Staff Writer
It was a rare opportunity for members of the judiciary and media to sit down and discuss how the two can help each other accomplish their goals, and some with Jacksonville roots assisted in the educational process.
Major Harding is now a shareholder with the Tallahassee firm of Aulsey & McMullen. He practices in the areas of alternative dispute resolution and appellate practice.
He joined the firm after retiring as a Florida Supreme Court Justice in 2002. He was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court in 1991 and served as Chief Justice from 1998-2000.
Harding was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court from the Fourth Judicial Circuit, where he began serving in 1970 and was elected Chief Judge of the Circuit in 1974 and 1975. He began his career on the bench when he was appointed to the Duval County Juvenile Court in 1968.
Harding was a member of a four-person panel that discussed the selection and election of judges at the reporters’ workshop. He and fellow panelist attorney Dean Bunch were not content with the current process of selecting judges for the Supreme and appellate courts.
Both displayed frustration with the “political” process the selection has become.
“If you are nominated, you should get an interview with the governor,” said Harding. “The way it usually works now is six candidates are sent to the governor’s office. The governor’s staff attorneys meet with the candidates and three are selected to interview with the governor.”
The process for appointing judges includes the judicial nominating commission of the court advertising a vacancy and reviewing applicants. The commission then selects three to six applicants to send to the governor for consideration.
The governor can make a choice from those submitted or request the commission send another group of candidates.
Harding is still active in the practice of law, recently serving as an arbitrator in Jacksonville. Harding also participates in the education of new judges. A former dean of the Florida Judicial College, he still teaches classes at the school that all new judges are required to attend.
When asked to describe his greatest accomplishment in the practice of law, Harding returned to the bench.
“My greatest achievement in law was having the privilege of serving people as a judge,” said Harding. “It was remarkably rewarding.”
“I’ve also been fortunate enough to be able to walk away from every part of my life happy with what I’ve done,” said Harding.
The former Florida Supreme Court chief justice wasn’t the only panelist at the Florida Bar Foundation-sponsored event to have Jacksonville ties.
Francine Walker, director of public information and services for the Florida Bar, was born and raised in Jacksonville before she moved to Tallahassee in 1996 to work for the Florida Medical Association. She joined the staff of the Florida Bar in 2000.
Before moving to Tallahassee, she was the public relations director for the University Medical Center from 1990-1995.
“I can’t believe I’ve been in Tallahassee that long. It seems like yesterday,” said Walker.
Walker provided information on the Florida Bar and lawyer regulation at the workshop.
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