Florida Supreme Court Justices

Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, Justice Ricky Polston, Justice Jorge Labarga, Justice Alan Lawson, Justice Carlos G. Muñiz, Justice John D. Couriel and Justice Jamie R. Grosshans.

Top row (l-r): Chief Justice Charles T. Canady, Justice Ricky Polston, Justice Jorge Labarga, Justice Alan Lawson. Bottom row (l-r): Justice Carlos G. Muñiz, Justice John D. Couriel, Justice Jamie R. Grosshans.

The highest court in Florida is the Supreme Court, which is composed of seven justices. At least five Justices must participate in every case and at least four must agree for a decision to be reached. The Court's official headquarters is the Supreme Court Building in Tallahassee. Click on the photo for a hi-res version.

Read aboutFlorida's Court Systemand theHistory of the Court for information about the role of the chief justice and the court's organization and jurisdiction.

Justice Charles T. Canady

Chief Justice Charles T. Canady

Justice Charles Canady is the 82nd Justice of the Supreme Court and has served in all three branches of state government and the U.S. Congress. He was appointed in 2008 and faces a merit retention vote in 2022.

Justice Ricky Polston

Justice Ricky Polston

Justice Ricky Polston is the 83rd Justice on the Supreme Court and is well known for his work with foster care, including adopting a sibling set of six brothers into his existing family. He was appointed in 2008 and faces a merit retention vote in 2022.

Justice Jorge Labarga

Justice Jorge Labarga

Justice Jorge Labarga is the 84th Justice on the Supreme Court and was born in Havana, Cuba, though his family fled to freedom in Florida when he was a child. He was appointed in 2009 and faces a merit retention vote in 2022.

Justice Alan Lawson

Justice Alan Lawson

Justice Alan Lawson is the 86th Justice on the Supreme Court and previously served as chief judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeal in the Orlando and Daytona Beach areas. He was appointed in 2016 and faces a merit retention vote in 2024.

Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

Justice Carlos G. Muñiz

Justice Carlos G. Muñiz is the 89th Justice on the Supreme Court and now has worked in all three branches of state government as well as the U.S. Department of Education. He was appointed in 2019 and faces a merit retention vote in 2026.

Justice John Couriel

Justice John D. Couriel

Justice John D. Couriel is the 90th Justice on the Supreme Court and previously worked in private practice and as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a native Spanish speaker. He was appointed in 2020 and faces a merit retention vote in 2022.

Justice Jamie R. Grosshans

Justice Jamie R. Grosshans

Justice  Jamie R. Grosshans is the 91st Justice on the Supreme Court. Prior to her appointment to the appellate court, she served on the Fifth District Court of Appeal and the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida where she presided over criminal and civil matters. She was appointed in 2020 and faces a merit retention vote in 2022.

Collage of Former Justices

Biographies of Former Justices

Florida's Supreme Court has a colorful past that goes back to the day when statehood was granted by Congress on March 3, 1845. Its members have included women and men who have represented both their times and the tremendous diversity of Florida. Here is a listing of former justices in reverse chronological order, with links to their biographies.

Last Modified: November 01, 2020