Governor Crist Names Charles Canady to Florida Supreme Court

TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today named Charles T. Canady to the Florida Supreme Court. Judge Canady, 54, is Governor Crist’s first appointment to the seven-member high court. Judge Canady will fill the vacancy left by Justice Raoul G. Cantero III, who has served on the Florida Supreme Court since 2002.

“I consider this to be one of the most important decisions I will make as Governor, because the Supreme Court justices make precedent-setting decisions that affect the lives of all Floridians for generations to come,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “I am confident Judge Canady will rule from our state’s highest bench with wisdom, fairness and humility. He has shown throughout his career the courage to make rulings that are fair and just.”

Judge Canady has since 2002 served on the Second District Court of Appeals. A Lakeland native, Canady graduated from Yale Law School in 1979 and went on to a career in public and private practice, working for law firms including Holland & Knight and Greenberg Traurig. Judge Canady served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990. Canady was then elected in 1992 to the U.S. House of Representatives where he represented his home district of Lakeland through 2000. Following his tenure in Washington, Judge Canady served as General Counsel to Governor Bush from 2001 to 2002.

“It is an honor to be appointed to such an important post,” said Judge Canady, who was in Tallahassee today with his wife and two children. “I am grateful to have the confidence and support of Governor Crist, and I will work to uphold the Florida Constitution and our justice system.”

“Judge Canady’s breadth of legal experience makes him an ideal choice for this post,” said Governor Crist. “I am confident he will have the courage to make decisions that uphold our Constitution and the justice that every Floridian deserves.”

“The Governor has again shown his commitment to the legal community in appointing Judge Canady,” said Marlene Quintana, President of the Cuban American Bar Association. “Like Justice Cantero, Judge Canady is an intellectual jurist with unquestioned integrity. Judge Canady is a longtime public servant and will surely add his wisdom and years of experience to the Court. We congratulate him and look forward to his many years of service to the people of Florida.”

“Governor Crist has made a wise decision,” said Howard Coker, Past President of the Florida Bar and Past President of the Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers. “Judge Canady is imminently qualified to serve. Having personally reviewed Judge Canady’s decisions on the Second District Court of Appeal, I can say that he has set a high standard of fairness, humility and respect for the law. His proven track record of leaving politics and personal ideology out of his judicial decisions demonstrates the level of professional integrity he will bring to the bench. He will be a great asset to the Court.”