Florida Supreme Court

One week after the reversal of Roe v. Wade’s federal abortion protections, Florida is in a court battle over a new law restricting abortions to 15 weeks. Abortion supporters say a right to privacy enshrined in the state constitution protects the right to choose.

The Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission on Saturday completed interviews of 17 applicants before submitting the list of finalists for DeSantis to consider.

The state's highest court denied the plaintiffs' request to lift the appeals court's stay after the majority found it lacks jurisdiction to weigh in on the matter.

Cities and counties challenged the 2011 law after the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that killed 17 people.

Justice Alan Lawson is retiring effective Aug. 1 after only six years on the state's highest and most prestigious court. Lawson leaves a fourth seat for the governor to fill on the seven-member court as he seeks reelection.

Lawson, appointed by former Gov. Rick Scott in 2016, will step down effective Aug. 31. He has been part of a major conservative shift on the Supreme Court during the past three years.

Peggy Quince, the first Black woman to serve on Florida's Supreme Court, was a lawyer for 47 years, and a judge for 25.

Siding with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., the court said plaintiffs must show that smokers relied on misleading information from cigarette makers to prevail on the claims.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has again indicated that he’ll veto any U.S. House map that leaves north Florida’s African American voting district largely intact.

Last week, DeSantis explained in his request for an advisory opinion that he needed the court's guidance to help him exercise his veto power.

In his request, DeSantis says he needs the court’s guidance to help him exercise the power to veto any congressional map the legislature passes.

While the legislative maps moved forward, work on the congressional map has paused.