by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
Newest State Supreme Court Justice visits Perkins Bar
His journey to the seat began in Jacksonville
The guest speaker at the annual D.W. Perkins Bar Association judicial reception has had a few notable experiences in Jacksonville.
The newest Florida Supreme Court Justice, James E.C. Perry, was the guest of honor Wednesday night at the Perkins Bar event at the University Club atop the Riverplace Tower, but he was in the unique position of being a guest speaker who couldn’t speak.
Recent surgery on his vocal chords forced Perry to communicate with the help of a small dry erase board and Donald Jones, assistant dean for multicultural affairs at Florida Coastal School of Law.
“When I accepted the invitation to come here, I thought I was going to be able to speak,” said Jones, reading from a statement prepared by Perry. “Precautionary surgery to my left vocal chord prevents me from doing so.”
He may not have been able to talk, but he was able to relay memories of his past experiences in Jacksonville, which included taking the Bar exam in Jacksonville and not getting much sleep because he had a hotel room next to the elevator. Perry was also in Jacksonville for a judicial conference in December 2008, when he was approached by a variety of members of the judiciary about applying for the Florida Supreme Court vacancy.
“(The Florida Supreme Court vacancy) had not been on my radar screen and I pushed back,” said Jones, reading from Perry’s statement. “The push back to my push back was ‘It is not about you, but the people of the State of Florida.’”
Perry was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court in March, 2009.
“It is undoubtedly the hardest work I have ever done,” said Jones. “With the proliferation of death penalty cases, bar cases, determination of jurisdiction and lower courts.”
The Perkins Bar presented Perry and all members of the judiciary in attendance with a gift in appreciation of their service to the community. Perkins Bar Association President Leslie Scott Jean-Bart also announced that the organization would be making a donation to scleroderma research at Johns Hopkins Hospital in honor of the late Circuit Court Judge Peter Fryefield.
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