TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received a finalist list of individuals vying to become the next Florida Supreme Court justice.
According to a letter sent to DeSantis from the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission dated Monday, Renatha Francis, Denise Harle, Robert Long, Anne-Leigh Gaylord Moe, Meredith Sasso and Adam Tanenbaum were on the final list to fill the vacancy due to the retirement of justice Alan Lawson.
Some on the list have local ties to the Tallahassee area.
Harle is a senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom.
Alliance Defending Freedom says it advocates efforts to defend pro-life legislation, religious freedom, free speech and marriage and family rights.
She received undergraduate degrees from Florida State University.
Long is a judge for the Florida First District Court of Appeal.
The first district includes the panhandle and Big Bend regions of the state along with counties near Jacksonville in the northeast region of the state.
He was appointed to the appeal court June 2020 by Gov. DeSantis.
According to the First District Court of Appeal, Long previously was a general counsel for the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.
He has a bachelor's degree from Florida State University.
Sasso is a judge with Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal which encompasses judicial districts in northeast and central part of the state; including Orlando and Daytona Beach.
According to the court, Sasso was raised in Tallahassee and appointed to the fifth district court of appeal by former Florida Gov. Rick Scott in 2019. In August 2015, Sasso served as Scott’s chief deputy general counsel.
Tanenbaum was also appointed by DeSantis to be a judge with Florida First District Court of Appeal in Oct. 2019.
The fifth district court notes before serving as an appeal court judge, Tanenbaum was the general counsel for the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 to 2019.
He also held legal roles with the Florida Department of state from 2015-16 and the Florida Department of Legal Affairs from 2014-15.
Tanenbaum, who has roots in the Tampa Bay area, has served as an adjunct professor at FSU’s College of Law.
Letter to Governor Ron DeSantis Regarding Florida Supreme Court Nominees by WTXL ABC27 on Scribd
