Is the Integrity of Floridas Judicial Nominating Process in Question?
Over the last month, the drama played out over the most recent nomination to the Florida Supreme Court has sparked sharp criticism of the judicial nominating process. Florida’s judicial nominating process requires judicial nominating commissions (JNCs) to review applications, interview applicants and submit a list of names to the Governor from which the Governor must choose an appointee. In an unprecedented move last month, Governor Charlie Crist responded to a list of potential Supreme Court appointees by requesting that the JNC reconvene and add additional names, specifically citing his concerns over the list’s lack of diversity. While legal analysts questioned whether the Governor was permitted to take such an action, the JNC held a contentious meeting, voted to suspend its own rules, held a private meeting, then voted to add a single name to their list, Frank Jimenez, a politically connected, highly ideological lawyer who previously served in former Governor Jeb Bush’s administrati
