Florida
Florida’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Florida. The court has six justices and one chief justice, who is selected by the supreme court justices for a two-year term. (Source: Florida Constitution).
Judicial Selection
The governor appoints a candidate to the Supreme Court of Florida from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. After at least one year on the court, a justice may stand for a six-year term in an unopposed yes/no retention vote at the time of Florida’s next general election. Justices may stand for additional terms in the same retention process. When a seat on the court opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a judicial candidate from a list provided by a judicial nominating commission. There are no term limits. The mandatory retirement age is 75, but a justice who has served one half of their term can complete the rest of the term.
State Constitution
Florida has had six constitutions adopted between 1839 and 1968. As of January 1, 2024, it had 141 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024).
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Florida High Court to Hear Case Alleging Congressional Map Is Racially Discriminatory
Voting rights groups say Gov. Ron DeSantis designed a map that purposely harmed Black voters.
Advice for Law Students From State Supreme Court Justices
As the school year kicks off, eight justices reflect on what they wish someone had told them when they were in law school.
A Conversation with Former Florida Chief Justice Barbara Pariente
Pariente spoke about abortion rights and the importance of respecting precedent.
How Candidates Get on the Presidential Ballot
For third parties and independent candidates, ballot qualification is often a difficult journey.
An Eventful Summer for State Constitutional Abortion Rights Litigation
State supreme courts addressed abortion rights head on, even as the U.S. Supreme Court punted on similar questions.
Florida Supreme Court Allows DeSantis to Undermine Prosecutorial Independence
Lawmakers and other officials in multiple states seek to limit the power of or remove elected prosecutors whose policy choices they disagree with.
States in ‘Lockstep’ with the Fourth Amendment May Not Be Locked
Some states have handcuffed their citizens’ constitutional search and seizure protections to the federal standard — but they still hold the keys to going their own way.
Who Can Challenge State Abortion Bans? It’s Not So Clear Cut.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court prevented abortion providers from challenging restrictions on abortions, several states have indicated they’ll adopt the same stance on standing.