Which Florida judges should be booted off the bench -- and why these votes are maddeningly difficult (Commentary)

[In It to Win It]

Orlando Sentinel - Gift Link

Florida Supreme Court justices Renatha Francis (left) and Meredith Sasso need Floridians’ votes to keep their seats on the state’s highest court. They are the only two justices who tried to block both the abortion and marijuana amendments from getting on the ballot – an opinion that even their conservative peers on the court said was wrong. (Florida Supreme Court)


I receive more email from readers asking for guidance on judicial elections than anything else. Quite understandably.

Most everyone knows whether they prefer Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. But how on earth are you supposed to know whether Paetra T. Brownlee deserves to keep her seat on the Fifth District Court of Appeal?

It’s hard to cast an informed vote — especially since this state’s legal community has largely abdicated its responsibility to help voters do so. (More on that in a moment.)

But there are a few judges who’ve made ugly headlines that can help make your decisions easier.

For instance, there are two Supreme Court justices asking to keep their seats: Renatha Francis and Meredith Sasso. I’m saying no to both.

Both faced questions about their qualifications. (The governor’s own Supreme Court appointees refused to seat Francis the first time Ron DeSantis nominated her because she hadn’t even been a lawyer long enough. And Sasso was first nominated to an appeals court by a nominating commission whose members included her own father-in-law.)

But the main reason neither justice deserves to remain on the state’s highest court is because they tried to improperly thwart your right to vote this year. Not just according to me. According to their peers on the court.

[rockbluff botanist]

1. Every judge needs to go.

Voted today in Liberty Co. Vote every judge on our ballot OUT!

[1monster]

2. The voting suggestions guide I received

for local Democratic voters was to vote NO on retaining all Supreme and District judges up for a retention vote. Considering who appointed them, this makes sense to me.

[radical noodle]

3. If I don't have some guidance from the Democratic Party

I usually can find out who appointed them, and that says it all. If they were appointed by Rick Scott or Ron DeSantis, I definitely vote no.

[In It to Win It]

4. I understand why people do it, but it's a mixed bag.

Last edited Thu Oct 24, 2024, 11:49 PM - Edit history (1)

Most judges don't lose retention elections anyway. Scott appointed some judges that weren't Republican hacks, and probably should keep their job rather than letting them be replaced by DeSantis, who will replace them with a hack with certainty.

Even Charlie Crist appointed some hacks when he was governor. One of the worst is one we're still living with on the Florida Supreme Court, Justice Canady.

[radical noodle]

5. True... and thankfully the Marion Co Democrats

are pretty good about telling us who to vote no on. This year it was suggested we vote no on all of them.

[In It to Win It]

6. That's good. I wish more county democratic organizations would do that.