now," he told Bay Buzz. "I’m not sure that our dogs will get homesick."

He added: "Even though I am a Gator by education and allegiance, I understand there is a Gator club up there."

-- Colleen Jenkins, Times staff writer