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
Charles Canady, John Daniel Couriel, Renatha Francis, Jamie Rutland Grosshans, Jorge Labarga, Carlos Muñiz, Meredith Sasso

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, bond validations, 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, when they assumed office, and the appointing governor.

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

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.