Florida Supreme Court
From Judgepedia
| Florida Supreme Court |
|---|
|
| Sitting justices |
| R. Fred Lewis James Perry Jorge Labarga Barbara Pariente Peggy Quince Charles Canady Ricky Polston |
| Former justices |
| Florida on Judgepedia |
Contents |
The Florida Supreme Court was founded in 1845, and is the court of last resort for the state of Florida. The court changed as the state constitution was amended numerous times until a 1940 constitutional amendment, which called for seven Justices, the present number.[1]
Jurisdiction
The Florida Supreme Court has discretionary appellate jurisdiction in most cases and mandatory appellate jurisdiction in a few cases. A detailed account of the Court's jurisdiction is available on its website.[2]
The court hears appeals from the Florida District Courts of Appeal, which was founded in 1957 to reduce the high court's congested docket.[3]
The court's justices
Selection of justices
Up until 1971 when merit selection was implemented, judges were chosen by direct election of the people. In 1974, Justice Ben Overton became the first Supreme Court justice chosen by merit selection. When there is a vacancy on the Court today, the Governor chooses the next Justice from a list of between three and six qualified persons recommended by the Judicial Nominating Commission. When Justices' terms expire, their names will appear on the general election ballot for a merit retention vote, if they wish to remain in office.[4] The Florida Constitution establishes a mandatory retirement age on or after justices 70th birthdays. If the birthday occurs during the first half of a Justice's six-year term, then the mandatory retirement age is the same as the birthday. If the 70th birthday occurs in the second half of a Justice's six-year term, then the Justice can remain in office until the full term expires.
"Florida judges may be removed in one of two ways:
- On the recommendation of the judicial qualifications commission, the supreme court may discipline, retire, or remove a judge. J
- Judges may be impeached by a two-thirds vote of the house of representatives and convicted by a two-thirds vote of the senate." [5]
Qualifications
Current justices
| Name | Appointed/Elected | Term expires | Appointed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice Peggy Quince | December 8, 1998 | Merit retention vote 2012 | The late Governor Lawton Chiles and Governor-elect Jeb Bush (R) |
| R. Fred Lewis | December 7, 1998 | Merit retention vote 2012 | Governor Lawton Chiles |
| James Perry | March, 2009 | Perry will reach the mandatory age of retirement in 2014. | Governor Charlie Crist (R) |
| Jorge Labarga | January 6, 2009 | 2010 [6] | Governor Charlie Crist |
| Barbara Pariente | 1997 | Merit retention vote 2012 | Governor Lawton M. Chiles, Jr. |
| Charles Canady | 2008 | Merit retention vote 2010 | Governor Charlie Crist (R) |
| Ricky Polston | 2008 | Merit retention vote 2010 | Governor Charlie Crist (R) |
Chief justice
Peggy Quince is the court's Chief Justice.
Notable decisions
The Florida Supreme Court has heard many cases of note, including the 2000 presidential election Florida recount case Bush v. Gore.[7]
History of the court
The constitution previously proposed by the Territory of Florida in 1838 provided for a Supreme Court, but the territory had no Justices specific to the Supreme Court, rather, borrowed by the four judicial circuits in the state. When Florida became a state in 1845, this constitution was adopted.[8]
See also
External links
- Florida Supreme Court website
- The Florida Supreme Court: Judicial Activism & Judicial Self-Restraint – Some Examples
References
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