Understanding the Judges on the Ballot

The governor appoints the Florida Supreme Court and appeals court judges. By law, they must be on the ballot in the first general election following their appointment. After that, they will appear for retention every six years. They appear on the General Election ballot as a Yes or No to retain.

This information about the judges on the ballot is intended to help voters decide whether or not to retain them.

Supreme Court Judge Renatha Francis: What is her Past Performance?

· Voted to uphold the 15-week abortion ban.

· Voted for the death penalty in every case she has presided

· Believes that the Public Service Commission does not need to justify approving utility rate hikes.

· Was part of the majority that refused to hear a rent stabilization case.

· Member of right-wing Federalist Society. DeSantis appointee.

· Agreed with AG Moody who argued that ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights and legalize marijuana were too unwieldy and should not be on the ballot.

· Agreed that DeSantis had the right to dismiss Monique Worrell and Andrew Warren in conflict with the state constitution

Supreme Court Judge Meredith Sasso: What is her Past Performance?

· Member of right-wing Federalist Society.

· DeSantis appointee.

· Voted to uphold the state's restrictions on abortion.

· Agreed with AG Moody who argued that ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights and legalize marijuana were too unwieldy and should not be on the ballot.

· Voted for the death penalty in every case she has presided

· Agreed that DeSantis had the right to dismiss Monique Worrell in conflict with the state constitution

Appeals Court Judge Norma S. Lindsey

· Appointed by Governor Rick Scott in 2016

· Served on the 3rd DCA since June 2017. Before that, she was a trial judge at the county and circuit court levels.

· Lindsey was one of three founders in 1991 of the University of Miami School of Law chapter of the extreme right-wing Federalist Society

· Current member of the extreme right-wing Federalist Society

Appeals Court Judge Kevin M. Emas

· Appointed to the Third District Court of Appeal by Governor Charlie Crist in 2010.

· Served as a faculty member of the National Judicial College, where he taught death penalty courses to civilian and military judges from across the United States.

· Currently serves as a member of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, and previously served as chair of the Supreme Court’s Criminal Court Steering Committee and the Florida Criminal Procedure Rules Committee.