The Florida Supreme Court is requesting nominations for its newly created Distinguished Judicial Service Award. The award is intended to recognize judges for outstanding and sustained service to the public through legal or civic service, especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services.
The purpose of the Chief Justice’s Distinguished Judicial Service Award is to recognize when appropriate an active or retired judge for outstanding and sustained service to the public whether through legal or civic service or a combination of them, especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services. To qualify, a nominee must have completed at least five years of judicial service on a state trial or appellate court created by Article V of the state Constitution.
The award will be given to the judge that best exemplifies the ideals embodied in the commentary to Canon 4B of the Code of Judicial Conduct.
The Canon encourages judges to contribute to the improvement of the law, the legal system, and the administration of justice. The Canon views the support of pro bono legal services by members of the bench is an activity that relates to improvement of the administration of justice. Accordingly, a judge may engage in activities intended to encourage attorneys to perform pro bono services, including, but not limited to: participating in events to recognize attorneys who do pro bono work, establishing general procedural or scheduling accommodations for pro bono attorneys as feasible, and acting in an advisory capacity to pro bono programs.
The deadline for nominations is Jan. 7. The nomination form is available on The Florida Bar website. For more, call The Florida Bar’s Public Information Office at (800) 342-8060, Ext. 5669.