advertisement

SSN on Facebook SSN on Twitter SSN on YouTube RSS Feed

33 Comments
Politics

Companion Bills Seek Restoration of Florida's Pre-2001 Judge-Selection Process

October 22, 2019 - 7:00am
Perry Thurston and Al Jacquet
Perry Thurston and Al Jacquet

Two South Florida Democrats have filed companion Senate-House bills seeking to restore the state’s former judge-selection system to restrict partisan domination of the process and encourage diversity.

Sen. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, filed Senate Bill 86 and Rep. Al Jacquet, D-Riviera Beach, introduced House Bill 379, last week.

Both want the composition of the state’s 26 state judicial nomination commissions (JNC) that vet state court nominees before submitting finalists to the governor to each include only three gubernatorial appointments instead of nine.

“Florida’s current judiciary does not accurately reflect our state’s diversity,” Jacquet said in a statement. “Women and minorities are significantly underrepresented as judges in Florida in proportion to their numbers in the general population. Furthermore, the public cannot be confident that the judiciary will fulfill its promise of impartiality when judges are being selected based on politics rather than merit.”

Within weeks of assuming office in January, DeSantis appointed three justices – Robert J. Luck, 39, Barbara Lagoa, 51, Carlos Muniz, 49 – to replace three forced-retirement liberal Supreme Court judges, including the bench’s only African American, turning a conservative majority into a conservative bloc.

Democrats cried foul, noting the nine-member Supreme Court JNC, all appointed by then-Gov. Rick Scott, did not recommend any of the six African American candidates among the 59 applicants as finalists. Thus, their names were never submitted and, for the first time since January 1983, Florida’s Supreme Court does not have a black jurist.

Jacquet said the JNC system as adopted under Gov. Reubin Askew in the 1970s should be restored to the way it was before 2001 when Gov. Jeb Bush changed the bylaws, requiring all nine members of each be appointed by the governor, although four members were traditionally selected from a list provided by the Florida Bar.

Prior to 2001, three members of every JNC were selected by the governor, three by the Florida Bar and three agreed upon by the other six.

The 2001 revision has only benefited partisans, Jacquet said.

“This was not the intent of our former Gov. Reubin Askew – a champion of racial equality – had when he established the judicial nominating commissions,” he said.

SB 86 and HB 379 would require the Florida Bar to select three commissioners, the governor select three, and the six together select the final three members of each JNC.

“These bills would require that diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, gender, gender identity and sexual orientation are considered when making appointments to the judicial nominating commissions and require each entity to collect and release diversity data of the judicial nominating commissioners,” Jacquet’s and Thurston’s joint release said.

SB 86 and HB 379 would also limit the number of commissioners from the same political party on each JNC and ensure commissioners recuse themselves from consideration of judicial applicants where a personal or business relationship may create a conflict of interest.

“SB 86 limits the ability of governors and politics to directly influence the nomination of candidates for Florida Supreme Court vacancies, [but] the bill is part of a larger legislative effort to ensure that JNCs remain impartial and independent,” Thurston said in a statement. “Floridians expect better than a governor’s whim when it comes to appointing the men and women who have the power to interpret laws.”

Florida governors appoint judges to the seven-member Supreme Court and to the state’s 60-member appellate court benches. The nearly 600 judges within the state’s 20 judicial circuits are elected, but the governor appoints replacements when there are vacancies.

In addition to the three Supreme Court appointments, since assuming office DeSantis has named eight new circuit judges, including Judge Caroline Shepherd and Judge Renatha Francis to the 15th Judicial Circuit Court on Oct. 1.

During an address to the Florida Bar Annual Convention in July, DeSantis, a Harvard Law graduate and former U.S. Navy lawyer, said of the 22 judge selections he had made by then, “half have been either Hispanic, African American, or Asian American and almost half have been women.”

DeSantis said he closely evaluates every judicial appointment.

“It’s something that I take seriously,” he said. “I actually haven’t selected anybody that I haven’t personally interviewed, yet.”

DeSantis said his primary interest is appointing jurists with a background of ”judicial restraint.”

“What I really mean is you’re restraining yourself to your proper sphere,” he said. “Again, it means you want a judge who strictly confines him or herself to construing the law, applying the law, and not making the law.”

John Haughey is the Florida contributor to The Center Square.

Comments

Google Emini S&P Trading Secret to know the best futures trading system there is.

I m m¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬k¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬g o¬¬¬¬v¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬r $15¬¬¬-k a m¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬t¬¬¬¬h w¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬r¬¬¬¬k¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬g p¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬r¬¬¬¬t t¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬m¬¬¬¬e. I k¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬p¬¬¬¬t h¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬r¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬g o¬¬¬¬t¬¬¬¬h¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬r p¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬p¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬e t¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬l m¬¬¬¬e h¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬w m¬¬¬¬u¬¬¬¬c¬¬¬¬h m¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬y t¬¬¬¬h¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬y c¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬n m¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬k¬¬¬¬e o¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬e s¬¬¬¬o I d¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬c¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬d¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬d t¬¬¬¬o l¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬o¬¬¬¬k i¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬t¬¬¬¬o i¬¬¬¬t. W¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬l, i¬¬¬¬t w¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬s a¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬l t¬¬¬¬r¬¬¬¬u¬¬¬¬e a¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬d h¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬s t¬¬¬-o¬¬¬¬t¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬l¬¬¬¬y c¬¬¬¬h¬¬¬¬a¬¬¬¬n¬¬¬¬g¬¬¬¬e¬¬¬¬d m¬¬¬¬y l¬¬¬¬i¬¬¬¬f¬¬¬¬e........HERE.¬¬> w¬¬w¬¬w¬¬.¬¬Bonanzu.com

Emini S&P Trading Secret is an easy way to earn money for me. It swings the Emini S&P market, believe me it works.

I’ve been trying to make money on forex for years but it’s a waste of time, go to Emini S&P Trading Secret and get into trading the futures. Now I’m making money trading and I’m so happy.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is so great they help me a lot in trading and making money, unlike the forex it disappoints me a lot. I will never trade back to forex again!

When you apply the Emini S&P Trading Secret method you’ll find the easiest way to earn money, Google Emini S&P Trading Secret and you’ll see what I mean.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is an easy way to earn money for me. It swings the Emini S&P market, believe me it works.

Make $2000 a week, all you need to do is to learn about Emini S&P Trading Secret, check out the website and you will know how it is working very well. I can assure you this because I’m from it earning now.

Emini S&P Trading Secret has the best strategy and the most accurate methods to become a successful Emini S&P trader. Just Google Emini S&P Trading Secret to learn more.

The most effortless approach to do Emini S&P trading is through the utilization of the Emini S&P Trading Secret. Just Google them and you will find them.

Google the website Emini S&P Trading Secret, if you’re finding a fellow who can show you how to earn in trading, these guys are great they take seriously teaching people and I’m very happy to recommend them to anyone who are interested in learning to trade for themselves.

Intrigued by trading? Go to site Emini S&P Trading Secret these great guys will help you, their method is so easy and the cash flow is extra ordinary.

Emini S&P Trading Secret method is the best! And I love it. Google Emini S&P Trading Secret to learn more if you want to learn how to earn money by trading.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is the best way to trade and it’s better than forex or stocks. To learn more just check the website Emini S&P Trading Secret.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is an easy way to earn money for me. It swings the Emini S&P market, believe me it works.

Want to learn a strategy and the most accurate method to earn money and to be successful in Emini S&P trading? Google Emini S&P Trading Secret.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is so great they help me a lot in trading and making money, unlike the forex it disappoints me a lot. I will never trade back to forex again!

Earn cash in doing Emini S&P trading the easiest way and learning the correct strategies of how to do it. Google Emini S&P Trading Secret.

Start making cash online work easily from home.i have received a paycheck of $24K in this month by working online from home.i am a student and i just doing this job in my spare time and i work daily 2 to 3 hours a day.everybody can join this job and make extra income in part time by follow this link…… GOOD LUCK.. Copy Here????? http://www.todayjar.com

I­­­­­­­­­ am ­­­­­­­­­making ­­­­­­­­­a ­­­­­­­­­suitable ­­­­­­­­­salary ­­­­­­­­­from ­­­­­­­­­home ­­­­­­­­­$8k­­­­­­­­­-­­­­­­­­­$10k/week , ­­­­­­­­­which ­­­­­­­­­is ­­­­­­­­­great, ­­­­­­­­­underneath ­­­­­­­­­a ­­­­­­­­­12 months ­­­­­­­­­ago I ­­­­­­­­­was ­­­­­­­­­jobless ­­­­­­­­­in ­­­­­­­­­a ­­­­­­­­­terrible ­­­­­­­­­economy. ­­­­­­­­­I ­­­­­­­­­thank ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­God ­­­­­­­­­each ­­­­­­­­­day ­­­­­­­­­I ­­­­­­­­­turned into ­­­­­­­­­blessed ­­­­­­­­­with ­­­­­­­­­these ­­­­­­­­-instructions and ­­­­­­­­­now ­­­­­­­­­it is ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­my ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­obligation ­­­­­­­­­to ­­­­­­­­­pay ­­­­­­­­­it ­­­­­­­­­forward ­­­­­­­­­and proportion ­­­­­­­­­it ­­­­­­­­­with ­­­­­­­­­anybody, ????COPY THIS SITE???? HERE? w­­­w­­­w­­­.­­­2­­­j­­­o­­­b­­­b­­­o­­­x­­­.­­­c­­­o­­­m­­

Using the Emini S&P Trading Secret method is the easiest way to trade Emini S&P. It’s good and I earn with it really well. To learn more Google Emini S&P Trading Secret.

I just want say thanks to the one who recommended the website Emini S&P Trading Secret; it’s been very helpful to me in learning to trade. And now I’m a full time trader and I’m happy. Trading is not that hard to learn but it can be learned in the right place.

Doing very well with Emini S&P trading by this Emini S&P Trading Secret, these fellows are great, they have an everyday record of their trades and it excites me.

The most accurate method to be successful is through Emini S&P Trading Secret. Learn how to use the strategy and the techniques and you could be one of the great money earners nowadays in the Emini S&P market.

Stop working for somebody because it might waste your time. Find the easiest way of working at home, and to earn money fast, check out this website Emini S&P Trading Secret.

Emini S&P Trading Secret is so great they help me a lot in trading and making money, unlike the forex it disappoints me a lot. I will never trade back to forex again!

Trading the futures market is the best way to trade better than forex or stocks. To learn more just check the website Emini S&P Trading Secret.

The “change” was for the long term better; Leave It Alone! ! !

Florida governance is totally based on dictatorial Republican partisanship - and that's been the case for the past 22 years. There's NOTHING going on but Republican tribal partisanship, gerrymandering down to the lowest level, voter suppression of likely non-Republican voters, and slavish catering to Republican special monied interests - while totally disregarding the needs and interests of the greater population at large.

Anybody remember “corrupt Corrine Brown” and her strange snakelike “gerimandered” District that ran all the way from Jacksonville, all the way down to ORLANDO? (A disgrace for YEARS!)

Pages

Comments are now closed.

politics
advertisement
advertisement
Live streaming of WBOB Talk Radio, a Sunshine State News Radio Partner.

advertisement