TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida appeals court says Gov. Rick Scott should get to pick a new judge for northeast Florida instead of letting voters decide.
The 1st District Court of Appeal on Thursday reversed a lower court decision that had sided with attorney David Trotti.
Trotti had initially qualified to run for a circuit judgeship, but election officials then removed him because they said the position would be filled by Scott.
Scott’s office asserted the judgeship should be filled by an appointment because Judge Robert Foster was resigning four business days before his term ended. Foster could not seek another term because he has reached the mandatory retirement age for judges.
The appeals court agreed that the governor should get the appointment because the resignation was announced before election qualifying started.
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