DeSantis Appoints Judge Renatha Francis To Florida Supreme Court

Florida Supreme Court

Photo: Photo by: Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images

Second time's the charm for a a county court judge who is once again being appointed to the Florida Supreme Court.

Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Renatha Francis has also served on the bench in Miami-Dade County.

"I'm incredibly honored and humbled by this appointment to continue my service to the people of our great state of Florida."

Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to appoint Judge Francis to the high court in May of 2020, but a lawsuit was filed over the amount of time she had spent on the Florida Bar. The very same Supreme Court that Francis will soon be serving on blocked her appointment then.

With another justice retiring, the governor says he took the time to start the search process all over again.

"We were happy to appoint, or try to appoint Judge Francis two years ago...but then seeing how she's progressed since then, she's done even better."

Francis will become the only black justice currently serving on the court and just the second female as well as the first Caribbean-American justice when she takes the oath in September.

Justice Alan Lawson retires on August 31.

Francis was first appointed as a Miami-Dade County judge by Gov. Rick Scott in 2017 and was appointed on the 15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County, by Gov. DeSantis in 2019.

Friday's announcement was made at the old historic Palm Beach County Courthouse, which is now a museum.


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