At the end of last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Judge Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court.
Francis’ appointment fills the vacancy of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Francis will officially take her seat on the Supreme Court on September 1.
DeSantis tried to name Francis to the Supreme Court back in 2020 but she had not been a member of the Florida Bar for 10 years, a requirement to be a justice on Florida’s highest court.
“Judge Renatha Francis has an incredible life story that epitomizes the American Dream and proves that those who come to our country have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and, through hard work and the application of their God-given talents, reach the highest heights of whatever field they choose,” said DeSantis on Friday. “Before immigrating from the Caribbean to Florida, Renatha Francis was a small business owner in her native country Jamaica where she ran two successful enterprises while being the primary caregiver for her younger sibling. Her pursuit of a legal career began later in life than most attorneys, yet she has advanced rapidly on her merit to serve as a judge first in Miami-Dade County and then on the 15th Circuit Court. When she takes her place on the Florida Supreme Court, I am confident she will serve our state with distinction.”
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled by Governor DeSantis’ unwavering support for my ascension to the Florida Supreme Court,” said Francis. “I may be taking my seat on the bench two years later than anticipated, but as a student of history I continue to be in awe of this country’s respect for the rule of law and the freedoms guaranteed in the text of the United States Constitution. As a Supreme Court justice I will apply the law as written by the people’s duly-elected representatives, knowing that I am a member of the judiciary in a system with separation of powers.”
Francis, of West Palm Beach, has served as a judge on the 15th Circuit Court since 2019 and previously served as a judge at the Miami-Dade County Court from 2017-2019. Francis also served as an attorney for the First District Court of Appeals in Tallahassee from 2011-2017. Before attending law school, Francis owned and successfully operated two businesses for five years. Francis received her bachelor’s degree from the University of The West Indies and her Juris Doctorate from Florida Coastal Law School.
