Florida Supreme Court Justiceโ Charles Canady to Retire, โOpening Door for DeSantisโ Appointment
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Supremeโ Court Justice Charles Canady, theโค longest-serving memberโข of the state’s highest court, announced his retirement effective January 31, 2025. The moveโ allows Gov. Ron DeSantis to appoint a sixth justice toโฃ the โคseven-member court,โข further solidifying the governor’s influence on theโค judiciary.
Canady,โ 71, was appointed to the โcourt in โค2008 by then-Gov.Charlie Crist. He would have โฃbeen required to retire atโค age 75 under state law.
The lakeland native’s departure also coincides with theโฃ anticipated rise of his wife, state Rep. Jennifer Canady, to Florida House Speaker after the 2028 elections. Should the GOP maintain its majority,โฃ sheโ is poised to become the first woman to hold the position.
With โขCanady’sโ retirement, Justice jorge Labarga will remainโ the soleโ justice on the court not appointedโข by DeSantis. The last reported โsalary for state Supreme Court โขjustices was $258,957; Canady’s compensation from theโ University of Florida, where he is a distinguished professor, was not instantly available.
Background โon Justice Canady
canady earned his undergraduate degree from Haverford College in โข1976 and his law degree from Yale Law School in 1979. he practiced law privately, including a period with Holland & knight, throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
He entered public service with three terms in the Florida House of Representatives from 1984โ to 1990, followedโ by โservice in the โU.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001. Duringโ his timeโข in congress,โ he served on the House Judiciary Committee โand chaired the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitutionโค from 1995 to 2001.
Following his congressional career, Canady served as general counsel to Gov. Jeb Bush. He was appointed to Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal in 2002 before joining the โคSupreme Court.
Canady servedโฃ three terms as chief justice of โคthe Florida Supreme Court: 2010, 2018, and 2020.
The Canadys have two daughters.
This is a โdeveloping news story. Please โcheck back laterโข for more.
Thisโ story contains someโค previously โpublished information. Jim Rosica is โa member of theโข USAโ TODAY Network – Florida Capital โBureau. Reach him at โฃjrosica@tallahassee.com and follow him onโฃ Twitter/X: @JimRosicaFL.
