>> ALL RISE, PLEASE. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE JUDICIAL PROCESSIONAL. [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS]. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE JUDGES OF THE

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1 >> ALL RISE, PLEASE. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE JUDICIAL PROCESSIONAL. [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS]. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE JUDGES OF THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA. HEAR YE, HEAR YE, FLORIDA SUPREME COURT IS NOW IN SESSION. ALL WHO HAVE CAUSE TO PLEAD, DRAW NEAR, GIVE ATTENTION AND YOU SHALL BE HEARD. GOD SAVE THESE UNITED STATES, THE GREAT STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THIS HONORABLE COURT. >> THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, IF YOU WILL PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AND I'LL ASK JUSTICE LEWIS TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> PLEASE JOIN ME IN HONORING AMERICA, MEN AND WOMEN ALL AROUND THE WORLD, PLEASE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU. AND I NOW CALL UPON STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROSS SPANO, TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AND LEAD US IN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM. ß O SAY CAN YOU SEE, BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHTß ß WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMINGß ß WHO'S BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUSß ß O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? ß ß AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT, THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THEREß ß O SAY DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAIVEß ß O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE, AND

2 THE HOME OF THE BRAVEß THE. >> MY HONOR TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE JUSTICE PEGGY QUINCE TO GIVE THE INVOCATION. >> WILL YOU BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME. FATHER, YOU HAVE GIVEN ALL PEOPLE ONE COMMON ORIGIN. IT IS YOUR WILL THAT THEY BE FATHERED TOGETHER AS ONE FAMILY IN YOURSELF. FILL THE HEARTS OF MANKIND WITH THE FIRE OF YOUR LOVE, AND WITH THE DESIRE TO INSURE JUSTICE FOR ALL. BY SHARING THE GOOD THINGS YOU GIVE TO US, MAY WE SECURE AN EQUALITY FOR ALL OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. MAY THEIR BE AN END TO DIVISION, STRIFE AND WAR. MAY THERE BE A DAWNING OF A TRULY HUMANE SOCIETY, BUILT ON LOVE AND PEACE. WE ASK IN YOUR MIGHTY NAME, AMEN. >> THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED. THANK YOU, JUSTICE QUINCE. TODAY MARKS AN EVENT THAT IS A MILESTONE IN THIS COURT'S HISTORY. THE INVESTITURE OF A NEW JUSTICE. SINCE THIS COURT FIRST CONVENED IN 1846, SHORTLY AFTER STATEHOOD, WE HAVE HAD 85 PREVIOUS INSTALLATIONS OF A NEW JUSTICE TO SIT ON THE HIGHEST COURT OF FLORIDA. THIS IS THE 86th INVESTITURE TO OCCUR IN A HISTORY THAT NOW STRETCHES BACK MORE THAN 170 YEARS. TODAY, ANNA-- ALAN LAWSON, A JUDGE ON THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL IN DAYTONA BEACH

3 ASSUMES HIS PLACE AMONG THE JURISTS THAT SHAPED THIS STATE'S LEGAL HISTORY. WE ARE HONORED TO BE JOINED TODAY BY GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT, WHO APPOINTED JUSTICE LAWSON LAST DECEMBER. WE'RE ALSO HONORED BY THE ATTENDANCE OF MANY ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND THE LEGISLATURE. I WILL NAME JUST A FEW THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE WHO ARE HERE. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CARLOS LOPEZ-CANTERA IS HERE. REPRESENTATIVE ROSS SPANO WHOM YOU JUST HEARD. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, JOE NEGRON, WHO IS HERE. AND REPRESENTATIVE JOSE OLIVA WHO IS HERE. AND SENATOR WILTON SIMPSON. SENATOR JOSE RODRIGUEZ, SENATOR DAVID SIMMONS. SENATOR KELLI STARGEL. SENATOR TOM LEE. AND SENATOR GERALDINE THOMPSON, A FEW I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE SO FAR. I'M SURE THERE ARE MORE. ALSO JOINING US ARE MORE THAN 70 JUDGES OF THE COUNTY, CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE HAVE PRESENT A LARGE CONTINGENT OF HONORED GUESTS FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA AND OTHER REGIONS OF THE STATE. AS YOU CERTAINLY CAN SEE BY LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM, ARE NOTABLE GUESTS ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO NAME ON ONE BY ONE BASIS. I COULD BE HERE ALL DAY. YOU DON'T WANT THAT. I DO WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES, HOWEVER, TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ALAN AND JULIE LAWSON BECAUSE THEY ARE TRULY AWESOME PEOPLE. ALAN LAWSON HAS HAD EVERY

4 ADVANTAGE IN LIFE. HE HAD LOVING PARENTS DEDICATED TO SERVICE THROUGH SACRIFICE. HE HAD A REMARKABLE CHILDHOOD GROWING UP HERE IN TALLAHASSEE, IN THE OLD TOWN AND COUNTRY NEIGHBORHOOD JUST NORTH OF PARK STREET. HE HAD A CHURCH AND A FAITH THAT HAS SUSTAINED BOTH HIM AND HIS WIFE JULIE AND THEIR WONDERFUL CHILDREN, CALEB AND LEAH. AND HE HAD AN EDUCATION THAT HIM EARLY IN LIFE AS A HIGH DEGREE OF PROMISE BUT HE AND HIS WIFE JULIE HAVE USED THEIR TIME TO REACH OUT AND GIVE SERVICE TO SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS, AND NOT MERELY TO JUST SERVICE. THEY EVEN GAVE IT IN PLACE AS FAR AWAY AS HONDURAS IN LATIN AMERICA. AND THEREIN LIES A WONDERFUL HUMAN STORY. IN 1999 THE LAWSONS OPENED THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR HOME TO A 12-YEAR-OLD HONDURAN GIRL NAMED DANIA CORALES I KNOW I SAY THAT BETTER THAN YOU DO, ALAN. [LAUGHTER] THE LAWSONS MET HER WHILE THEY WERE DOING WORK IN HONDURAS I HAD A GROUP SURGICAL AND MEDICAL AID TEAMS, KNOWN AS SMART. WHEN THE LAWSONS FIRST MET HER SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM A DANGEROUS DEBILITATING HEART CONDITION THAT THREATENED TO TAKE HER YOUNG LIFE. AT THAT POINT JULIE AND ALAN DID SOMETHING TRULY REMARKABLE, SOMETHING THAT INVOLVED PERSONAL SACRIFICE GIVING SERVICE TO SOMEONE WHO COT NOT EVER REPAIR THEM OR GIVE THEM WORLDLY BENEFIT IN RETURN. THEY ARRANGED FOR DANIA TO COME TO ORLANDO TO BE TREATED AT THE ARNOLD PALMER CHILDRENS' HOSPITAL WHERE SHE UNDERWENT

5 OPEN-HEART SURGERY. LATER, WHEN COMPLICATIONS AROSE, THE LAWSONS BROUGHT DANIA BACK TO ORLANDO FOR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT. SHE LIVED THERE AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY FOR OVER A YEAR. AND THE LAWSONS ALSO WORKED WITH THE, THEIR CHURCH, THEIR FRIENDS AND THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION TO PURCHASE AND REHABILITATE A LARGER HOME TO BE USED BY DANIA'S FAMILY OF NINE, WHO UNTIL THEN HAD LIVED ONLY IN TWO ROOMS. THEY, AND OTHER FRIEND, ARE STILL HELPING, STILL GIVING HELP TO TWO OF DANIA'S BROTHERS AS THEY STUDY MEDICINE, AND CIVIL ENGINEERING IN HONDURAS. AS THIS EXAMPLE SHOWS, THE LAWSON FAMILY PRACTICES NOT ONLY THE PRINCIPLE OF GIVING, BUT ALSO LIFTING OTHERS UP SO THAT THEY NEVER FEEL THE NEED TO BE DEPENDENT ON OTHERS. AND WITH THAT I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY EARLY ON, THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT I WANT TO DO IT FOR MY SAKE, I WANT JULIE LAWSON TO RISE AND BE RECOGNIZED. WHILE YOU'RE STILL STANDING, JULIE, I CALL UPON THE ENTIRE EXTENDED FAMILY OF JUSTICE LAWSON TO JOIN HER SO WE CAN GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. ALL THE LAWSON FAMILY. THANK YOU. NOW I KNOW WHY WE HAVE THOSE THREE BIG BUSES OUT FRONT. [LAUGHTER] AS WE PROCEED WITH TODAY'S PROGRAM I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THIS IS CEREMONIAL SESSION OF THE COURT. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LOSE YOUR

6 LEGAL CASE HERE TODAY IF YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG. THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN DISPENSE WITH USUAL FORMALITIES. SO LET ME REMIND OUR PRESENTERS THAT THERE IS NO NEED TO CALL US YOUR HONOR, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WANTED TO DO THAT. OR START YOUR REMARKS WITH THE USUAL, MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. I ASSURE YOU THAT EVERYTHING THAT WILL HAPPEN TODAY PLEASES THE COURT IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. ALL OF YOU IN OUR AUDIENCE SHOULD FEEL FREE TO APPLAUD WHEN THE SPIRIT MOVES YOU AND TO STAND WHEN YOU WANT TO HONOR THE MANY GREAT PEOPLE ON OUR PROGRAM TODAY. YOU SHOULD EVEN FEEL FREE TO SNAP A PICTURE WITH YOUR CAMERA. I CHARGE WHATEVER MATT DAMON CHARGES. [LAUGHTER]. AND THIS IS MEANT TO BE A JOYOUS OCCASION. AND TOO MUCH FORMALITY AS YOU KNOW HAS A WAY OF DRAINING THE JOY OUT OF EVERYTHING EVERY NOW AND THEN. WITH THAT, I NOW TURN TO THE STARTING POINT, THE CENTER REASON WHY WE ARE ALL HERE TODAY, THE CHIEF PURPOSE OF AN INVESTITURE IS FOR THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO COME HERE AND PRESENT THE NEW JUSTICE'S FORMER CREDENTIALS TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE. THE TRANSFER OF CREDENTIALS IS THE POINT WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY HAS BEEN FULLY ACCOMPLISHED BY HANDING OFF THE OFFICIAL PAPERS TO THE SUPREME COURT. IN EFFECT, THE GOVERNOR HANDS OFF HIS NEW APPOINTEE, ALAN LAWSON, TO THE JUDICIARY, FOR ME TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

7 [LAUGHTER] TO BEGIN A LIFE IN SERVICE IN THE THIRD BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. SO IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INVITE GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT TO COME TO THE PODIUM FOR HIS REMARKS, AND THEN APPROACH THE BEN HERE-- BENCH HERE AND FOR THE PRESENTATION OF CREDENTIALS. >> IT'S A REAL HONOR TO BE HERE. I NEVER HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS BEFORE. I WANT TO THANK CHIEF JUSTICE LABARGA FOR THAT KIND INTRODUCTION. I AM INCREDIBLY HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THE INVESTITURE OF A TRULY GREAT MAN JUSTICE ALAN LAWSON. JUST FOUR MONTHS AGO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING JUSTICE LAWSON'S FAMILY IN APPOINTING HIM TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER JUSTICE LAWSON HAS FOCUSED ON DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION AND STRICTLY ADHERING TO THE RULE OF LAW. HIS BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR STATE'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS AN ASSET WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BENEFIT FLORIDA'S HIGHEST COURT. JUSTICE LAWSON HAS GAINED INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE ON ISSUES RANGING FROM CIVIL LAW TO APPELLATE CASES, TO ADULT DRUG COURT. AND I KNOW THAT HE WILL SIEVE THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT WITH THE UTMOST HONOR, INTEGRITY AND HUMILITY. WITH THAT, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE I PRESENT TO YOU THESE CREDENTIALS FOR INVESTITURE OF JUSTICE ALAN LAWSON. >> THANK YOU, GOVERNOR.

8 THANK YOU, GOVERNOR. IT IS NOW MY PRIVILEGE TO CALL UPON JUDGE JONATHAN SJOESTROM, FLORIDA'S SECOND JUDICIAL OF TALLAHASSEE FOR REMARKS. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICES OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT, PRESIDENT, WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE HERE TODAY. I HAVE KNOWN ALAN LAWSON FOR A LONG TIME. I'M GOING TO BE CALLING HIM ALAN TODAY PROBABLY FOR THE LAST TIME. SINCE HIS APPOINTMENT I INSISTED CALLING HIM JUSTICE MUCH TO HIS EMBARRASSMENT AND I'M GOING TO BE CALLING HIM ALAN TODAY TO MAKE A POINT. IT IS CHARACTERISTIC THAT HE NEVER ASKED ME TO CALL HIM JUSTICE AND HE SEEMS EMBARRASSED THAT I HAVE INSISTED UPON IT. ALAN AND I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL TOGETHER, TRIED CASES TOGETHER AS YOUNG LAWYERS, AND THERE IS A TRADITION IN THESE INVESTITURES TO TELL FUNNY STORIES ABOUT OUR TRIAL PRACTICE. THAT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO WORK FOR ME TODAY, AND THE REASON FOR THAT, FUNNY THINGS HAPPENED WHEN WE TRIED CASES TOGETHER AND THE PROBLEM IS, THE IDEA BEHIND THE INVESTITURE FOR ME TO EMBARRASS THE CANDIDATE. BUT THE ONLY PERSON WHOEVER SEEMED TO BE EMBARRASSED IN OUR TRIAL PRACTICE WAS ME. THAT'S BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY EMBARRASSING ALAN LAWSON STORIES. I DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY. BECAUSE ALAN FROM THE TIME THAT I KNEW HIM AS A LAW STUDENT WAS A MODEL OF RESTRAINT. AFTER YOU TELL THE EMBARRASSING CANDIDATE STORIES, THEN THE CANDIDATE TELLS EMBARRASSING

9 STORIES ABOUT YOU, I SUSPECT ALAN IS PROBABLY TOO KIND TO REMIND ME OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED, ALTHOUGH TALKING LAST NIGHT OUR MEMORY IS WE WON ALL OF THOSE TRIALS, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. I SUSPECT HE WILL NOT TELL THE STORY OF ME TELLING ENTIRE CASES IN MY PREPOSTEROUS MATLOCK IMPRESSION. ALTHOUGH TO MY DEFENSE, I THOUGHT I WAS DOING AN OUTSTANDING SANDY D'ALEMBERTE IMPRESSION. [LAUGHTER] ALAN AND I GREW UP TOGETHER AS LAW US AT A LAW FIRM CALLED STEEL, HECTOR, AND DAVIS. LIKE, MANY JUDGES THAT COME FROM THAT FIRM, WE GREW UP TRYING TO BE LIKE SANDY D'ALEMBERTE. SANDY WAS AND IS, THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF THE PROFESSION, THE IDEALS OF DILIGENCE AND COMPETENCE AND INTEGRITY. AND HE RAISED A GENERATION OF LAWYERS TRYING TO LIVE UP TO HIS STANDARD. ALAN AND I LEARNED OUR PROFESSIONAL VALUES FROM SANDY, BUT THERE WAS A LESSON THAT SANDY COULD NOT TEACH AT LEAST COMPLETELY AND THAT IS BECAUSE SANDY D'ALEMBERTE WAS NEVER A JUDGE. ALTHOUGH IF I LET MY MIND BE QUIET ENOUGH, EVEN THIS LESSON HE WAS TRYING TO TEACH ME BY HIS EXAMPLE. AND I KNOW THAT ALAN LEARNED THIS LESSON. JUDGING TEACHES A DIFFICULT PROFESSIONAL LESSON AND THAT IS THE LESSON OF HUMILITY. I CAN THINK OF NOTHING ELSE THAT SO RELENTLESSLY REMINDS US OF OUR LIMITS, EVERY JUDGE KNOWS AND REMEMBERS THE CASE THAT THEY

10 THOUGHT THEY KNEW AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY DID NOT. AND EVERY JUDGE HERE KNOWS THERE ARE BURDENS THAT NO ONE IS FIT TO BEAR. FOR JUDGES DO NOT EXERCISE POWER. ALL WE HAVE IS LAWFUL AUTHORITY, AUTHORITY DEFINED AND CONSTRAINED AND GRANTED BY LAW. IT IS THE HUMILITY TO ACCEPT THAT RESTRAINT THAT IS IS THE ESSENCE AND LEGITIMACY OF JUDICIAL AUTHORITY. WE NEED NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT ALAN LEARNING THE LESSON OF HUMILITY. BECAUSE IT IS WHO HE IS, AND WHO HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN. THE GRAND TRUST OF THE PEOPLE, AND OUR HIGHEST PROFESSIONAL IDEALS OF DILIGENCE, COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY AND HUMILITY PASS TODAY FROM WORTHY HANDS TO WORTHY HANDS. MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, I COMMEND JUSTICE LAWSON TO THE SERVICE OF THIS COURT AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU, JUSTICE LAWSON. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JUDGE DAN TRAVER OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF ORLANDO TO GIVE SOME REMARKS. >> I MET THE HONORABLE ALAN LAWSON WHEN I WAS A VERY YOUNG LAWYER, AND AT LEAST INITIALLY HE WAS JUST SOME GUY WHO JOINED MY RUNNING CLUB. I SPENT YEARS RUNNING COMPETITIVELY BEFORE I BECAME AN ATTORNEY. WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO ORLANDO I STARTED COACHING A CLUB ON THE SIDE AFTER I WAS WORKING. WE HAD PRETTY SERIOUS RUNNERS. FIRST THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THAT DISTINGUISHED JUDGE LAWSON FROM A LOT OF OTHER NEW FACES

11 THAT CAME AND WENT EVERY WEEK. YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD A LOT OF NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM TODAY. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE. EVERY SINGLE ONE IS WELL-DESERVED BUT HIS RUNNING ABILITY AT THAT POINT IN TIME IS NOTHING THAT MERITED A COMPLIMENT. [LAUGHTER]. I NOTICED THAT ONE OF TWO THINGS WOULD HAPPEN WITH THAT TYPE OF RUNNER. MOSTLY, MOST OF THEM WOULD CONVINCE THEMSELVES AFTER A DOCUMENT OF HARD WEEKS THAT THERE HAD TO BE SOME OTHER WAY, AND THEY WOULD JUST KIND OF DISAPPEAR AND I WOULD NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. A VERY SELECT FEW, WOULD SHOW UP AT EVERY PRACTICE, TAKE NO SHORTCUTS, LISTEN INTENTLY, PUT IN EXTRA WORK IN ON THE SIDE, AND ULTIMATELY DISPLAY REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT. JUDGE LAWSON DEFINED THAT SECOND GROUP. HE WENT FROM BARELY BEING ABLE TO RUN A MILE IN LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES, TO RUNNING 26 CONSECUTIVE MILES IN A ROW AT A FASTER PACE. HE TOOK NO SHORTCUTS. HE OFFERED NO EXCUSES. HE JUST CHEERFULLY SHOWED UP DAY IN, DAY OUT, PUT IN THE WORK. I NOTICED ALL OF THIS BEFORE I KNEW WHAT HE DID FOR A LIVING. WHEN I FINALLY FIGURED THAT OUT, I FELT THE APPREHENSION THAT EVERY YOUNG LAWYER FEELS WHEN TALKING TO A JUDGE. AND PERHAPS WHAT EVERY CITIZEN FEELS TALKING TO A JUDGE. I GOT MY START WORKING FOR A FEDERAL TRIAL JUDGE THAT WAS APPOINTED BY RONALD REAGAN. HE WAS YOUR HONOR OR JUDGE, IF I WAS FEELING CASUAL I CALLED HIM

12 SIR. I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL JUDGE LAWSON ANY OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO CALL UNWANTED ATTENTION TO HIM FROM THE REST OF THE GROUP. SO AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF REALLY GENERIC PRONOUN USAGE WAS PROBABLY REALLY AWKWARD FOR BOTH OF US, HE PULLED ME ASIDE, QUIETLY AND WITHOUT ANY PRETENSION AT ALL, HE SAID THAT I COULD REFER TO HIM AS I ALWAYS HAD. IT FEELS MAYBE A LITTLE DIMINISHED TELLING THAT STORY RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY WEARING WHAT I'M NOW WEARING AND STANDING WHERE I'M NOW STANDING BUT I DON'T WANT IT LOST ON ANYONE HOW RARELY IT IS AS CITIZENS THAT WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH JUDGES. WE DON'T REALLY GET TO EXPRESS OURSELVES OUTSIDE OF THE COURTROOM. WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO BE SOCIAL. DAY TIME TELEVISION HASN'T DONE THE BEST JOB OF PORTRAYING WHAT WE DO. NOBODY, 100,000 PEOPLE WILL NEVER CLICK ON A YOUTUBE LINK SAYS POLITE JUDGE RESPECTFULLY AND DELIBERATELY APPLIES THE RIGHT DECISION AFTER GREAT THOUGHT. [LAUGHTER] GETTING BACK TO MY STORY, JUDGE LAWSON NOTICED MY DISCOMFORT. HE DIDN'T CALL IT TO ANYBODY ELSE'S ATTENTION OR TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMBARRASS ME ABOUT IT. HE ACTED WITH CONSIDERATION AND KINDNESS. AND IN ONE SIMPLE GESTURE HE REDEFINED HOW I KNEW THAT JUDGES COULD AND SHOULD ACT AND IT'S A

13 LESSON I CARRY WITH ME EVERY DAY. MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, AND MEMBERS OF THE COURT, I'M SURE YOU ALREADY LEARNED THAT JUSTICE LAWSON ISN'T SCARED PUTTING IN THE WORK, WHETHER OVER WEAKEN OR OVERNIGHTS TO GET THE ANSWER RIGHT. GOVERNOR SCOTT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR APPOINTING A JUDGE THAT WON'T TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS TO THE RULE OF LAW AND WILL FAITHFULLY TO APPLY TO THE HARD DECISIONS HE HAS TO MAKE IN THIS ROOM. MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, PLEASE REST ASSURED YOU HAVE SOMEBODY SERVING THE SIT DENSE-- CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WHO WILL APPLY THE LAWS FAITHFULLY TO THE TOUGH DECISION DECISIONS THAT COME BEFORE HIM. MOST IMPORTANTLY, EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE, EVERY CITIZEN OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE BEING SERVED BY A FUNDAMENTALLY GOOD MAN. SO JUSTICE LAWSON, ALAN, CONGRATULATIONS, MY FRIEND. JILL AND I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER HAS SERVED ON THE BENCH IN ORLANDO AREA SINCE AS CURRENT CHIEF OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, HE HAS PUT IN PLACE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS THAT IMITATED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. HE ESPECIALLY KNOWN FOR WORK IN IMPLEMENTING THE STATEWIDE COURT COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT IS ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES OF MY ADMINISTRATION. IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO CALL BEEN CHIEF JUDGE FRED LAUTEN TO APPROACH THE PODIUM FOR SOME REMARKS. >> MR. CHIEF JUSTICE, FELLOW

14 JUSTICES, GOVERNOR SCOTT, PRESIDENT NEGRON, ELECTED OFFICIALS FELLOW JUDGES, THE DIMINUTIVE FAMILY OF ALAN LAWSON AND HONORED GUESTS. FROM THE MOMENT ALAN LAWSON WALKED INTO THE ORANGE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN 2002 AS THE NEWEST APPOINTED CIRCUIT JUDGE, WE KNEW WE WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF A JUDICIAL LEGAL SUPERSTAR. NOT THAT JUSTICE LAWSON ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE THAT STATUS TO US. IN FACT, JUDGE LAWSON WAS SO UNASSUMING, SO DEFERENTIAL, SO ACCOMMODATING TO OTHERS IT WAS ONLY UPON SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO ALAN LAWSON, USUALLY OVER LAUNCH, SOMETIMES IN HIS CHAMBERS, OCCASIONALLY IN OUR CHAMBERS, THAT ONE QUICKLY CONCLUDED THEY WERE IN THE PRESENCE OF A BRILLIANT LEGAL MIND, A SUPERIOR LEGAL TACTICIAN, MOST IMPORTANTLY AS EVERYONE HAS NOTED, A HUMBLE AND DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT. UPON FURTHER INVOLVEMENT WE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF LEARNING THAT WE WERE WORKING WITH NOT JUST A BRILLIANT LEGAL MIND, BUT WITH AN UNQUALIFIED SENSE OF HUMILITY, AND A KEEN SENSE OF HUMOR. NONE OF US WERE SURPRISED WHEN JUDGE LAWSON WAS SELECTED TO SIT ON THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS. AND GOVERNOR SCOTT, I AM SURE CHOOSING ONE CANDIDATE FROM AMONG THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE SENT TO YOU FOR APPOINTMENT TO THIS BENCH IS A DIFFICULT TASK. I'M SURE THAT'S TRUE. BUT THE TRIAL JUDGES IN THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PARTICULARLY, AND I'M SURE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY, ARE SO PROUD YOU SELECTED

15 OUR GOOD FRIEND, OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE AND A GREAT PUBLIC SERVANT, ALAN LAWSON, AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL BE HAPPY FOR YEARS TO COME AND PROUD OF THE SELECTION THAT YOU MADE. BUT SPEAKING OF THE JUDGES OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, I ASKED IT IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME FOR A FEW MOMENTS WHILE I SHARE A STORY WITH BUT THE NEWS THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE NEWS OF JUSTICE LAWSON'S APPOINTMENT TO THE BENCH. SO AS SOON AS GOVERNOR SCOTT ANNOUNCED HIS APPOINTMENT, THERE WAS THIS NOTICEABLE EXCITEMENT AMONG THE JUDGES OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT. WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT TODAY'S CEREMONY, WE WERE FURTHER I EXCITED ABOUT ATTENDING THE EVENT. WE HAD A MEETING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. AND AT THAT MEETING ONE OF OUR JUDGES WHO WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS SUGGESTED BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A TRADITION AT INVESTITURES, THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD GET ALAN LAWSON A QUOTE, VERY NICE GIFT FROM THE CIRCUIT TO CELEBRATE THIS HISTORIC DAY. WELL SOME OF US ASKED OBVIOUS QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A VERY NICE GIFT? [LAUGHTER] AND THE ANSWER WAS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CUT WATERFORD CRYSTAL ENGRAVED SOMEHOW? A HUSH OVERTOOK THE ROOM. A MURMUR, OH, THAT IS VERY NICE GIFT. A VERY NICE GIFT. THEN ONE OF THE RECENTLY-ELECTED JUDGES AND SPOKE UP AND SAID, ALL RIGHT, WELL, WHAT DO WE PAY, THIS FROM THE GIFT FUND THAT WE HAVE?

16 [LAUGHTER]. AND I OF COURSE RESPONDED, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT GIFT FUND? WE DON'T HAVE A GIFT FUND. YOU ALL HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS VERY NICE GIFT. AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE GASP IN THE ROOM. [LAUGHTER]. THAT GASP WAS THEN FOLLOWED BY DEAFENING SILENCE. AND THEN I THOUGHT I HEARD FROM THE CORNER OF THE ROOM IN AS SOFT AS A TONE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, SOMEONE SPEAK THESE WORDS, CHEAP-- [LAUGHTER]. I WENT WHAT? IT WAS, CHEAP GIFT. LIKE A VIRUS ACROSS THE ROOM IT SPREAD QUICKLY AND EVERYBODY WAS CHANTING IN UNISON, CHEAP GIFT, CHEAP GIFT, CHEAP GIFT. [LAUGHTER] SO I REALIZED AT THAT MOMENT I JUST COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE MEETING AND I WASN'T REALLY WHERE TO GO. I GOT UP AND I SAID CHEAP GIFT, THAT IS LITTLE INSULTING. THEN SOMEONE GOT UP AND SAID, APPROPRIATE CHEAP GIFT. APPROPRIATE CHEAP GIFT. I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO DO AT THAT POINT. LIKE ANY MANAGER, I BAILED OUT, I KNOW THIS IS CHEAP, BUT I BAILED OUT TO, LET'S FORM A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THIS. [LAUGHTER]. AND SO, I DID. I FORMED A COMMITTEE TO STUDY, CAN WE GET AN APPROPRIATE CHEAP GIFT FOR OUR GOOD FRIEND AND NEW JUSTICE ON THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT, ALAN LAWSON? AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND I'M SHOCKED TO THIS MOMENT, THE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY CAME UP WITH AN APPROPRIATE, CHEAP GIFT, FOR ALAN LAWSON.

17 SO ALAN, I'M THRILLED TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY, NOT ONE, BUT 12 PERSONALLY ENGRAVED PENCILS. [LAUGHTER] ALAN, THESE REASONABLY-PRICED, HIGHLY STYLISTIC PENCILS CONTAIN YOUR NEW TITLE, JUSTICE ALAN LAWSON. [LAUGHTER]. JUSTICE, YOU MAY LEND THEM OUT TO YOUR COLLEAGUES AS YOU SEE FIT, AFTER ALL THEY HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT. SO YOU CAN'T LOSE THEM. OR JUST HOARD THEM IN YOUR OFFICE IF YOU FEEL THAT IS APPROPRIATE. AND WE JUST DIDN'T GET PERSONALLY ENGRAVED PENCILS. WE GOT PERSONALLY ENGRAVED PENCILS THAT HAVE ERASERS ON THEM. THIS MAY SHOCK YOU BUT THAT ACTUALLY COST MORE MONEY TO GET PENCILS WITH ERASERS ON THEM. HOW IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE CHEAP GIFT? JUSTICE LAWSON, WE KNOW OPINIONS ARE MOSTLY DRAFTED ON COMPUTER, BUT IF THAT SYSTEM FAILS AND YOU RESORT TO THE OLD METHOD TO WRITE OPINIONS AND CORRECT THEM, KNOWING YOUR TALENTS AS A JUSTICE, KNOWING YOUR ANALYTICAL SKILLS, KNOWING THE POWER OF YOUR WRITING, ALL OF US ARE CONFIDENT EVEN IF YOU RESORTED TO THE OLD METHOD AT THE END OF YOUR TERM, YOU WOULD HAVE AT LEAST ONE, HALF A DOZEN OF THESE LEFT BECAUSE OF YOUR SKILLS AS A WRITER AND A THINKER. JUSTICE LAWSON IS OUR FRIEND, AS A MENTOR, TO SO MANY OF US. AS THE NEWEST JUSTICE ON THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT WE ARE SWELLED WITH PRIDE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU. YOU MAKE NOT JUST THE NINTH

18 CIRCUIT JUDGES BUT ALL OF THE JUDGES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA LOOK GOOD. WE ARE THRILLED FOR YOU. JULIE, WE'RE THRILLED FOR YOU. WE'RE THRILLED FOR YOUR FAMILY AND EXTENDED FAMILY. WE WISH YOU ALL THE SUCCESS IN THE WORLD. WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW VENTURE. IF YOU WOULD COME AND CLAIM YOUR GIFT. >> THANK YOU. JUSTICE LAWSON, YOU NEED TO REPORT THAT. [LAUGHTER]. DON'T WANT YOU TO GET IN TROUBLE ON THE FIRST DAY. AS I LOOK AROUND, I SPOTTED SOME MORE PEOPLE. I WILL MISS A LOT, BUT PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I WANT TO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION TO NOMINATED JUSTICE LAWSON, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. AS I LOOK AROUND I SEE PROFESSOR EAR HEART WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE INVENTED THE HEARSAY RULE. WE HAVE FORMER FSU PRESIDENT, FORMER ABA PRESIDENT, SANDY D'ALEMBERTE. SANDY. SENATOR TOM LEE, WHO I MAY HAVE MISSED EARLIER. SENATOR. I SEE FSU PRESIDENT THRASHER. AND I SEE FORMER FLORIDA SENATE PRESIDENT SCOTT. IF YOU WILL STAND PLEASE.

19 OF THE AND I AS I LOOK AROUND I WILL SPOT SOME MORE AND I WILL BRING THEM UP. SO, NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON CHIEF JUDGE JAY COHEN OF THE FIFTH DCA. JUSTICE LAWSON'S FORMER BOSS, TO APPROACH THE BENCH OR APPROACH THE PODIUM FOR SOME REMARKS. THERE YOU ARE. >> CHIEF JUSTICE MEMBERS OF THE COURT, GOVERNOR SCOTT, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE GRANT OF IMMUNITY FOR MY REMARKS TODAY. I APPRECIATED THAT. THE FIFTH DCA IS THE NEWEST OF THE DCAs, HAVING BEEN FORMED IN 1979 AND JUSTICE LAWSON HAS ETCHED HIMSELF INTO THE HISTORY OF THAT COURT AS THE FIRST MEMBER OF THAT COURT APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF HIM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEARNING THAT HE HAD BEEN APPOINTED WE DECIDED TO THAT WE WOULD HAVE A SEND-OFF DINNER FOR HIM. AND SO THE MEMBERS OF THE COURT, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE RETIRED MEMBERS OF THE COURT WITH WHOM JUSTICE LAWSON HAD SERVED GOT TOGETHER AND HAD A VERY NICE DINNER IN ORLANDO AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE DINNER JUSTICE LAWSON, ALAN, TURNED TO JULIE, AND SAID, JULIE, IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS COULD YOU EVER HAVE IMAGINED THAT I WOULD BE ON THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA? AND JULIE TURNED TO HIM, ALAN, YOU'RE NOT IN MY WILDEST DREAMS. [LAUGHTER] NOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PATHS ON TO THE SUPREME COURT. JUSTICE LAWSON JOINS THE RANKS

20 OF SOME OF THE JUSTICES WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY MEMBERS OF VARIOUS DISTRICT COURTS OF APPEAL. JUSTICE PARIENTE WAS AT THE FOURTH DCA I BELIEVE FOR FOUR YEARS. JUSTICES CANADY AND QUINCE TOGETHER SPENT 10 YEARS AT THE SECOND DCA. JUSTICE POLSTON I BELIEVE SPENT ALMOST SEVEN YEARS AT THE FIRST DCA. AND CHIEF JUSTICE LABARGA WAS AT THE FOURTH DCA FOR AN HOUR. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. BUT CHIEF JUSTICE LABARGA HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH FOR CLOSE TO THREE YEARS NOW. HE HAS REALLY DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB. I EXPECT IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE THAT THAT WILL BE JUSTICE LAWSON'S MANTLE TO TAKE, THE LEAD OF THE HELM. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT HE WILL DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN THAT ROLE AS WELL. SO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF YOU KNOW, WHAT A SMALL WORLD IT CAN BE, JUDGE LAWTON AND I WORKED TOGETHER YEARS AGO BEFORE WE BECAME JUDGES WE WERE COUNTY COURT JUDGES AND CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES. JUDGE LAWSON AND I WORKED ON THE CIRCUIT BENCH. I FOLLOWED ALONG WITH HIM ON THE APPELLATE COURT. MY HONOR TO FOLLOW HIM AS CHIEF JUDGE OF THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL. JUDGE THOMPSON, IN A FEW AUTHORITY MINUTES WILL BE ADMINISTERING THE OATH OF OFFICE WAS THE CHIEF JUDGE WHEN I FIRST BECAME A JUDGE. AND I TOOK HIS SEAT ON THE FIFTH DCA, WHEN HE ANNOUNCED HIS

21 PREMATURE RETIREMENT. AND I REMEMBER JUDGE THOMPSON SAYING THAT BECOMING A JUDGE HIGHLIGHTS YOUR WEAKNESSES AND YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE TRUTH TO THAT, HOWEVER, IN THE CASE OF JUSTICE LAWSON, I BELIEVE IT HAS HIGHLIGHTED HIS STRENGTHS. HE IS A PERSON OF IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY. HE DOESN'T JUST TALK THE TALK, HE WALKS THE WALK AS JUSTICE LABARGA, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, MENTIONED. JUSTICE LAWSON AND HIS WIFE ARE TRUE HUMANITARIANS, DEVOTING THEIR TIME, THEIR TALENT, AND THEIR RESOURCES TO HELP OTHERS THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE. HE POSSESSES A GREAT INTELLECT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SENSE THAT THESE THEMES ARE RECURRENT THROUGH ALL OF OUR SPEECHES TODAY, BECAUSE THERE'S JUST AN ESSENTIAL TRUTH IN THEM. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HUMBLE PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL EVER MEET. AND ANOTHER THEME OF THE SPEAKERS IS THAT THROUGHOUT HIS LEGAL CAREER HE JUST DEMONSTRATED AN EXCELLENCE AND HE HAS EARNED THE RESPECT OF ALL WITH WHOM HE HAS HAD CONTACT. THERE IS AN UNWRITTEN POLICY IN THE NINTH CIRCUIT, WHEN YOU GET ON TO THE BENCH. THEY DETERMINE WHERE YOU LIVE, AND WHAT'S YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE AND THEN THEY SEND YOU TO THE FARTHERREST MOST COURTHOUSE FROM WHERE YOU LIVE AND THEY PUT YOU INTO A DIVISION WHERE YOU NEVER PRACTICED A DAY IN YOUR LIFE. SO JUSTICE LAWSON WAS SENT TO KISSIMMEE, INTO A CRIMINAL DIVISION. NOW, I THINK THE CLOSEST THAT JUSTICE LAWSON HAD EVER COME TO A CRIMINAL CASE WAS WHEN A

22 NEIGHBOR ASKED HIM IF HE COULD FIX A PARKING TICKET FOR HIM BUT, HE HAD A FEW SHORT WEEKS TO PREPARE FOR THAT ROLE. AND NOT ONLY WAS HIS TRANSITION FROM CIVIL PRACTITIONER TO A CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE SEAMLESS, IT WAS FLAWLESS. HE QUICKLY WON THE RESPECT OF THE BAR AND HIS PEERS ON THE COURT AND WHEN THE NEXT YEAR CAME AROUND, AND HE TRANSFERRED BACK TO ORLANDO, JUDGES OF ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE SOUGHT OUT HIS COUNSEL ON DIFFICULT ISSUES. THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO. WHEN I FOLLOWED HIM ON TO THE APPELLATE COURT IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME HAD EARNED THE RESPECT OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT BENCH AND BAR AS WELL. AND IF HE HAS NOT DONE SO ALREADY, I CAN ASSURE THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT THAT HE WILL EARN YOUR RESPECT AS WELL. HE'S ADEPT AT DISAGREEING WITHOUT BEING DISAGREEABLE. HE WILL LISTEN TO OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS WITH AN OPEN MIND WITHOUT AN AGENDA. IF YOU'RE ABLE TO CONVINCE HIM OF YOUR POSITION HE IS WILLING TO CHANGE. IF YOU WERE TO LIST THE QUALITY WE WANT IN A JUDGE, JUSTICE LAWSON FITS THAT BILL. HE IS HUMBLE, ALWAYS CALM, ALWAYS COLLECTED. HE IS A GOOD LISTENER EXCEPTIONALLY SMART, EXCELLENT WRITER. HE IS A MAN OF THE UTMOST INTEGRITY. HE IS A JUDGE'S JUDGE. AND FOR THOSE REASONS ON BEHALF OF THE JUDGES ON THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL WE ARE FORMALLY REQUESTING THAT

23 GOVERNOR SCOTT RETURN HIM IMMEDIATELY TO OUR COURT. [LAUGHTER] NO? YEAH. I TOLD THE OTHER JUDGES THAT WOULD NEVER WORK. TO THE MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION AND GOVERNOR SCOTT, YOU ALL CHOSE WELL. OUR LOSS AS A COURT IS A GAIN FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE ENTIRE STATE. ALAN, WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE. EVEN MORE SO WE'RE GOING TO MISS OUR FRIEND. WE WISH YOU WELL, GODSPEED. >> I HAVE ASKED FOR THE HELP OF JUSTICE PARIENTE WHO HAS BETTER EYES THAN I DO BECAUSE SHE IS ABOUT 10 YEARS YOUNGER THAN I AM, TO HELP ME LOCATE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE. SHE HAS FOUND A FEW FOR ME. SO LET ME CALL THEM OUT. FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICES PRESENT HERE TODAY, AND JUSTICE WELLS IS HERE. JUSTICE HARDING IS HERE. JUSTICE GRIMES IS HERE. JUSTICE BELL. AND JUSTICE CANTERO. AND, ALSO PRESENT HERE WITH US TODAY IS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE FLORIDA BAR, MICHAEL HIGERT. HE IS BACK HERE SOMEWHERE. THERE HE IS. AND THE NEWLY-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE BAR WHO WELL FOLLOW MICHAEL HIGER IS MICHELLE

24 SUSKOUR WHO IS HERE SOMEWHERE. PLEASE PARDON THE BINOCULARS WHEN SHE TAKES THEM OUT. SHE IS SPOTTING. NEXT PERSON THAT I'M CALLING TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS ON BEHALF OF JUSTICE LAWSON IS OUR COLLEAGUE, JUSTICE CHARLES CANADY. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHIEF JUSTICE. I'M GRATEFUL NOW FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE JOYFUL CHORUS, FORMALLY WELCOMING ALAN LAWSON TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT. IT IS A SIGNAL HONOR TO WELCOME ALAN AS MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR HERE AT THE COURT, BOTH IN CHAMBERS AND ON THE BENCH. NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE IS AN OUTSTANDING JUDGE, BUT ALSO BECAUSE HE IS A DEAR FRIEND. ALAN AND I MET FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO ACROSS THE STREET ON THE UPPER SIDE OF DUVAL, IN A CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE CAPITOL IN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR'S GENERAL COUNSEL, WHICH WAS MY OFFICE AT THE TIME. NOW I MUST APOLOGIZE TO THE JUDGES HERE FOR WHOM THE MENTION OF THAT CONFERENCE ROOM EVOKES PAINFUL MEMORIES. [LAUGHTER]. AND IF I AM MYSELF AM THE CAUSE OF ANY PAINFUL EXPERIENCE NOW BROUGHT TO MIND, I HUMBLY BEG YOUR FORGIVENESS. BUT FOR ALAN I BELIEVE MEMORIES OF THAT TIME WE MET IN THE GOVERNOR'S GENERAL COUNSEL ROOM ARE NOT PAINFUL. AFTER MEETING IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM ALAN WAS SOON TO BEGIN HIS JUDICIAL CAREER AS A JUDGE FOR THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT. I REMEMBER TELLING THE GOVERNOR AT THE TIME, THAT I NEVER INTERVIEWED A MORE IMPRESSIVE

25 JUDICIAL CANDIDATE FOR ANY JUDICIAL POSITION. ALAN WAS IMPRESSIVE FOR MANY REASONS. YOU ALREADY HEARD MANY OF THESE TODAY. BUT HE WAS IMPRESSIVE FOR HIS DIVERSE EXPERIENCE IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR. HESS HUMILITY, HIS STRONG INTELLECT, FAR-RANGING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW, COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, HIS STRONG WORK ETHIC AND HIS PASSION FOR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE RULE OF LAW. IT ALSO DIDN'T HURT THAT ALAN WAS THE SON-IN-LAW OF FRAN CARLTON, WHO IS UP HERE, MY COLLEAGUE IN THE FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES A FEW DECADES, I MEAN YEARS AGO. [LAUGHTER]. TO ALL OF THE STRONG QUALITIES THAT ALAN HAD 15 YEARS AGO, WHEN HE APPEARED TO INTERVIEW FOR THAT CIRCUIT JUDGESHIP, HE HAS ADDED 15 YEARS OF EXTRAORDINARY DISTINGUISHED JUDICIAL SERVICE. DURING THAT TIME ON THE TRIAL AND APPELLATE BENCH, ALAN HAS MADE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS NOT ONLY TO THE JURISPRUDENCE OF OUR STATE, BUT ALSO TO THE GOVERNANCE OF THE STATE COURT SYSTEM. AS IS READILY APPARENT, FROM THESE PROCEEDINGS TODAY, ALAN'S CONTRIBUTIONS ARE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE JUDICIARY. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A JUDGE IN THIS STATE WHO IS MORE HIGHLY RESPECTED BY JUDICIAL COLLEAGUES. THE LEADERSHIP ALAN HAS SHOWN DEMONSTRATES THAT ALAN COMES TO THE COURT TO WELL-PREPARED TO DO THE WORK OF A JUSTICE AS ANYONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT.

26 TO GOVERNOR SCOTT AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION, I SAY THANK YOU FOR SENDING ALAN LAWSON TO THIS COURT. AND ALAN, I CAN NOT TELL YOU HOW DEEPLY I VALUE YOU AS A COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND. I ADMIRE YOUR-- COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND YOUR SERIOUS, THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO THE TASK OF JUDGING. AS WE-- I KNOW I WILL LEARN MUCH FROM YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU UNTIL THE CONSTITUTIONAL BELL TOLLS FOR ME. WHICH WON'T BE LONG. [LAUGHTER]. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA. >> OKAY, ALSO PRESENT HERE TODAY WITH US IS THE IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA BAR, WHICH IS RAY ABERDEEN. RAY, IF YOU STAND. >> FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE THE PRESENT DEAN OF THE FSU LAW SCHOOL WHERE ALAN LAWSON GRADUATED, DEAN CONNOR. AND WE HAVE THE FORMER DEAN OF FSU LAW SCHOOL, WHO I'M SURE WAS AROUND WHEN ALAN WAS THERE, HE WAS THERE ABOUT 50 YEARS, DON WIDENER, WHEREVER YOU ARE. THANK YOU. SO NOW, WE COME TO THE PART OF THE PRESENTATION AND THE PART OF THE CEREMONY WHERE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE MADE TO JUDGE LAWSON. SO, THE FIRST, AT THIS TIME I WOULD RECOGNIZE THE PRESENT PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA BAR, BILL, WILLIAM J. SCHIFINO, JR., TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.

27 >> JUSTICES, GOVERNOR SCOTT, PRESIDENT NEGRON, MANY DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, PAST SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, MY COLLEAGUES, THE LAWSON FAMILY AND TO YOU JUSTICE LAWSON, WELL-DONE. IT IS CERTAINLY MY PRIVILEGE TODAY TO BE REPRESENTING THE FLORIDA BAR, OUR 104,000 MEMBERS AND CERTAINLY OUR BOARD OF GOVERNORS, MANY OF WHICH ARE HERE TODAY IN YOUR HONOR. I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN IN LINE THANKING THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION FOR RECOMMENDING TO OUR GOVERNOR JUSTICE LAWSON. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING FOR MANY YEAR ON THE JNC IN THE 13th. IT IS A LOT OF HARD WORK. TO GOVERNOR SCOTT, THANK YOU, AND TO YOUR STAFF, FOR GIVING JUSTICE LAWSON. -- JUSTICE LAWSON. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING PROCESS IS NO MERE FORMALITY. FRANKLY IT IS NO EASY TASK. YOUR COLLEAGUES RECOMMENDED YOU AFTER EVALUATING YOUR BODY OF WORK OVER AN ENTIRE CAREER. OUR GOVERNOR AND HIS STAFF THEN APPOINTED YOU. WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE CERTAINLY AWARE OF THE CRITICAL ROLE OUR JUDGES PLAY, NOT ONLY WITHIN OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM, BUT WITHIN OUR SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. THE CITIZENS OF OUR STATE LOOK TO YOU AS A LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITIES. YOU SET THE EXAMPLE BY WHICH WE ARE ALL JUDGED. YOU AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COURT, HOW YOU DISPENSE JUSTICE, HOLD YOURSELF OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IN MANY RESPECTS, DEFINES HOW OUR BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT IS PERCEIVED.

28 I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL MAKE US ALL PROUD. CONGRATULATIONS TODAY ON BECOMING ONE OF SOCIETY'S MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC SERVANTS. THE FLORIDA BAR HAS A LONG-STANDING TRADITION OF PRESENTING EACH NEW JUSTICE A BIBLE ON WHICH HE OR SHE MAY SWEAR THE OATH OF OFFICE. IT THEN BECOME AS REMINDER OF THE BINDING COMMITMENT THAT EACH ONE OF US MAKES TO UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS OF OUR FINE STATE. AS THE CENTRAL TEXT OF BOTH JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY THE BIBLE HAS BEEN A SYMBOL OF ETHICAL CONDUCT OVER THE WORLD FOR NEARLY 6,000 YEARS. OVER THOSE MANY YEARS MUCH HAS CHANGED IN OUR WORLD BUT CHANGING TIMES DO NOT CHANGE TIMELESS TRUTHS. HISTORY SHOWS THAT THE BIBLE HAS CONTINUALLY PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN AMERICA'S LAWS AND CULTURES. AS LAWYERS WE KNOW THAT THE LAW MUST RESPECT AND PRESERVE DIGNITY, EQUALITY, AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PERSONS. JUSTICE LAWSON, MAY THIS BIBLE ALSO BE A GUIDE AND A SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND INSPIRATION TO YOU AS YOU REPRESENT OUR PROFESSION AND OUR CORE VALUES. THEREFORE, IT IS WITH ADMIRATION, APPRECIATION, AND RESPECT FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE, BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS YOU EMBARK ON THIS NEW ADVENTURE, THAT I PRESENT TO YOU, THIS BIBLE FROM YOUR FELLOW FLORIDA LAWYERS. I HOPE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AND GUIDE YOU AS YOU INSPIRE AND LEAD OTHERS FROM YOUR NEW POSITION WITH THIS COURT.

29 >> THANK YOU. OUR SECOND PRESENTATION TODAY WILL BE MADE ON BEHALF OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS. THE COURT WILL NOW RECOGNIZE ITS PRESIDENT, LEORAB FREIRE. >> CHIEF JUSTICE, JUSTICES, GOVERNOR, AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS. I AM HONORED AND HUMBLED TO BE HERE TODAY, AND I THANK YOU, JUSTICE LAWSON, FOR THE INVITATION FOR OUR ORGANIZATION TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. ON PAST OF THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN LAWYERS, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE ON THE BENCH, YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO COME ON THIS BENCH, AND FOR YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO HELP INSURE THIS WONDERFUL PROFESSION THAT WE GET TO SHARE IN REMAINS A NOBLE ONE. ON BEHALF OF FAL, AND ALL FLORIDA VOLUNTARY BAR ORGANIZATIONS WHICH IT IS MANY, IT IS OUR HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT YOU WITH A COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION, A COPY WE HOPE CAN BE A RESOURCE TO YOU AS YOU EMBARK UPON THIS NEW INCREDIBLE JOURNEY. CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. AND AT THIS POINT I TURN ONCE AGAIN TO MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE BENCH. THIS TIME TO GIVE PERSONAL READS FOR THIS AUSPICIOUS OCCASION. IT IS MY HONOR TO CALL UPON THE DEAN OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT, JUSTICE BARBARA PARIENTE. TO GIVE A READING. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> BY DEAN, I DON'T MEAN THE

30 OLDEST. I MEAN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN HERE THE LONGEST. >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHIEF JUSTICE. AND TO MY COLLEAGUES AND TO OUR NEWEST COLLEAGUE, JUSTICE LAWSON. I HAVE KNOWN YOU FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE APPELLATE COURT, AND YOU HAVE ALREADY PROVED ON THIS COURT TO BE EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT YOU, KIND, COLLEGIAL, OPEN-MINDED AND HUMBLE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANTED US TO DO, YOU WANTED ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS INVESTITURE. SO, I WAS ASKED BY YOU TO READ FROM THE BIBLE AND I WENT TO GET MY BIBLE THAT I WAS PRESENTED BY THE FLORIDA BAR, FEBRUARY OF AND MY FIRST COMMENT IS, MINE'S MUCH SMALLER THAN THE ONE YOU JUST-- [LAUGHTER]. BUT I THINK IT STILL HAS THE WORDS WE NEED. SO I READ FROM DEUTERONOMY 16:18. YOU SHALL APPOINT FOR YOURSELF JUDGES AND OFFICERS IN ALL YOUR TOWNS WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU, ACCORDING TO YOUR TRIBES AND THEY SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. YOU SHALL NOT DISTORT JUSTICE, YOU SHALL NOT BE PARTIAL, AND YOU SHALL NOT TAKE A BRIBE, FOR A BRIBE BLINDS THE EYES OF THE WISE AND PERVERTS THE WORDS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. JUSTICE AND ONLY JUSTICE, YOU SHALL PURSUE THAT YOU MAY LIVE AND POSSESS THE LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I NOW CALL UPON JUSTICE

31 POLSTON TO MAKE SOME REMARKS. >> I'M HONORED THAT JUSTICE LAWSON ASKED ME TO READ FROM THE BOOK OF MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 TODAY. HE AND I YOU PROBABLY HEARD WERE LAW SCHOOL CLASSMATES AT FSU LAW SCHOOL. SO IT IS GREAT TO HAVE HIM AS A COLLEAGUE ON THE BENCH. CHIEF JUDGE LAUTEN, THAT CHIEF JUSTICE LAWSON KNEW A CHEAP GIFT WAS COMING HIS WAY. MATTHEW CHAPTER 6. DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELF TREASURES ON EARTH WHERE MOTH AND RUST DESTROY WHERE THIEVES BREAK IN AND STEAL. STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN WHERE NEITHER MOTH NOR RUST DESTROY AND THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN OR STEAL. WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO. FOR THIS REASON I SAY TO YOU, DO NOT BE WORRIED ABOUT YOUR LIFE, WHAT YOU WILL EAT OR WHAT YOU WILL DRINK, NOR FOR YOUR BODY, AS WHAT YOU WILL PUT ON. IS NOT LIFE MORE THAN FOOD AND THE BODY MORE THAN CLOTHING? LOOK AT THE BIRDS OF THE AIR THEY DO NOT SOW, NOR REAP, NOR GATHER INTO BARNS AND YET YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM. ARE YOU NOT WORTH MUCH MORE THAN THEY? WHO OF YOU BY BEING WORRIED CAN ADD A SINGLE HOUR TO HIS LIFE, BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. >> THANK YOU, JUSTICE POLSTON. THE TIME HAS NOW COME TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS. AND THAT IS, THE HIGH POINT OF TODAY'S INVESTITURE. AND, I AM AT THIS TIME ASKING JUSTICE LAWSON'S IMMEDIATE FAMILY TO GATHER IN THE WELL, TO

32 PARTICIPATE IN THE ENROBING PART OF THE CEREMONY. AND I ASK SENIOR JUDGE EMERSON THOMPSON, FORMER CHIEF JUDGE OF BOTH THE NINTH CIRCUIT AND THE FIFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, TO JOIN THEM FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADMINISTERING THE OATH OF OFFICE. JUDGE EMERSON. THE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THAT I WILL SPORT, PROTECT AND DEFEND. >> THAT I WILL SUPPORT-- [INAUDIBLE] >> THE CONSTITUTION. [INAUDIBLE] >> DULY QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE. >> DUAL QUALIFIED TO HOLD OFFICE. [INAUDIBLE]. >> NOW THAT YOU ARE PROPERLY DRESSED, YOU MAY TAKE THE BENCH. [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY YOU CAN DO THAT. >> I KLEIN YOU HADED IN THE PROGRAM ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF MANY OF THE PEOPLE FOR WHOM I'M INDEBTED, FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO MY LIFE BUT I WANTED TO MAKE A FEW MORE-- YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN RECOGNIZED BUT TO THE SUPREME COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION AND GOVERNOR SCOTT AND HIS LEGAL STAFF I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING SPECIAL TO GOVERNOR SCOTT BECAUSE HE HAD THE APPOINTMENT. I APPRECIATE IT WAS ME BUT ON THE DAY OF THE PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT HE CALLED BACK AFTER HE TOLD ME THAT I HAD THE APPOINTMENT, AND SAID, HEY, HOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY COMING TO BREAKFAST AT THE MANSION

33 BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT? AND, OF COURSE I SAID YES. AND MY PARENT, MY SON, MY WIFE, AND GOVERNOR SCOTT MET US THERE, DARK 30, PERSONALLY, HAD MEMORIZED EVERYBODY'S NAME. NEW SOMETHING ABOUT EACH PERSON THAT WOULD BE THERE, GREETED THEM BY NAME. WE SAT DOWN AND TALKED FOR AN HOUR OF ENGAGING CONVERSATION THAT MADE THE DAY VERY, VERY SPECIAL. YOU CERTAINLY DID NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT KINDNESS. MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE AND SENATE, IT IS EXTRAORDINARY THAT DURING THIS VERY, VERY BUSY TIME YOU WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO COME AND BE HERE WITH US, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT, SENATOR NEGRON, SENATOR RODRIGUEZ, SENATOR LEE, THE OTHERS WHO I KNOW HAD TO GET BACK TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WHATEVER ELSE IS GOING ON. AS MOST OF YOU KNOW I HAD OF PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH PARTICULARLY SENATOR NEGRON AS HE CHAIRED OUR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE FOR JUDICIARY OVER THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE, THE ONES THAT HAVE SHOWN, COME HERE TODAY, AND MANY OTHERS, WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH AND BEEN HELPFUL TO US, AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS MADE TIME NO MATTER HOW BUSY THEY WERE TO LISTEN TO OUR CONCERNS AND TO FREQUENTLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN GO INTO ACTION, TAKE ACTION THAT WOULD PROTECT THE BRANCH AND I APPRECIATE YOU NOT ONLY BEING HERE BUT ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE JUDICIARY. AS YOU ALREADY HEARD I HAD THE PRIVILEGE GOING TO FLORIDA STATE

34 UNIVERSITY OF SCHOOL OF LAW. I APPRECIATE PRESIDENT THRASHER BEING HERE, DEAN WIDENER, THERE IS ONE PERSON HERE WHO I AM GOING TO SINGLE OUT ONLY BECAUSE HE IS EXPERIENCED IN QUITE THE MILESTONE. I'LL NEVER FORGET OUR, AND I THINK RICKY, WE STUDIED TOGETHER FOR EVIDENCE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE CLASSES WE STUDDED TOGETHER FOR, DR. CHARLES ERHARDT WRITTEN THE BOOK FOR FLORIDA. HE IS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF TEACHING EVIDENCE AND OTHER COURSES AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY OF COLLEGE OF LAW. HIS ENTHUSIASM FOR THE LAW, ENTHUSIASM FOR TEACHING HAVE NEVER WAIVERED. PROFESSOR ERHARDT, I HAVE A PROCLAMATION HERE FROM THE CHIEF JUSTICE, THANKING YOU NOT ONLY FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS OF THE LAW AS THEY HAVE COME THROUGH FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, BUT PROFESSOR ERHARDT REGULARLY GIVEN FREELY OF HIS TIME TO TEACH JUDGES OF THIS STATE OVER THE LAST DECADES. I WILL GIVE THIS TO YOU LATER. AFTER THE CEREMONY, WE WANT YOU TO COME UP HERE, ALL THE JUDGES TO JOIN YOU FOR A PICTURE WE CAN PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU, PROFESSOR ERHARDT. >>> FINALLY TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE SUPREME COURT, THANK YOU FOR SO WARMLY WELCOMING ME. WHETHER WE AGREED AND DISAGREED, WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF BOTH ALREADY IN THREE MONTHS, THE DEBATE IS RESPECTFUL, GOOD-HEARTED AND WHAT YOU EXPECT OR WANT IN A COLLEGIAL COURT. IT IS A PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE

35 TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WARM WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR THIS. WE THE PEOPLE, OF THE UNITED STATES, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION, ESTABLISH JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY, TO OURSELVES AND TO OUR POSTERITY, DO OBTAIN, ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE WORLD HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, NEVER. NOT EVEN THE SMALL GREEK CITY STATES LIKE ATHENS AND SPARTA THAT OUR FOUNDERS LOOKED TO FOR INSPIRATION HAD SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. IN EVERY INSTANCE, THEIR CONSTITUTIONS, THEIR REPUBLICS WAS IMPOSED BY A SINGLE PERSON WHO SAID, THIS IS HOW YOU WILL BE GOVERNED. IN 1787 ALMOST EVERY OTHER PERSON ON EARTH WAS GOVERNED BY INSTITUTIONS WHOSE POWER FLOWED FROM A SMALL GROUP OF ARISTOCRATS OR A SMALL GROUP OF MILITARY LEADERS, WHETHER A SINGLE PERSON CALLED A EMPEROR, CZAR, KING, PRINCE, SULTAN OR NO GOVERNMENT AT ALL, WERE THE STRONG SIMPLY PREYED ON THE WEAK. BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THIS EXPERIENCE, THIS, WE DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH LANGUAGE IN THIS DOCUMENT DIDN'T EVEN MEAN ANYTHING IN SEPTEMBER OF 1787 WHEN THE DOCUMENT WAS RELEASED. IT WOULD NOT MEAN ANYTHING UNTIL IT WAS VOTED ON, BY THE PEOPLE, THROUGH CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS, THAT THEY WOULD

36 FORM IN THEIR STATES, IT HAD TO BE ADOPTED BY NINE STATES BEFORE IT WOULD EVER TAKE EFFECT ANYWHERE. THEN ONLY IN THOSE STATES WHERE IT WAS ADOPTED, THE PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY SAID, WE ARE GOING TO ESTABLISH A GOVERNMENT. THESE ARE ITS TERMS. AND WHY DID THEY DO IT? JUSTICE. AND LIBERTY. FREEDOM AND JUSTICE. THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHY THEY DID IT. THOMAS JEFFERSON WROTE THAT THE MOST SACRED OF THE DUTIES OF A GOVERNMENT IS TO DO EQUAL AND IMPARTIAL JUSTICE TO ALL OF ITS CITIZENS, AND JUSTICE UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION IS LARGELY THE PROVINCE OF THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. WE CAN DEBATE WHETHER LAWS ARE JUST, AND WE DO, IN GENERAL TERMS BUT JUSTICE REALLY IS CONTEMPLATED BY OUR FOUNDERS WITH SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN ACTION. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY, IN 66 COUNTIES IN COURTHOUSES IN YOUR COMMUNITIES COUNTIES AND OR DOESN'T HAPPY EVERY DAY. I DID SAY EVERY DAY, THE LAW REQUIRES EVERY PERSON ARREST ARRESTED TAKEN BEFORE A JUDGE WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER ARREST TO MAKE SURE THE GOVERNMENT HAS A LEGAL BASIS TO DETAIN THAT PERSON. EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THIS STATE, 365 DAYS A YEAR, THERE IS A JUDGE ON THE BENCH. IF LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO APPLY FOR A SEARCH WARRANT AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING, THEY KNOW WHICH JUDGES ARE ON CALL. WE GET THOSE CALLS, AND THEY GET UP, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT

37 TAKES. TO DO JUSTICE. IT IS NOT A PART-TIME THING. WHEN IT COMES TO JUSTICE THIS, IS WHAT EVERY JUDGE WHO I KNOW IN THIS STATE UNDERSTANDS AND YOU'VE HEARD IT HERE TODAY, THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE DEPENDS ON THE QUALITY OF THE JUDGE. WITH THE PEOPLE AND MATTERS THAT COME BEFORE OUR JUDGES TODAY, AND TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY, THE BIGGEST FACTOR DETERMINING WHETHER THOSE PARTICIPATING IN, WATCHING THAT PROCEEDING WALK AWAY BELIEVING THEY HAVE GOTTEN JUSTICE AND HAVING JUSTICE IS THE INTEGRITY, THE DEMEANOR, DILIGENCE, COMPETENCE, IMPARTIALITY OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER. I REMEMBER WATCHING AS A LAWYER AND THINKING, WHAT AN EASY JOB THEY HAVE. I MEAN I HAVE WORKED FOR MONTH, I HAVE DONE DISCOVERY, I LOOKED AT DOCUMENTS, I HAVE TAKEN DEPOSITIONS, I HAVE WRITTEN, RESEARCHED THE LAW, WRITTEN MEMORANDA. STAYED UP HALF THE NIGHT PREPARING FOR THIS 10-MINUTE HEARING. I GET IN THAT, ALL THAT PERSON MAKE AS DECISION AND GO ON THE NEXT CASE. I HAVE TO SPEND GUT-WRENCHING HOURS FOR THE NEXT HEARING. WHAT AN EASY JOB THEY HAVE. THEN I REMEMBER BEFORE I TOOK THE BENCH, I HAD THREE WEEKS TO PREPARE TO SIT AS JUDGE LAWSON ON THE FELONY BENCH. I NEVER HANDLED A CRIMINAL CASE. I NEVER EVEN HANDLE AD TRAFFIC TICKET I HANDLED BEFORE. JUDGE LAWSON WATCHED ME, THAT IS NOT HARD. I WOULD THAT. I WOULD DO THIS.

38 I THAT IS NOT HARD. I GOT THIS. I GOD THIS. THEN THE DAY CAME. I PUT ON A ROBE FIRST TIME I WALKED INTO THE COURTROOM. THE DEPUTY ANNOUNCED ALL RISE. AND I SAT DOWN AND LOOKED OUT AT A CROWD FILLED WITH THE ACCUSED, AND THEIR FAMILY, AND VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND SPECTATORS, AND THE FULL WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY HIT ME. BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER A DECISION. THEY WERE MY DECISIONS AND EVERYONE DETERMINED WHETHER JUSTICE WAS BEING DONE OR NOT. I HAD TO TELL WHO WAS TELLING THE TRUTH AND WHO WASN'T. IF I GOT THAT WRONG, JUSTICE WASN'T GOING TO BE DONE. HOW LONG OF A SENTENCE FOR THIS 15-YEAR-OLD KID, OR, PROBATION? DECADES? OR PROBATION? DOES THE STATE GET TO TAKE A CHILD FROM A PARENT AND SEVER THAT PARENTAL BOND FOREVER? CHILD CUSTODY, EVEN MONEY MATTERS, PEOPLE'S FORTUNES, LARGE OR SMALL, ARE AT STAKE AND JUSTICE DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT COURTROOM AND IT DEPENDS ON THE INTEGRITY, THE DILIGENCE, THE COMPETENCE, OF THE JUDGE. I'VE BEEN WEARING ONE OF THESE ROBES MORE THAN 15 YEARS. THERE ARE ONLY MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THIS STATE WHO KNOW AS WELL AS I DO, AS MANY JUDGES IN THE STATE AS I DO BECAUSE I'VE SERVED AS ONE WITH A LOT OF THEM, IN A LARGE CIRCUIT. I'VE LOOKED AT THEIR WORK FOR 11 YEARS, IN A LARGE DISTRICT. I HAVE TAUGHT HUNDREDS OF THROUGH OUR FANTASTIC JUDICIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.

39 I'VE BEEN INVOLVED ON COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH JUDGES WHO WERE VOLUNTEERING EXTRA TIME TO MAKE JUSTICE WORK IN FLORIDA. AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE, THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE JUDICIAL OFFICERS THAT SERVE YOU AS THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA ARE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD EVER WANT. THEY ARE DILIGENT. THEY ARE COMPETENT. THEY FEEL THE FULL WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY EVERY TIME THEY TAKE THE BENCH. AND FOR THAT REASON, WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO THE JUDGES WHO ARE HERE, AND THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING, IS THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A DAY SINCE I PUT THIS ROBE ON, EVEN WHEN ONE OF US MAKES A MISTAKE, THAT IS WHAT THE PRESS IS TALKING ABOUT, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES SOMEONE GETS ELECTED WHO PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THE JOB IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THEM UNTIL THEY'RE REMOVED OR REPLACED BY SOMEBODY ELSE, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A DAY WHEN I HAVE NOT BEEN PROUD TO BE RANKED AMONG YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE JUDGES OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I'M GOING TO SAY ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE JOB OF JUSTICE AND IT HAS TO DO, YOU CAN'T READ IT HERE, WHEN YOU GO BACK OUT INTO THE RECEPTION YOU WILL SEE THE SEAL SAYS, SETO ERECAE? WHICH MEANS, DID I PRONOUNCE THAT INCORRECTLY? SOON ENOUGH, IF RIGHT. I'VE BEEN COMING INTO THIS BUILDING FOR A LONG TIME. I ACTUALLY TRIED TWO CASES OR