Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints New Supreme Court Justices
Governor DeSantis Appoints Barbara Lagoa to Florida Supreme Court
On January 9, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of appellate Judge Barbara Lagoa to the Supreme Court of Florida, the court’s first Hispanic female justice.
Justice Barbara Lagoa is a Miami native and became the first Cuban-American woman to serve on the Florida Third District Court of Appeals after being appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in 2006. She practiced both civil and criminal law prior to her appointment. She received her Juris Doctor from Columbia University in 1992.
In Governor DeSantis’ inaugural address yesterday, he emphasized that his Supreme Court appointments will not be judicial activists:
“…Judicial activism ends, right here and right now. I will only appoint judges who understand the proper role of the courts is to apply the law and Constitution as written, not to legislate from the bench. The Constitution, not the judiciary, is supreme.”
Justice Lagoa is now immediately placed on the bench, as state court appointees do not have to go through legislative confirmation.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes Justice Lagoa to the bench. Stay tuned for more updates from the DeSantis administration.
Governor DeSantis Appoints Robert Luck to Florida Supreme Court
On January 14, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Judge Robert Luck to the Supreme Court of Florida. Justice Luck is a Miami-Dade native, and he attended the University of Florida where he received both his juris doctor and his bachelor’s degree in economics.
Justice Luck previously served on the bench of the Third District Court of Appeal after being appointed by Governor Rick Scott in March 2017. Before the bench, he worked as a federal prosecutor assigned to the Appeals, Major Crimes, and Economic Crimes Sections of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Also, early in his career he served as a legislative correspondent for two U.S. senators.
In his application to the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission, Justice Luck said:
“Having worked in each of the three branches, I understand the modest role of the judge in reviewing the laws enacted by the legislature, the actions taken by the executive, and the findings of the lower courts,” Justice Luck said. “I have conducted myself that way for the last five years, and I will continue to do so as long as I am permitted to serve.”
This is Governor DeSantis’ second of three picks for the Supreme Court of Florida. Last week, Governor DeSantis appointed Justice Barbara Lagoa.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes Justice Luck to the bench. Stay tuned for more updates from the DeSantis administration.
Governor DeSantis Appoints Carlos Muñiz to Supreme Court
On January 22, Governor Ron DeSantis announced his third and final Florida Supreme Court appointment in Carlos Muñiz. Muñiz currently serves as general counsel for the U.S. Department of Education.
Muñiz has worked as a law clerk to two federal judges, and has plenty of Tallahassee experience serving as the deputy general counsel for Governor Jeb Bush, and deputy attorney general for Pam Bondi. He graduated from the University of Virginia and received his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.
This is Governor DeSantis’ third Florida Supreme Court pick. He previously tapped Barbara Lagoa and Robert Luck to serve on Florida’s highest bench.
“With all three selections, Governor DeSantis has appointed highly-qualified, high-character individuals, all of whom are committed public servants,” said Ashley Moody, Attorney General.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes Justice Muñiz to the Supreme Court. Stay tuned for more updates from the DeSantis administration.