by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Five local attorneys have been nominated to help fill the four soon-to-be-vacant seats on the Florida Supreme Court.
Between now and next March, replacements will be needed for Justice Harry Lee Anstead and Justice Charles Wells, who have reached the mandatory retirement age for judges. Justice Raoul Cantero and Justice Kenneth Ball have also announced they will be leaving the Court this fall.
Thus, in the next several months, the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission will select candidates to replace four of the current seven Florida Supreme Court justices, an unprecedented level of turnover on the state’s highest court.
In view of those impending events, the Florida Bar Board of Governors acted May 30 to nominate three lawyers for the Supreme Court JNC as well as the other 25 JNCs.
Board members reviewed 31 applicants for the high court JNC, then voted to nominate attorneys Katherine Ezell from Coral Gables, Louis Silber from West Palm Beach and incumbent Diana Santa Maria of Cooper City for Gov. Charlie Crist’s consideration.
The Board nominated Jacksonville attorneys Wayne Alford and Ned Price, along with Michael Glazer from Tallahassee, to serve on the Fourth District Court of Appeal Nominating Commission.
Jacksonville attorneys Hugh Cotney, Joseph Prichard Jr. and Charles Pillans have been nominated to the Fourth Judicial Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission. Prichard is an incumbent.
Gov. Crist will evaluate the candidates and select the appointees, whose four-year terms will begin Tuesday.
Having four seats open on the State Supreme Court over such a short period is “an unprecedented situation,” according to Vicki Brand, spokesperson for the Florida Bar’s Judicial Nominating Procedures Committee.
Since Supreme Court nominees will come from the appellate and circuit benches, Judicial Nominating Commissions all over the state will be busy seeking and evaluating applicants.
“We’re expecting a domino effect. It’s going to be fun and exciting,” said Brand.
“It’s going to be a very active period,” commented Cotney. “We have outstanding judges in the District Court of Appeals and all the judges in the Fourth Circuit would certainly qualify for the DCA.”
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