Flags to be at Half-Staff for Justice Ben Overton

Gov. Rick Scott has ordered state and U.S. flags lowered to half-staff outside the Pinellas County Courthouse, St. Petersburg City Hall and the state Capitol for former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ben F. Overton on Wednesday.

A memorial service is being held at 2 p.m. today in the justice's courtroom.

Overton, 86, the states 62nd justice since statehood, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Reubin Askew, died Dec. 29 in Gainesville.

Overton, who served from 1974 to 1999, acting as chief justice from 1976 to 1978, was the first justice named after the implementation of the merit selection process replaced the direct election of judges.