by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Sisterhood has its advantages.
D.W. Perkins Bar Association President Rhonda Peoples-Waters had no idea she would have a bond with a chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court when she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority while attending Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. She found out about the connection during “AKA Day,” which was held in Tallahassee in March. Peoples-Waters met Chief Justice Peggy Quince who is also a member of the sorority.
“She’s extremely brilliant and down-to-Earth,” said Peoples-Waters. “I explained to her that one of the missions of our bar was to work on civil rights projects. She asked how we were putting our plan into action and she was sincerely interested in what we are doing, so the association offered an invitation for her to come and speak in Jacksonville.”
The D.W. Perkins Bar Foundation will hold a reception in honor of Quince and all Jacksonville area state and federal judges at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3 at the University Club. Quince is scheduled to give a short speech at the reception followed by presentations honoring the judiciary in attendance.
Quince became the first female African-American to sit as Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court on July 1, 2008. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Quince was the first African-American female to be appointed to one of the district courts of appeal with her appointment by Governor Lawton Chiles to the Second District Court of Appeal for a term that began Jan. 4, 1994.
She started her career in law as an attorney in private practice in 1977 in Norfolk, Va., specializing in real estate and domestic relations. She moved to Bradenton in 1978 and opened a law office where she practiced civil law until 1980. In February of that year she joined the Attorney General’s Office, Criminal Division. She spent more than 13 years there, including five as Tampa Bureau Chief. She also spent three years handling death penalty cases exclusively.
Recently, Quince has taken up the torch carried by one of her colleagues, Justice Harry Lee Anstead when he was chief justice. Anstead led the movement to move funding of the courts from the counties to the state. During a tough fiscal time for the state, Quince and other members of the judiciary are fighting for funding to keep their courts properly staffed for efficient and fair administration of law.
It’s this passion and the positive light that she provides for the African-American Community that made her a desirable speaker for the D.W. Perkins Bar Association.
“(The Bar Association) wants to focus on a more positive light for African-Americans in our community,” said Peoples-Waters. “That’s why we are so proud of Chief Justice Quince. She definitely shines in that respect.”
People interested in attending are urged to arrive early because 150 have reserved a seat at an event that will only seat 200 people. For more information contact [email protected] or call 396-9282.
Attorney Daniel Webster Perkins practiced in Jacksonville from 1919 until his death in 1972. He was a proponent of civil rights, a community leader and a member of the Bar who mentored many of his younger African-American colleagues. The Colored Lawyers Association changed its name to the D.W. Perkins Bar in 1968 to honor his contributions.
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