Voters around Florida will be asked Nov. 5 whether two
Florida Supreme Court justices should be retained in office for another six years. It's a yes or no question on the ballot, but for many voters, it's a difficult decision since they have no idea who
Renatha Francis or
Meredith Sasso are or what they've done while on the state's highest court. Here's what you should know about Meredith Sasso, but first, a little information about the Florida Supreme Court.
Florida Supreme Court: What you should know
What is Justice Meredith Sasso's background?
According to the
Florida Supreme Court's website , Sasso was raised in Tallahassee. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2005 and her law degree from the University of Florida in 2008. "She
began her career in private practice , representing clients in large loss general liability, auto negligence, and complex commercial claims in state and federal courts at trial and on appeal. She also served as guardian ad litem, representing abused or neglected children. "In August 2016, Sasso joined the Office of the General Counsel to Governor Rick Scott, serving as Chief Deputy General Counsel. In this role, she represented the Governor in litigation before the Florida Supreme Court, the First District Court of Appeal, and state and federal trial courts, among other duties. "She is a member of the
American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network and the
Federalist Society ."
What decisions has Meredith Sasso made on Supreme Court cases?
In April, Sasso, Renatha Francis and one other justice dissented from a court decision that let voters decide in the general election whether to
enshrine abortion rights in Florida's Constitution. Sasso signed onto an argument that a ballot summary for the abortion question "misleads by omission and fails to convey the breadth of what the amendment actually accomplishes," opening the door to decades of court fights overbroad, undefined guarantees. In June, Sasso agreed with other justices that a 2021 law to crackdown on rioters
can’t be used against peaceful protesters . She also shared a June opinion that upheld
DeSantis's suspension of Orlando-area State Attorney Monique Worrell. How can you see how Meredith Sasso has voted on other cases?
To see how Sasso and the other justices on the court have voted on cases, go to the
Opinions page on the Florida Supreme Court's website. You can also watch court arguments live and see
archives of past cases online and on
Facebook .
Can you know how Sasso stands on such issues as abortion or the death penalty?
Judicial candidates are
prohibited from making predictions and promises about legal issues that might come before their courts, the court's website said.
The Leadership Network describes itself as "an exclusive policy education and professional development program for exceptional state-based professionals in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. This program represents a unique opportunity for leaders around the country to participate in our efforts to increase opportunity for our fellow citizens."
The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies describes itself as a "group of conservatives and libertarians dedicated to reforming the current legal order. "It is founded on the principles that the state exists to preserve freedom, that the separation of governmental powers is central to our Constitution, and that it is emphatically the province and duty of the judiciary to say what the law is, not what it should be. The Society seeks both to promote an awareness of these principles and to further their application through its activities."
How to reach Justice Meredith Sasso
Special note: The Code of Judicial Conduct governing behavior by judges forbids Justices of the Florida Supreme Court to discuss pending cases with the public.
How long do Florida Supreme Court justices serve?
Under an amendment to the Florida Constitution approved by voters in the 1970s, Florida Supreme Court justices are first appointed to the court by the governor from a list of three to six names submitted by a Judicial Nominating Commission. The governor must select a new justice from the list. In the next general election that occurs more than one year after their appointment, the new justice goes before Florida voters in a merit retention vote. If the new justice is not retained by voters, a new justice would be named by the governor. If the new justice is approved by voters, the term is for six years.
