Opinion ID: 4560708
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: JNC List

Text: Although the petition focuses primarily upon Judge Francis’ inclusion on the JNC list certified to the Governor, Representative Thompson’s challenge involves the composition of the entire list and the whole process. For example, the petition states that “the entire process for filling the vacancy in question was corrupted by the JNC including an ineligible nominee on the list of individuals it certified to the Governor.” And in the motion to disqualify Justice Couriel from this case, Representative Thompson reiterates that the petition “challenges the legality of the process which resulted in Justice Couriel being appointed to the Florida Supreme Court.” To the extent the petition challenges the composition of the JNC list for the 2 vacancies, I conclude that the issue is moot. Cf. Tyler v. Peacock, 124 So. 463, 464 (Fla. 1929) (dismissing the case because the issue of whether the county commissioners should be prohibited from placing a particular name on the ballot for the office of county judge was moot after the election); Gill v. City of N. Miami Beach, 156 So. 2d 182, 182 (Fla. 3d DCA 1963) (“Inasmuch as the election sought to be enjoined has already been held, the issues presented by this appeal have become moot.”). Justice Couriel has since assumed office and participated in cases. To be clear, there is no dispute regarding Justice Couriel’s constitutional eligibility to hold office. Allowing citizen taxpayers to attack the composition of a - 22 - list of nominees after judges are seated and deciding cases would undermine the judiciary and the interests of justice.10 Furthermore, this is not a situation where a JNC certified a list and then a governor selected from that list very quickly, leaving one without opportunity to challenge the JNC’s authority regarding the list’s composition. Here, the JNC certified its list on January 23, 2020, and Governor DeSantis selected two individuals from that list on May 26, 2010. There was ample time to file a challenge between those 2 dates. In fact, within that time (on February 14, 2020), Representative Thompson authored an opinion column, which she included in the appendix to her petition, asserting that Judge Francis was ineligible and should not have been included on the JNC list. However, Representative Thompson waited until July 13, 2020 to file the instant petition.11 Accordingly, because I conclude the issue is now moot, I do not address the merits of the challenge to the composition of the JNC list. 10. This Court has also recognized that the doctrine of laches can bar consideration of unreasonably delayed writ petitions where the delay prejudices the judicial process. See, e.g., McCray v. State, 699 So. 2d 1366, 1368 (Fla. 1997). 11. Florida courts have also recognized that the delayed assertion of an argument can waive consideration of its merits. See, e.g., Hernandez v. State, 960 So. 2d 816, 817 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). - 23 -