Florida Supreme Court

Florida Supreme Court
Court Information
Justices: 7
Founded: 1845
Location: Tallahassee
Salary
Associates: $258,957
Judicial Selection
Method: Assisted appointment (governor-controlled commission)
Term: 6 years
Active justices

Founded in 1845, the Florida Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort and has seven judgeships. The current chief of the court is Carlos Muñiz.

As of May 2023, all seven judges on the court were appointed by a Republican governor.

The Florida Supreme Court meets in Tallahassee, Florida. The court hears oral arguments from August through June of every year, typically during the first full week of each month.

In Florida, state supreme court justices are selected through assisted appointment with a governor-controlled judicial nominating commission. Justices are appointed by the governor with the assistance of a commission with a majority of members selected by the governor. There are 10 states that use this selection method. To read more about the assisted appointment of judges, click here.

Jurisdiction

The Florida Constitution gives the Supreme Court mandatory appellate jurisdiction over certain types of cases such as death penalty and public utilities cases, and matters pertaining to the state constitution. It has exclusive and non-exclusive jurisdiction over writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranto, and prohibition. It also hears cases on appeal from the Florida District Courts of Appeal.

The court may provide advisory opinions to the attorney general regarding the validity of initiative petitions and to the governor regarding constitutional powers and duties.

The chief justice of the supreme court is the chief administrative officer of the state judicial system and the court may make rules regarding procedures and practices in state courts. This power is subject to repeal by a two-thirds vote of the state legislature. The state constitution also gives the court exclusive authority to regulate the admission of attorneys to practice law in the state through the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, as well as to discipline attorneys through the Florida Bar.

The following text from Article V, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution covers the organization and jurisdiction of the court:

“	Supreme Court (a) ORGANIZATION.--The supreme court shall consist of seven justices. Of the seven justices, each appellate district shall have at least one justice elected or appointed from the district to the supreme court who is a resident of the district at the time of the original appointment or election. Five justices shall constitute a quorum. The concurrence of four justices shall be necessary to a decision. When recusals for cause would prohibit the court from convening because of the requirements of this section, judges assigned to temporary duty may be substituted for justices. (b) JURISDICTION.--The supreme court: (1) Shall hear appeals from final judgments of trial courts imposing the death penalty and from decisions of district courts of appeal declaring invalid a state statute or a provision of the state constitution. (2) When provided by general law, shall hear appeals from final judgments entered in proceedings for the validation of bonds or certificates of indebtedness and shall review action of statewide agencies relating to rates or service of utilities providing electric, gas, or telephone service. (3) May review any decision of a district court of appeal that expressly declares valid a state statute, or that expressly construes a provision of the state or federal constitution, or that expressly affects a class of constitutional or state officers, or that expressly and directly conflicts with a decision of another district court of appeal or of the supreme court on the same question of law. (4) May review any decision of a district court of appeal that passes upon a question certified by it to be of great public importance, or that is certified by it to be in direct conflict with a decision of another district court of appeal. (5) May review any order or judgment of a trial court certified by the district court of appeal in which an appeal is pending to be of great public importance, or to have a great effect on the proper administration of justice throughout the state, and certified to require immediate resolution by the supreme court. (6) May review a question of law certified by the Supreme Court of the United States or a United States Court of Appeals which is determinative of the cause and for which there is no controlling precedent of the supreme court of Florida. (7) May issue writs of prohibition to courts and all writs necessary to the complete exercise of its jurisdiction. (8) May issue writs of mandamus and quo warranto to state officers and state agencies. (9) May, or any justice may, issue writs of habeas corpus returnable before the supreme court or any justice, a district court of appeal or any judge thereof, or any circuit judge. (10) Shall, when requested by the attorney general pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 of Article IV, render an advisory opinion of the justices, addressing issues as provided by general law. (c) CLERK AND MARSHAL.--The supreme court shall appoint a clerk and a marshal who shall hold office during the pleasure of the court and perform such duties as the court directs. Their compensation shall be fixed by general law. The marshal shall have the power to execute the process of the court throughout the state, and in any county may deputize the sheriff or a deputy sheriff for such purpose.	”
—Florida Constitution, Article V, Section 3

Justices

The table below lists the current judges of the Florida Supreme Court, their political party, and when they assumed office.

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Office	Name	Party	Date assumed office
Florida Supreme Court	Charles Canady	Nonpartisan	September 8, 2008
Florida Supreme Court	John Daniel Couriel	Nonpartisan	June 1, 2020
Florida Supreme Court	Renatha Francis	Nonpartisan	September 1, 2022
Florida Supreme Court	Jamie Rutland Grosshans	Nonpartisan	September 14, 2020
Florida Supreme Court	Jorge Labarga	Nonpartisan	January 6, 2009
Florida Supreme Court	Carlos Muñiz	Nonpartisan	January 22, 2019
Florida Supreme Court	Meredith Sasso	Nonpartisan	May 23, 2023

Judicial selection

See also: Judicial selection in Florida

The seven justices of the Florida Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. A judicial nominating commission consisting of nine members who are appointed by the governor to four-year terms screens potential judicial candidates. The commission submits a list of three to six nominees to the governor, and the governor must then appoint a judge from the list.

Newly appointed judges serve for at least one year, after which they appear in a yes-no retention election held during the next general election. If retained, judges serve six-year terms. Under the Florida constitution, a judge must retire at age 75; however, a judge who reaches 75 after serving at least half of his or her term may complete that term.

Qualifications

To serve on the court, a judge must be:

• a qualified elector;
• a state resident;
• admitted to practice law in the state for 10 years before assuming the bench; and
• under the age of 75.

Chief justice

The chief justice of the supreme court is selected by peer vote. He or she serves in that capacity for two years.

Vacancies

See also: How vacancies are filled in state supreme courts

If a midterm vacancy occurs, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends three to six qualified candidates to the governor, and the governor selects a successor from that list. The new appointee serves for at least one year before running in a yes-no retention election.

The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.

Elections

See also: Florida Supreme Court elections

2024

See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2024

The terms of two Florida Supreme Court justices will expire on January 7, 2025. The two seats were up for retention election on November 5, 2024. The filing deadline was April 26, 2024.

Candidates and results

Francis' seat

Florida Supreme Court

Renatha Francis was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 63.2% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	63.2	5,960,814
			No	36.8	3,478,211
			Total Votes		9,439,025

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Source 1 Source 2

Sasso's seat

Florida Supreme Court, Meredith Sasso's seat

Meredith Sasso was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 5, 2024 with 62.3% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	62.3	5,822,995
			No	37.7	3,518,990
			Total Votes		9,341,985

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Source 1 Source 2

2022

See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2022

The terms of five Florida Supreme Court justices expired in 2023. Three judicial terms expired on January 2, 2023, and two judicial terms expired on January 3, 2023. The five seats were up for retention election on November 8, 2022.

Candidates and results

Canady's seat

Florida Supreme Court, Charles Canady's seat

Charles Canady was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 64.0% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	64.0	4,358,437
			No	36.0	2,455,875
			Total Votes		6,814,312

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It has been certified. Source

Couriel's seat

Florida Supreme Court, John D. Couriel's seat

John Daniel Couriel was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.7% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	63.7	4,305,014
			No	36.3	2,457,705
			Total Votes		6,762,719

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It has been certified. Source

Grosshans' seat

Florida Supreme Court, Jamie Rutland Grosshans' seat

Jamie Rutland Grosshans was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.8% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	63.8	4,306,135
			No	36.2	2,439,942
			Total Votes		6,746,077

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It has been certified. Source

Labarga's seat

Florida Supreme Court, Jorge Labarga's seat

Jorge Labarga was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 62.3% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	62.3	4,197,872
			No	37.7	2,535,034
			Total Votes		6,732,906

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It has been certified. Source

Polston's seat

Florida Supreme Court, Ricky Polston's seat

Ricky Polston was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 8, 2022 with 63.0% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	63.0	4,240,078
			No	37.0	2,486,947
			Total Votes		6,727,025

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It has been certified. Source

2020

See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2020

The term of one Florida Supreme Court justice expired on January 5, 2021. The seat was up for retention election on November 3, 2020.

Candidates and results

Muñiz's seat

Florida Supreme Court

Carlos Muñiz was retained to the Florida Supreme Court on November 3, 2020 with 65.7% of the vote.

			Retention  Vote	%	Votes
		✔	Yes	65.7	6,297,753
			No	34.3	3,281,468
			Total Votes		9,579,221

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It has been certified. Source

2019

See also: Florida Supreme Court justice vacancies (January 2019)

On January 7, 2019, Justices Barbara Pariente, Fred Lewis, and Peggy Quince retired from the court due to reaching the mandatory retirement age. Pariente and Lewis were appointed by former Gov. Lawton Chiles (D), and Quince was appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush (R). A lawsuit concerning who would appoint new justices to the court was decided by the Florida Supreme Court. It ruled that outgoing Gov. Rick Scott (R) could not replace the justices as their terms expired at the same time his term as governor expired. The court ruled that the candidate elected in November 2018, Ron DeSantis (R), would appoint the replacement justices. DeSantis appointed Barbara Lagoa on January 9, Robert J. Luck on January 14, and Carlos Muñiz on January 22. These three appointments completed a seven-member court that was all appointed by Republican governors, and shifted the balance of the court in favor of conservatives.

In a speech prior to inauguration, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) told reporters that she expected DeSantis' appointments to the state supreme court would "single-handedly be the most important thing for the future of this state that we've ever seen." WMFE wrote that the trio of new appointments were likely to "make the bench the most conservative it's been in decades," and noted that one of DeSantis' major issues in the gubernatorial campaign was limiting judicial activism. DeSantis faced criticism of the picks for not including an African-American justice, marking the first time in more than 40 years that the court would not have an African-American member.

Following the appointments, DeSantis said in a speech at the annual convention for the Federalist Society that the court had "constantly gone beyond the bounds of what is judicial into the realm of what is really legislative . . . Anything that had a political color to it just always happened to be decided in the way of the Democratic Party." He concluded his comments on the state supreme court by saying, "I think we're in a much better spot."

2019 Florida Supreme Court appointments
Former justice	Appointing governor	New appointee	Appointing governor
Barbara Pariente	Lawton Chiles	Barbara Lagoa	Ron DeSantis
Fred Lewis	Lawton Chiles	Robert J. Luck	Ron DeSantis
Peggy Quince	Jeb Bush	Carlos Muñiz	Ron DeSantis

2018

See also: Florida Supreme Court elections, 2018

The term of one Florida Supreme Court justice expired in January 2019. That justice stood for retention by voters in 2018 in order to remain on the bench for a full twelve-year term. The retention election took place on November 6, 2018.

Candidates and results

Lawson's seat

General election candidates

• C. Alan Lawson  (Incumbent) (Nonpartisan) ✔

Justices not on the ballot

• Fred Lewis
• Barbara Pariente
• Peggy Quince

Justices who faced retention

■ Jorge Labarga
■ Charles Canady
■ Ricky Polston

Election results

November 8 general election

Jorge Labarga was retained in the Florida Supreme Court, Labarga's Seat election with 66.03% of the vote.

Florida Supreme Court, Labarga's Seat, 2016
Name	Yes votes
Jorge Labarga	66.03%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

Charles Canady was retained in the Florida Supreme Court, Canady's Seat election with 68.01% of the vote.

Florida Supreme Court, Canady's Seat, 2016
Name	Yes votes
Charles Canady	68.01%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

Ricky Polston was retained in the Florida Supreme Court, Polston's Seat election with 67.80% of the vote.

Florida Supreme Court, Polston's Seat, 2016
Name	Yes votes
Ricky Polston	67.80%
Source: Florida Division of Elections Official Results

• Election history, 2006-2012 (click to expand)

  2012

  Judge	Incumbency	Retention vote	Retention Vote %
  ParienteBarbara Pariente   A	Yes	4,934,296	68.0%A
  LewisFred Lewis   A	Yes	4,899,667	67.5%A
  QuincePeggy Quince   A	Yes	4,894,677	67.7%A

  2010

  Main Article: Florida judicial elections, 2010

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2010 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Charles Canady		3,032,766	67.5%
  Against retention		1,457,276	32.5%

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2010 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Ricky Polston		2,917,344	66.1%
  Against retention		1,494,754	33.9%

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2010 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Jorge Labarga		2,623,144	59.0%
  Against retention		1,825,270	41.0%

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2010 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  James Perry		2,741,271	61.7%
  Against retention		1,700,729	38.3%

  • Click here for 2010 general election results from the Florida secretary of state.

  2006

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2006 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Fred Lewis		2,759,763	67.1%
  Against retention		1,351,264	32.9%

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2006 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Barbara Pariente		2,772,413	67.6%
  Against retention		1,328,674	32.4%

  Florida Supreme Court, Associate Justice 2006 General election results
  Candidates		Votes	Percent
  Peggy Quince		2,787,041	68.2%
  Against retention		1,296,966	31.8%

  • Click here for 2006 General Election Results from the Florida Secretary of State.

Caseloads

The table below details the number of cases filed with the court and the number of dispositions (decisions) the court reached in each year.

Florida Supreme Court caseload data
Year	Filings	Dispositions
2023	333	377
2022	1,829	1,871
2021	1,778	1,901
2020	1,903	2,013
2019	2,171	2,098
2018	2,161	2,282
2017	2,296	2,379
2016	2,310	2,419
2015	2,413	2,346
2014	2,521	3,204
2013	2,572	2,530
2012	2,754	2,372
2011	2,595	2,513
2010	2,521	2,448
2009	2,386	N/A
2008	2,490	2,611

Analysis

Ballotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters (2021)

See also: Ballotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters

In 2020, Ballotpedia published Ballotpedia Courts: Determiners and Dissenters, a study on how state supreme court justices decided the cases that came before them. Our goal was to determine which justices ruled together most often, which frequently dissented, and which courts featured the most unanimous or contentious decisions.

The study tracked the position taken by each state supreme court justice in every case they decided in 2020, then tallied the number of times the justices on the court ruled together. We identified the following types of justices:

• We considered two justices opinion partners if they frequently concurred or dissented together throughout the year.
• We considered justices a dissenting minority if they frequently opposed decisions together as a -1 minority.
• We considered a group of justices a determining majority if they frequently determined cases by a +1 majority throughout the year.
• We considered a justice a lone dissenter if he or she frequently dissented alone in cases throughout the year.

Summary of cases decided in 2020

• Number of justices: 7
• Number of cases: 110
• Percentage of cases with a unanimous ruling: 86.4% (95)
• Justice most often writing the majority opinion: Justice Lawson (5)
• Per curiam decisions: 96
• Concurring opinions: 22
• Justice with most concurring opinions: Justice Labarga (16)
• Dissenting opinions: 16
• Justice with most dissenting opinions: Justice Labarga (7)

For the study's full set of findings in Florida, click here.

Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship (2020)

See also: Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship

Last updated: June 15, 2020

In 2020, Ballotpedia published Ballotpedia Courts: State Partisanship, a study examining the partisan affiliation of all state supreme court justices in the country as of June 15, 2020.

The study presented Confidence Scores that represented our confidence in each justice's degree of partisan affiliation, based on a variety of factors. This was not a measure of where a justice fell on the political or ideological spectrum, but rather a measure of how much confidence we had that a justice was or had been affiliated with a political party. To arrive at confidence scores we analyzed each justice's past partisan activity by collecting data on campaign finance, past political positions, party registration history, as well as other factors. The five categories of Confidence Scores were:

• Strong Democrat
• Mild Democrat
• Indeterminate
• Mild Republican
• Strong Republican

We used the Confidence Scores of each justice to develop a Court Balance Score, which attempted to show the balance among justices with Democratic, Republican, and Indeterminate Confidence Scores on a court. Courts with higher positive Court Balance Scores included justices with higher Republican Confidence Scores, while courts with lower negative Court Balance Scores included justices with higher Democratic Confidence Scores. Courts closest to zero either had justices with conflicting partisanship or justices with Indeterminate Confidence Scores.

Florida had a Court Balance Score of 7.57, indicating Republican control of the court. In total, the study found that there were 15 states with Democrat-controlled courts, 27 states with Republican-controlled courts, and eight states with Split courts. The map below shows the court balance score of each state.

Bonica and Woodruff campaign finance scores (2012)

See also: Bonica and Woodruff campaign finance scores of state supreme court justices, 2012

In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan outlook of state supreme court justices in their paper, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns." A score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology while scores below 0 were more liberal. The state Supreme Court of Florida was given a campaign finance score (CFscore), which was calculated for judges in October 2012. At that time, Florida received a score of 0.51. Based on the justices selected, Florida was the 8th most conservative court. The study was based on data from campaign contributions by judges themselves, the partisan leaning of contributors to the judges, or—in the absence of elections—the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice but rather an academic gauge of various factors.

Noteworthy cases

The following are noteworthy cases heard before the Florida Supreme Court. For a full list of opinions published by the court, click here. Know of a case we should cover here? Let us know by emailing us.

• Florida Supreme Court approves midazolam hydrochloride as alternative for lethal injection	Click for summary→
Askari Abdullah Muhammad (formerly known as Thomas Knight) was slated to be executed on December 3, 2013. The execution had been delayed to hear arguments against the legality of using midazolam hydrochloride, an anesthetic used in conjunction with other drugs that cause paralysis and death. In December of 2013, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state could use midazolam hydrochloride as an alternative drug for lethal injection. At the time of the lawsuit, a three-drug cocktail method was the primary method of execution in the United States. The three-step process required first injecting an anesthetic to render the person unconscious, followed by a paralyzing injection, and finally a drug that would stop the heart. If the anesthetic should fail or wear off earlier than expected, the person would experience pain and suffering before death. The court’s decision was issued without the presentation of oral arguments, and instead was drawn after examination of the briefs. Previous courts that heard the case ruled that the scientific evidence showing the pain-killing power of the drug was indisputable. The state had previously used the drug twice, and the condemned was able to move after injection of the drug on one occasion. Opponents of the death penalty maintained that the movement was a result of suffering. The state held that there was no reason to interpret the movement as such. Askari Muhammad was convicted for the murders of Sidney and Lillian Gans in Miami Beach in 1974. In 1980, he was also convicted for stabbing James Burke, a prison guard, to death with a sharpened spoon. With the high court’s unanimous opinion, the stay on his execution was lifted. He was executed on January 7, 2014.

• Florida Supreme Court rules pension reform law constitutional	Click for summary→
On January 17, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in favor of a 2011 law requiring state employees to contribute 3 percent of their salary to the state's pension fund. The 4-3 decision reversed a lower court ruling, and eliminated the possibility of a $900 million refund to employees for money collected under the law by the Florida Retirement System (FRS). The Florida Education Association (FEA), along with other state labor unions, challenged the 2011 law (Senate Bill 2100) soon after it was passed. They argued that employee pension benefits were under a contract and could not be changed without negotiations. FEA President Andy Ford, stated: “ "Balancing the state budget on the backs of middle-class working families is the wrong approach for legislative leaders and the governor to take." ” Supporting the law, was the state of Florida--specifically, the Governor, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and the Secretary of the Department of Management Services. Gov. Scott, following the Supreme Court's ruling, stated, "The court’s ruling today supports our efforts to lower the cost of living for Florida families." The lawsuit was appealed from the Second Circuit Court to the First District Court of Appeal. Both courts ruled in favor of the unions before being overturned by the Supreme Court. Writing for the majority, Justice Jorge Labarga explained: “ "The preservation of rights statute was not intended to bind future legislatures from prospectively altering benefits for future service performed by all members of the FRS." ”
For more information on pension policy, visit Policypedia.

Ethics

The Code of Judicial Conduct for the State of Florida sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates in Florida. It consists of seven canons:

• Canon 1: "A Judge Shall Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary"
• Canon 2: "A Judge Shall Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in all of the Judge's Activities"
• Canon 3: "A Judge Shall Perform the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially and Diligently"
• Canon 4: "A Judge Is Encouraged to Engage in Activities to Improve the Law, the Legal System, and the Administration of Justice"
• Canon 5: "A Judge Shall Regulate Extrajudicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict With Judicial Duties"
• Canon 6: "Fiscal Matters of a Judge Shall be Conducted in a Manner That Does Not Give the Appearance of Influence or Impropriety; etc."
• Canon 7: "A Judge or Candidate for Judicial Office Shall Refrain From Inappropriate Political Activity"

The full text of the Code of Judicial Conduct for the State of Florida can be found here.

Removal of judges

Judges in Florida may be removed in one of two ways:

• By a two-thirds vote of the senate after a two-thirds vote for impeachment by the house of representatives
• By the supreme court after a recommendation from the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission

History of the court

Florida Supreme Court building

The territory of Florida created its first constitution in 1838, and subsequently implemented it when enacting statehood in 1845. The constitution created a supreme court, but the constitution did not provide for any justices, requiring instead that circuit court judges serve as supreme court justices for cases they had not previously heard. In 1851 the constitution was amended and provided for the supreme court to have three of its own justices, elected by the state legislature. In 1853 another amendment provided the supreme court justices would serve for a term of six years. And in 1861 a new constitution provided that justices would be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the state senate.

A new post-Civil War constitution adopted in 1868 called for the three justices to be appointed for life with good behavior, but an 1885 constitution reduced the term back to six years and required the election of supreme court justices. In 1902 the court's size was increased to six justices by a constitutional amendment and the number was raised to seven by constitutional amendment in 1940. The size of the court remains seven justices today. In 1926 a constitutional amendment was passed providing for the chief justice of the supreme court to be elected by the other justices. The position is rotated every two years.

In 1976 a constitutional amendment provided that instead of being elected, supreme court justices would be selected using a merit retention system with the assistance of the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. The governor makes an appointment using a merit selection process and the appointed justice becomes eligible for a statewide merit retention vote after one year of serving in office, providing for six-year terms. The mandatory retirement age is 75.

Noteworthy firsts

• Justice Jorge Labarga was the first Cuban American to hold the post of chief justice, the first chief justice since the Civil War to succeed himself in the office, and also the first in over 40 years to serve more than one term as chief justice.
• Justice Peggy Quince was the first African American woman to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court. She was also the second African American justice and the third female justice to serve on the court.
• Justice Joseph Hatchett was the first African American justice to serve on the court.
• Justice Rosemary Barkett was the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. She is also the first female, Arab-American and Hispanic woman to be appointed to the court.
• Justice Raoul Cantero was the first Hispanic person to serve on the court.

Courts in Florida

See also: Courts in Florida

In Florida, there are three federal district courts, a state supreme court, a state court of appeals, and trial courts with both general and limited jurisdiction. These courts serve different purposes.

The image below depicts the flow of cases through Florida's state court system. Cases typically originate in the trial courts and can be appealed to courts higher up in the system.

The structure of Florida's state court system.

Party control of Florida state government

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. A state supreme court plays a role in the checks and balances system of a state government.

Florida has a Republican trifecta. The Republican Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

See also

Florida	Judicial Selection	More Courts
Courts in Florida Florida Court of Appeals Florida Supreme Court	Elections: 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 Gubernatorial appointments Judicial selection in Florida	Federal courts State courts Local courts

External links

• Florida Supreme Court website

Footnotes

Florida courts

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Federal courts:

Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida

State courts:

Florida Supreme Court • Florida District Courts of Appeal • Florida Circuit Court • Florida County Court

State resources:

Courts in Florida • Florida judicial elections • Judicial selection in Florida