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    • What you should know about the Supreme Court judiciary
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    What you should know about the Supreme Court judiciary

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

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    Voters across Florida will be asked in the Nov. 5 general election whether two Florida Supreme Court justices should serve another six years.

    There’s a yes or no question on the ballot, but for many voters it’s a difficult decision because they have no idea who Renatha Francis or Meredith Sasso are or what they did on the state’s highest court.

    Here’s what you should know about Florida Supreme Court Justice Renatha Francis, but first, a little information about the Florida Supreme Court.

    Florida Supreme Court: What You Should Know

    • Florida Supreme Court: Supreme Court in Florida
    • members: There are seven judges
    • How many are needed to make the decision? In any case, at least five people must take part; For a decision to be made, at least four must agree
    • How long do they serve? Six years

    What is Judge Renatha Francis’ background?

    Highlights:

    • Appointed by Governor Rick Scott to serve as District and District Court in the 11th Judicial District of Miami-Dade from 2017 to 2019
    • Appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the 15th Judicial District in Palm Beach County
    • Appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by DeSantis in August 2022

    According to the Florida Supreme Court website, Francis grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, where she ran small businesses while studying full-time. She attended the University of the West Indies, majoring in political science and international relations. Her second career as a lawyer began after graduating from law school in Jacksonville. Her Florida legal page shows that she graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2010.

    She clerked for six and a half years at the First District Court of Appeals before joining Shutts & Bowen, LLP, Of Counsel, in Miami-Dade, where she was a member of the Mass Litigation and Class Action practice group, representing large corporate clients.

    “During her tenure as a judge, Judge Francis presided over large dockets, conducted numerous trials and resolved hundreds of cases in family, civil, probate and criminal law,” the Florida Supreme Court website states.

    DeSantis had originally selected Francis to fill another Supreme Court vacancy in 2020, but the court rejected his choice because she did not have 10 years of experience as a lawyer at the time, a requirement for the job.

    “Francis expressed that one of the biggest problems facing the judiciary today is the crisis of confidence in the justice system, which arises from a lack of public knowledge about the role of the judiciary.” This lack of trust is an “opportunity “explaining the structure of our government, why it is important, the role of the courts and just educating the public,” Francis said, according to the Florida Supreme Court website.

    Francis is the first Jamaican American to serve on the Florida Supreme Court.

    What decisions has Renatha Francis made in Supreme Court cases?

    Since last year, Francis has twice joined the court’s majority in rejecting efforts by former prosecutors to challenge her suspension by DeSantis from positions voters elected her to.

    In 2023, she agreed with other justices that the voter-approved privacy measure called “Marsy’s Law” cannot be used to protect the identities of police officers when they use deadly force.

    Last year, Francis and another judge broke with a majority that ordered the state Public Service Commission to provide more justification for a deal with Florida Power & Light to increase customers’ base electricity rates. Nothing in the law allows the court to be “project manager for the commission,” Francis wrote.

    How can you see how Renatha Francis voted in other cases?

    To see how Francis and the court’s other justices voted on cases, visit the Opinions page on the Florida Supreme Court website.

    You can also watch court hearings live and view archives of past cases online and on Facebook.

    Can you know where Francis stands on issues such as abortion or the death penalty?

    The court’s website says judicial candidates are prohibited from making predictions and promises about legal issues that may come before their courts.

    How to contact Judge Renatha Francis

    • Phone: 850-921-1096
    • Email: [email protected]
    • Mailing Address: 500 S. Duval St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1925.

    Special Note: The Code of Judicial Conduct, which governs judicial conduct, prohibits Florida Supreme Court justices from discussing pending cases with the public.

    How long do Florida Supreme Court justices serve?

    Under an amendment to the Florida Constitution approved by voters in the 1970s, Florida Supreme Court justices are initially appointed by the governor from a list of three to six names submitted by a Judicial Nominating Commission. The governor must select a new judge from the list.

    In the next general election, held more than a year after her appointment, the new justice will face Florida voters in a retention vote.

    If the new judge is not approved by voters, the governor would appoint a new judge.

    If voters approve the new justice, the term will be six years.

    Contributor: Steve Patterson, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union

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    Caradoc Wyn
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