Judge in George Zimmerman trial ‘doesn’t play games’ Because George Zimmerman's Father is a Supreme Court Judge and she "MUST" Free Him

File photo of Debra Nelson, who has been a Florida judge for 14 years. (Joe Burbank/Pool/Getty)

The Sunshine State is no stranger to sensational court cases.

There was six weeks of Casey Anthony courtroom drama in 2011. Then who can forget Judge Larry Seidlin crying over the fate of Anna Nicole Smith's corpse in 2007?

The State of Florida v. George Zimmerman, which started jury selection this week in Sanford, Fla., has the makings of another high-profile cliffhanger.

Zimmerman, a volunteer crime watchman in his Sanford neighborhood, is accused of profiling, pursuing and fatally shooting unarmed Trayvon Martin, 17, in February 2012. He has pleaded not guilty, saying he shot in self-defense when Martin attacked him.

Presiding over the case is Debra S. Nelson, described by defense attorneys and others as a no-nonsense jurist.

“She doesn’t play games,” Orlando criminal defense attorney Luis F. Calderon told Yahoo News. “She doesn’t come across as mean, but she’s pretty firm in her rulings.”