Florida First District Court of Appeal

The Florida First District Court of Appeal, also known as the First DCA, is headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, the state capital. It is unique among the five Florida District Courts of Appeal in that, much like the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at the federal level, it handles most of the appeals in state administrative law matters. It is also solely responsible for handling appeals in workers' compensation cases.

New Courthouse Controversy
Main article: Florida Taj Mahal scandal
The "Taj Mahal" courthouse

Before December 2010, the First DCA had been located two blocks from the Supreme Court of Florida in downtown Tallahassee. During December, the First DCA moved into a new courthouse on the southeastern outskirts of the city. The $48.8 million construction cost of the new courthouse generated considerable controversy, particularly given that the new building contained details and amenities such as "miles" of African mahogany, granite top desks, and a sixty-inch flat screen television in each judge's chamber. The opulence of the new building led many critics to dub the new courthouse as the "Taj Mahal," and eventually led to the forced resignation of Paul M. Hawkes as the court's chief judge.[1]

Investigation into the building's construction revealed that after receiving an initial $1.8 million appropriation in the 2006 state budget, then-Governor Jeb Bush threatened to veto the appropriation unless the judges considered remodeling and expanding their existing facility. After receiving letters containing such assurances, the governor left the money in the budget. In 2007, judges on the court had the Florida Legislature appropriate an additional $7.9 million toward construction of a new courthouse. In the final days of that year's legislative session, judges had lawmakers slip an amendment into a transportation bill authorizing a $33.5 million bond issue for the new building.[2]

Composition
Name[3] Appointed Chief Judge Term expires Appointing Governor
Stephanie W. Ray June 27, 2011 2019–present 2024 Rick Scott, Republican
James R. Wolf 1990 2003–2005 2022 Bob Martinez, Republican
Joseph Lewis, Jr. 2001 2013–2015 2020 Jeb Bush, Republican
Bradford L. Thomas 2005 2017–2019 2024 Jeb Bush, Republican
L. Clayton Roberts January 18, 2007 2015–2017 2020 Charlie Crist, Republican
Lori S. Rowe September 15, 2009 — 2022 Charlie Crist, Republican
Scott Makar 2012 — 2020 Rick Scott, Republican
Timothy D. Osterhaus May 20, 2013 — 2020 Rick Scott, Republican
Ross L. Bilbrey January 6, 2015 — 2022 Rick Scott, Republican
Susan L. Kelsey April 2015 — 2022 Rick Scott, Republican
Thomas D. Winokur July 6, 2015 — 2022 Rick Scott, Republican
Harvey L. Jay, III February 2016 — 2024 Rick Scott, Republican
M. Kemmerly Thomas June 20, 2016 — 2024 Rick Scott, Republican
Rachel E. Nordby 2019 — 2020 Ron DeSantis, Republican
Adam S. Tanenbaum 2019 — 2020 Ron DeSantis, Republican

See also

References
  1. Morgan, Lucy (Jan 18, 2011). "Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady imposes order to prevent another 'Taj Mahal'". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  2. Morgan, Lucy; Katie Sanders (Jan 15, 2011). "Judge behind lavish courthouse "lied" in his testimony, legislator says". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
  3. Succession of Justices of Supreme Court of Florida Florida First District Court of Appeal
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