Supreme Court News

The fall 2023 edition of the Full Court Press is here!

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Chief Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court. “I am incredibly honored that Gov. Ron DeSantis is entrusting me with this position,” said Sasso, currently the chief judge at the Sixth District Court of Appeal headquartered in Lakeland. “The judiciary plays a critical and unique role in our constitutional government, and I am resolutely committed to upholding the rule of law for as long as I am privileged to serve.”

The careers and contributions of retiring justices are marked in the state courts system newsletter, the Full Court Press. The Farewell, Justice Polston article in the latest edition chronicles the judicial journey of Justice Ricky Polston. His 22-year judicial service included time on the First District Court of Appeal and more than 14 years on the Florida Supreme Court. 

The Florida Supreme Court joins the Florida Historic Capitol Museum to co-host a special Trivia Night to celebrate Historic Preservation Month and mark the 75th anniversary of the Florida Supreme Court building.

The spring 2023 edition of the Florida State Courts System's newsletter, the Full Court Press, is available now. This edition includes a farewell article to Justice Ricky Polston and information about judicial education, Florida's Child and Family Services, a spotlight on mediation in the Fifth Circuit, and more.

May 2 & 3 Oral Argument case summaries are posted.

To celebrate Law Day and Historic Preservation Month, the Florida Supreme Court is opening its doors to the public on Saturday, May 13, from 10 am - 3 pm to walk-in visitors.

Retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Fred Lewis is being honored with the ABA’s 2022 Burnham “Hod” Greeley Award, which recognizes those who “significantly and positively” impact public understanding of the judiciary’s role in a democratic society and its importance to the rule of law. 

Justice Ricky Polston today notified the Governor of his resignation from the Florida Supreme Court, effective March 31.

Change is coming to the way the public and attorneys search dockets and documents on the Florida Supreme Court and First District Court of Appeal websites. Starting March 6 online dockets for the Florida Supreme Court and the First DCA will be available on the Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) linked from each court’s website.

Justice Renatha Francis was appointed to Florida's supreme court and began her service on September 1, 2022. She sat down for a Full Court Press interview to discuss her time in the judiciary and her new role on the state's highest court. Read the full interview in the fall edition of the Full Court Press. 

A new chair and vice-chair have been selected for the Florida Board of Bar Examiners from the Tallahassee and Miami areas.

Florida Supreme Court Justice John D. Couriel addressed students in the University of West Florida’s legal studies program on October 11 in the University Commons Conference Center. “The legal profession is a noble and legitimate calling,” Couriel said. “No one has ever had a better idea than the U.S. Constitution. It is an honor to defend it.”

Before he retired from the Florida Supreme Court on August 31, Justice Alan Lawson sat down for a final farewell interview for the Full Court Press. Read about his judicial journey that included six years on the Florida Supreme Court, eleven years on the Fifth District Court of Appeal, including a term as chief judge, and four years as a circuit judge in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

The new edition of the Full Court Press, the official newsletter of the Florida State Courts System, is now available on the Florida Courts website. This edition includes award and retirement announcements from across the state, celebrates a milestone in Uniform Case Reporting, and provides information on the implementation of the new district court of appeal, among other articles. We hope you enjoy reading it.

Justice Lawson retired from the Florida Supreme Court August 31. “Public service at this level is an extraordinary sacrifice, it’s never not on your mind,” Lawson said. “And yet, that sacrifice, for those of us who have had the privilege of doing it, is self-rewarding because any time we serve beyond ourselves, the rewards just flow in.” Retiring Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson bid a heartfelt farewell to fellow justices, court administrators, and staff in an afternoon ceremony in the Court Rotunda on his final day in office.

The Honorable Tina L. Caraballo received the 2022 Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence from Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Carlos G. Muñiz on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at the Annual Education Program of the Conference of County Court Judges. 

Florida Supreme Court Justice Jorge Labarga was one of 34 naturalized citizens honored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York in its annual list of “Great Immigrants.” Read The Florida Bar News Story.

Chief Justice Charles Canady symbolically passed the gavel to Chief Justice-elect Carlos G. Muñiz in a ceremony for court staff on June 29. Surrounded by fellow justices and staff in the Supreme Court Rotunda in Tallahassee, Canady gripped an oversized gavel that he jokingly referred to as a “mallet.” “I’m delighted to present this to [Chief] Justice-elect Carlos Muñiz, who will become chief justice at midnight tomorrow,” Canady said. “So, at midnight tomorrow, consider yourselves under new management.”

Justice Carlos Muñiz will become Florida’s 57th Chief Justice on Friday, July 1. He takes over from Chief Justice Charles Canady, one of 11 justices who has served non-consecutive terms as Chief Justice. Canady concludes his third term as the longest-serving Chief Justice in the modern era of the court, beginning with voter-approved unification and reform of the State Courts System in 1972.

Chief Justice Charles Canady, addressing hundreds of judges and lawyers at the 2022 Annual Convention, said the court system is “strong” and well on the road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m happy to report that the state of Florida’s judiciary is strong,” Canady said. “We weathered the storm of the pandemic, and we have come back strong.”

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has published results from its survey of Bar members about their practice and expectations for newly licensed lawyers. A report with the survey results is available on the Board’s website (www.floridabarexam.org/practiceanalysis).

This is a petition for an emergency writ for the Supreme Court to exercise jurisdiction in a congressional redistricting case.

Justice Alan Lawson announced his upcoming retirement and notified the Governor of the vacancy it will create on the Florida Supreme Court when it is effective, on August 31, 2022. Lawson’s retirement comes at the conclusion of a 21-year judicial career, and six years as a Justice of the Florida Supreme Court.

Florida’s trial courts and the state’s lawyers are collaboratively working through the pandemic induced backlog of cases and progress is being made. That’s the message Chief Justice Charles Canady delivered on April 7 at the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society’s annual Supreme Evening event in Tallahassee.

Retired Supreme Court Justice Major B. Harding received the Susan Rosenblatt Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society in recognition of his highly distinguished judicial career, many years of extraordinary contributions to Florida’s legal system, and lifelong devotion to improving the lives of others. 

The Florida Supreme Court today unanimously elected Carlos G. Muñiz as Florida’s next Chief Justice, to begin his two-year term July 1. Muñiz was appointed to the court on January 22, 2019, by Governor Ron DeSantis. He succeeds Charles T. Canady, who will remain on the court after completing his third term as Chief Justice.

The oral argument case summaries for March 2022 is available.

Florida Supreme Court justices on Wednesday, February 9, recognized Communications Director Craig Waters for his service to the judicial branch and for his advocacy and innovation on behalf of openness and transparency for the state’s courts. 
Justices, court staff, family, and friends gathered in the library to honor Waters’ 35-year career.

February Oral Argument case summaries are posted.

Who was Florida Supreme Court Justice George W. Macrae? The answer has eluded court staff and historians for years. Until recently, almost nothing was known about Florida's fourth justice. Details about the Macrae Mystery are in the latest edition of Historical Review published by the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.

Craig Waters, an innovative advocate for public trust and confidence in the judiciary, fierce warrior for government in the sunshine, and reluctant public face of the Florida Supreme Court when the world spotlight shone most brightly upon it, will retire in late February as director of public information after 35 years of public service to the Court and the people of Florida.

Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston received the LeRoy Collins Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Florida Colleges, Communications and Marketing Committee. Justice Polson is Chipola College's 2021 Alumnus of the Year.

A new chair, vice-chair, and members have been selected for the Florida Board of Bar Examiners from the Tampa, Tallahassee, and Miami areas.  Read the press release.

Chief Justice Charles T. Canady today amended an existing order about health and safety protocols in state courts. The updated order makes changes reflecting current public health conditions

Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, in conjunction with The Florida Bar, has proclaimed November as Legal Professionalism Month in Florida. The proclamation serves to encourage all those working in the legal profession to rededicate themselves to exhibiting the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.

Chief Justice Charles Canady has proclaimed October 17-23 as Mediation Week, marking the importance of alternative dispute resolution as an effective substitute to litigation.

Chief Justice Charles T. Canady has issued administrative orders to transfer the work of the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice to the Judicial Management Council and, separately, to create a Workgroup on Access to Justice. The administrative orders are available here: Administrative Order No. AOSC21-47, In Re: Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice and Administrative Order No. AOSC21-48, In Re: Workgroup on Access to Justice.

July 2021 Bar Scores by Anonymous Applicant Number

July 2021 Florida Bar Exam Scores Comparisons by Law School are available. 

Former Florida Chief Justice Stephen H. Grimes, will lie in state in the rotunda of the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. local time. The event is open to all who want to pay their respects. Grimes, 93, died Friday in Tallahassee. He was the 72nd Justice on the Florida Supreme Court and its 46^th Chief Justice since Florida achieved statehood in 1845. Watch on Youtube.

Former Florida Justice Stephen H. Grimes, 93, died Friday in Tallahassee. He was the 72nd Justice on the Florida Supreme Court since Florida received statehood in 1845. Grimes served on the state’s highest court from 1987 to 1997. He led the state courts system as its Chief Justice from 1994 to 1996 during a period of great transition caused partly by the advent of the Internet.

To raise awareness about opioid and stimulant use issues and disorders, and to highlight solutions involving the courts, Chief Justice Charles T. Canady issued a proclamation establishing September 2021 “as a month of awareness, training, and action regarding opioids, stimulants, and treatment for related substance use disorders.”

Courts closures due to Hurricane Ida are being announced.

The latest Historical Review Magazine from the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society is available.

Chief Justice Charles Canady and leadership of the State Courts System continue to monitor health conditions throughout the state and remain alert to guidance provided by state and federal health agencies, including updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations issued today. 

The Florida Supreme Court has named Allison “Ali” Sackett as its next state courts administrator. Sackett will serve as the eighth state courts administrator and lead nearly 200 employees in the Office of the State Courts Administrator.

A final Implementation Report of the 2016 Court Communication Plan for the Judicial Branch of Florida was released in early July. The report details how the aims of the Florida Court Communications Plan have been achieved, with a special focus on the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Florida Supreme Court case involves a question of whether a Palm Beach County COVID-19 mask requirement is constitutional. The lower courts ruled it was. New filings have been added to the case.

Wryly recounting her decades of service as a Catholic nun, teacher, lawyer, and judge, former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Rosemary Barkett delivered a poignant, and sometimes pointed, June 11 keynote address to the 50-Year member/senior counselors award luncheon.

Let your views be known about Florida’s District Courts of Appeal as part of a statewide assessment. All responses are anonymous; they will be compiled and analyzed as a group.

While the supreme court has been closed to visitors, Public Information Office and Library staff have developed a treasury of virtual educational programming.

Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice James E. Alderman died in Vero Beach on Thursday, June 10, 2021. Alderman was 84 and was Florida's 67^th Justice and its 40^th Chief Justice since statehood was granted in 1845.

"And I am pleased to report that — after 15 very long months of laboring under severe constraints — all of our courts are now moving back to normal operations" - Chief Justice Canady.

Chief Justice Charles Canady today issued an order allowing courts around Florida to lift requirements to wear masks and distance from others while in courtrooms during proceedings. Improved health measurements, increased vaccination rates, and updated official health guidance all prompted the changes.

The Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission has brought judicial ethics charges against Miami-Dade Judge Martin Glenn Zilber. New filings have been added here.

Chief Justice Charles Canady today amended orders issued during the pandemic to end restrictions to enter and move through public parts of courthouses throughout the state.  The amended orders keep in place mask and distancing requirements during in-person courtroom proceedings only.

Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Joseph W. Hatchett will lie in state in the rotunda of the Florida Supreme Court building on Friday, May 7, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Chief Justice Charles Canady will open this ceremonial event, which also will feature a formal honor guard of the Florida Highway Patrol. Judge Gerald B. Tjoflat of the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals also will speak on behalf of the federal court where Hatchett worked for much of his career as a judge. The Lying in State will be broadcast live in its entirety on the Florida Supreme Court’s YouTube and Facebook pages and from its website.

Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Joseph W. Hatchett died in Tallahassee on Friday, April 30, 2021. Hatchett was 88 and was Florida's 65th Justice since statehood was granted in 1845.

The Florida Supreme Court's Judicial Management Council seeks input from attorneys, the public, and others to identify issues and trends from many perspectives for the long-range strategic plan. The strategic plan will articulate the major issues facing the court system over the next six years and outline priority goals to address those issues.  

The Florida Supreme Court has launched its Virtual Courtroom Directory (courtrooms.flcourts.org) to expand public access to court proceedings. The Virtual Courtroom Directory offers a simple way to find virtual hearings and court livestreams of trials and oral arguments throughout the state.

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners, with the approval of the Supreme Court of Florida, announces that the administration of the General Bar Examination scheduled for July 27-28, 2021, will be administered remotely. The board successfully administered the examination remotely using ExamSoft Worldwide software on February 23-24, 2021, to 1,854 applicants. The board will use ExamSoft to administer the July 2021 examination.

The comparisons of results of Bar scores by students from different law schools has been released by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners for the February 2021 examination.

The Florida Court Public Information Officers (FCPIO) held a virtual awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 7. The FCPIO Board recognized members for outstanding public service and work above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a public information officer or court communications professional.

The essential function of the position within the organization is to direct and oversee operations of the Supreme Court Library. Closing Date: April 9, 2021.

March 11, 2021, marked the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 administrative order issued by Chief Justice Charles Canady advising courts around the state to monitor the fast-developing emergency. With more than 50 administrative orders, amendments, and guidelines issued and distributed in the year that followed, protecting the health and safety of those compelled to come before courts in the state has remained a priority while the work of the judicial branch has continued.

Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan died in Miami on Thursday, March 4, 2021.  He was 87 and was Florida's 73rd Justice since statehood was granted in 1845.

The Florida State Courts System 2019-20 Annual Report is now on the Florida Courts website. Included is a message from Chief Justice Charles Canady focused on the unexpected impact of the pandemic.

Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady has issued an administrative order authorizing some remote criminal jury trials as COVID-19 pandemic conditions persist around the state. This order extends a similar authorization issued in June 2020 for some civil trials.

Courts and other governmental institutions have faced unprecedented strains but have withstood the stresses, underscoring the importance of an independent judicial branch, according to Chief Justice Charles Canady. Delivering his annual state of the judiciary commentary at the Supreme Court Historical Society’s annual (and this year virtual) Supreme Evening event January 28, Canady also said a Judicial Learning Center is planned to reinvigorate the court’s library.

Former Florida Supreme Court Justice and retired 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Joseph W. Hatchett has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. Watch the award presentation on YouTube.

In this Open Ninth Podcast, Justice Jamie Grosshans chats with Chief Judge Don Myers of the Ninth Judicial Circuit (Orange and Osceola Counties) about life as the Supreme Court’s newest justice.

Chief Justice Charles Canady addressed the widespread use of remote technology in an address to The Florida Bar on Jan. 29, 2021. 

Court News Florida, a collaborative effort of the Florida Supreme Court, the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator, and the Florida Court Public Information Officers (FCPIO), now offers readers the latest information from all levels of the state’s judicial branch from a single, convenient source.

On January 26, Chief Justice Canady spoke to members of the Florida House of Representative’s Judiciary Committee and provided an overview of the judicial branch’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as lawmakers prepare for the upcoming legislative session. 

Justice Jorge Labarga and others participate in the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association (BCHBA)’s Bilingual Conference for High School Students.

The Florida Supreme Court released its caseload statistics for 2020. Like all appeals courts, the Florida Supreme Court decides cases in two ways -- by order or by opinion. Cases decided by opinion are elaborate written decisions issued by the Court that get the most public attention, even though they are only a fraction of the total cases decided each year.

On January 10, 1983, Florida civil rights lawyer and judge Leander J. Shaw, Jr., was appointed by Governor Bob Graham to the Florida Supreme Court. He later became the Court's first African-American Chief Justice in 1990. It was the crest of a 20-year tenure that began when he joined the state's highest tribunal on January 10, 1983, as only its second black member. Shaw was one of several talented judges who led the Florida state courts system out of its murky, discriminatory past and toward the Twenty-First Century. It was not an easy time, least of all for leaders like him.

On January 1, 2021, new appellate rules from the Florida Supreme Court will convert longstanding page limits on briefs and other appeals filings into word count limits for all computer-generated documents. They also require the use of specific fonts chosen for readability on computer screens – Arial 14-point or Bookman Old Style 14-point.

It is critical that we attend to our wellness/well-being generally, he emphasized, but especially during COVID or other times of crisis: “When you are in a state of well-being, you have more mental clarity, more energy for work or play, and your immune system works optimally.  We should all take recommended precautions against COVID.  However, I am convinced that the best precaution is optimization of our own immune systems—which requires being in a state of well-being.”  

Due to the pandemic, the session will air for the press and the public on The Florida Channel with simultaneous Facebook Live and YouTube premieres on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, starting at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Florida Supreme Court Warns Public About Scam Emails.

December 9 arguments will be conducted by video teleconference. Arguments begin at 9:00 a.m. ET and will be broadcast on normal live stream feeds.

Virtual Induction Ceremony for New Attorneys. Download Program

Chief Justice Charles Canady has issued two new orders and amended two earlier orders on statewide court pandemic procedures.

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has announced that the February 2021 Florida Bar Exam will be held remotely.

A listing of court closures due to Tropical Storm Eta.

Elaine Terenzi, of Tampa, Florida, has been reappointed to membership on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners by the Supreme Court of Florida for an additional year. Her term of office will extend through October 31, 2021.

November 2020 marks the 20th anniversary of Bush v. Gore. As part of its mission to preserve Florida Supreme Court history, the archives of the Florida Supreme Court Library in cooperation with the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society invited people involved in Florida’s 2000 presidential election disputes to send in their own written memories for preservation. The idea was to gather as much information as possible from this important period of Florida Supreme Court history for future researchers and historians.

Go to the Memory Project

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners announced today that it successfully administered the October 2020 Bar Examination to 3,137 examinees. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the board administered the examination to all applicants remotely for the first time on October 13 and 14, 2020.

“The board thanks all of the examinees for their hard work and dedication to seeing this process through. We would also like to thank ExamSoft for its effort in preparing for the exam and assisting the board and examinees on exam day,” said David C. Reeves, the board’s Chair.   

The Board is expediting the grading for the October 2020 Bar Examination. Grades are scheduled to be posted on November 20, 2020 on the Supreme Court of Florida’s website (www.floridasupremecourt.org).

The Historical Review Magazine is a publication of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. The Fall 2020 issue commemorates the 20-year anniversary of Bush v. Gore and Florida’s role in the 2000 election.   

The publication contains historical photos taken at the height of the chaos surrounding the litigation in Florida regarding the 2000 presidential election, and features articles from all perspectives on the Bush v. Gore controversy, including Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Lucy Morgan, Florida State University College of Law Professor Michael T. Morley, and five of the seven Justices who were on the Florida Supreme Court during that time.

Chief Justice Charles Canady proclaims October 11-17 as Mediation Week in Florida’s courts, marking the importance of alternative dispute resolution as an effective substitute to litigation. Alternative dispute resolution has been used by Florida courts for more than 30 years. More than 5,400 mediators are certified by the Florida Dispute Resolution Center by standards set by the Florida Supreme Court.

More than 2,800 applicants have successfully completed a mock Florida Bar exam using Examsoft software during ongoing trial runs held this month by the Florida Board of Bar Examiners in preparation for the actual online exam October 13.

"We are encouraged by the results," said FBBE Executive Director Michele Gavagni.  "The mock examination went well in Florida, and we understand that other states that scheduled mock exams and are administering their bar examinations in October have had a similar experience."

In related news, FBBE has selected the Law School Admission Council’s LawHub online testing platform as a backup if one is needed for administration of the October 13 exam. LawHub is a secure browser-based platform, with remote proctoring services provided by ProctorU, one of the country’s largest proctoring and test administration companies. 

The Florida Supreme Court is now offering virtual tours for school groups, civic organizations, and leadership groups