Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court, making her the fourth woman and fourth Hispanic justice he has appointed since taking office in 2019.[0] At present, Judge Sasso holds the position of Chief Judge at the Sixth District Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Florida. She received her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Florida, where she was a member of the Justice Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board.[1] Prior to serving on the court, she represented clients in large loss general liability, auto negligence, and complex commercial claims in state and federal courts at trial and on appeal, as well as serving as a guardian ad litem for abused or neglected children.[2]
Governor DeSantis has been shifting the Florida Supreme Court rightward since taking office, starting with three appointments he made when he first became governor because three justices had reached the mandatory retirement age.[0] Later on, then-President Donald Trump selected two of his selections to serve on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.[0] With the addition of Judge Sasso, DeSantis has appointed five of the seven Supreme Court members, allowing him to steer the court firmly to the right.[3]
Judge Sasso’s appointment to the Florida Supreme Court has been praised by the Florida Justice Reform Institute, which commended Governor DeSantis for his consistent leadership in reshaping the court with justices who embrace textualism and the notion that the courts should interpret laws, not write them.[4] In her application for the Supreme Court seat, Judge Sasso wrote about her “informed appreciation for the separation of powers” and the importance of appropriate deference to coordinate branches of government.[5]
Judge Sasso’s appointment to the Florida Supreme Court comes shortly after Michael Sasso, a Central Florida attorney appointed by Governor DeSantis to Disney World’s governing board, resigned from his position. Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which was also appointed by Governor DeSantis, have been quarreling over development agreements approved by the previous board, with Disney suing to get them reinstated after the new DeSantis-appointed board voided them.[6]
Judge Sasso’s appointment to the Florida Supreme Court marks a historic moment for the court, as it is now composed of three women and four men.[5] Her appointment also serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity in the judiciary, as she is a Cuban-American and the fourth Hispanic justice appointed by Governor DeSantis.[7]
0. “DeSantis installs another conservative on Florida’s Supreme Court” Yahoo Life, 23 May. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/desantis-installs-another-conservative-floridas-180610751.html
1. “Cuban American Sasso appointed to Florida’s Supreme Court” Islander News.com, 23 May. 2023, https://www.islandernews.com/news/florida/cuban-american-sasso-appointed-to-floridas-supreme-court/article_39ef9fdc-f98f-11ed-97a5-8755a92e8dfd.html
2. “Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Judge Meredith Sasso to Florida Supreme Court” SpaceCoastDaily.com, 24 May. 2023, https://spacecoastdaily.com/2023/05/governor-ron-desantis-appoints-judge-meredith-sasso-to-florida-supreme-court/
3. “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Meredith Sasso to Supreme Court” Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 23 May. 2023, https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/news/politics/2023/05/23/florida-gov-ron-desantis-appoints-meredith-sasso-to-supreme-court/70248010007/
4. “DeSantis quietly names Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court” Florida Phoenix, 23 May. 2023, https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/05/23/desantis-quietly-names-judge-meredith-sasso-to-the-florida-supreme-court/
5. “Husband of new Justice Meredith Sasso could create conflicts” Florida Bulldog, 29 May. 2023, https://www.floridabulldog.org/2023/05/husband-new-justice-meredith-sasso-could-create-conflicts
6. “Michael Sasso Resigns from Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board” DAPS MAGIC, 27 May. 2023, https://dapsmagic.com/2023/05/michael-sasso-resigns-from-central-florida-tourism-oversight-district-board
7. “Governor Appoints Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court” WQCS, 23 May. 2023, https://www.wqcs.org/wqcs-news/2023-05-23/governor-appoints-judge-meredith-sasso-to-the-florida-supreme-court
