Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) appointed John Couriel and Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court on May 26, 2020. Couriel and Francis succeeded Justices Robert J. Luck and Barbara Lagoa, who vacated the seats in November 2019 after being elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Couriel and Francis will join…
On May 4, 2020, Charles Canady, the Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, issued a new emergency order extending the suspension of jury trials through July 2. The order also increases the number of proceedings that will be conducted remotely. The list includes non-jury trials, hearings in juvenile delinquency cases, and pretrial conferences. For…
On April 29, President Donald Trump (R) announced two nominees to Article III federal judicial positions. Article III federal judges are appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate, and serve for life. The nominees include: Aileen Mercedes Cannon, nominee to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida James Wesley Hendrix, nominee…
State court justices in Florida had until April 24, 2020, to file to run for retention. The terms of 26 Florida state court justices—one supreme court justice and 25 appellate court justices—are set to expire in January 2021. The retention elections are scheduled for November 3, 2020. A retention election provides voters with the option…
Florida voters approved Amendment 4, a citizen initiative, in 2018 by a vote of 65% in favor to 35% against. The initiative was designed to automatically restore the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole,…
The filing deadline to run for congressional office in Florida is April 24. Neither of Florida’s two U.S. Senate seats are up for election in 2020. All 27 of Florida’s U.S. House seats are up for election. The incumbents filed for re-election in 25 of those 27 districts, leaving two seats open. The incumbents who…
Major party filing deadlines passed to run for elected office in Michigan on April 21 and Florida on April 24. In Michigan, candidates filed for the following state offices: Michigan House of Representatives (110 seats) Ballotpedia is also covering local elections in Wayne County Michigan’s filing deadline was extended from April 21 to May 8,…
On Saturday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through May 1. Florida became the 32nd state to close schools for the remainder of the academic year. Thirty-two states have closed schools for the remainder of the academic year: Alabama, Alaska,…