(CN) - An attorney elected as a circuit judge in Florida isn't eligible for the position, because his law license had been suspended for 91 days, the state Supreme Court ruled.
William S. Abramson was elected as a circuit judge in August 2008. He was scheduled to begin his term on Jan. 6, 2009.
Four days before that date, Abramson began serving a 91-day "rehabilitative suspension" from practicing law.
In a requested opinion to Gov. Charlie Crist, the justices said Abramson cannot sit on the bench.
"You are not authorized to commission a circuit judge-elect if he fails to satisfy the constitutional eligibility requirements of that office," the justices wrote to Crist.
In determining whether a suspended lawyer satisfies those requirements, the justices wrote that they relied on common sense: "One may not be a judge in a court in which one's own practice as a lawyer would be disallowed."
Subscribe to our free newsletters
Our weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.
Additional Reads
-
-
Texans head to the polls for high-stakes US Senate primary February 17, 2026