Justice Ricky Polston Announces Resignation from Florida Supreme Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 03/20/2023 
Contact: Paul Flemming (850) 414-7641
Florida Supreme Court Public Information Office

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

Justice Ricky Polston

“Ricky Polston is a good man, and he has been a treasured colleague, friend, and role model to all of us on the Court,” said Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz.  “We are grateful for Justice Polston’s decades of exemplary service to the people of our state.”

Polston, 67, joined the Supreme Court in 2008 as its 83rd Justice.  He served as the state’s 55th Chief Justice from 2012-2014.  Polston’s time as Chief Justice was marked by the national foreclosure crisis and the hundreds of thousands of additional court filings in the state that resulted.  He also led vital technological initiatives, including the branch’s transition to mandatory electronic filing.

“I am grateful for the public trust placed in me during my judicial career.  It has been my great honor to serve the people of Florida,” Polston said.

Justice Polston is a graduate of Chipola College and Florida State University, where he graduated summa cum laude.  He worked as a certified public accountant before returning to Florida State University College of Law.  He then worked in private practice, primarily in commercial litigation.  In 2001, he was appointed to the First District Court of Appeal

Polston and his wife of 45 years, Deborah Ehler Polston, have 10 children, including an adopted sibling group of six, and numerous grandchildren.

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