Florida Statutes § 43.291 — Judicial nominating commissions.
This section sets out how judicial nominating commissions are composed and governed, including who appoints members, who may not serve, how decisions are made, and who provides support.
43.291 Judicial nominating commissions.—(1) Each judicial nominating commission shall be composed of the following members:(a) Four members of The Florida Bar, appointed by the Governor, who are engaged in the practice of law, each of whom is a resident of the territorial jurisdiction served by the commission to which the member is appointed. The Board of Governors of The Florida Bar shall submit to the Governor three recommended nominees for each position. The Governor shall select the appointee from the list of nominees recommended for that position, but the Governor may reject all of the nominees recommended for a position and request that the Board of Governors submit a new list of three different recommended nominees for that position who have not been previously recommended by the Board of Governors. (b) Five members appointed by the Governor, each of whom is a resident of the territorial jurisdiction served by the commission to which the member is appointed, of which at least two are members of The Florida Bar engaged in the practice of law. (2) A justice or judge may not be a member of a judicial nominating commission. A member of a judicial nominating commission may hold public office other than judicial office. A member of a judicial nominating commission is not eligible for appointment, during his or her term of office and for a period of 2 years thereafter, to any state judicial office for which that commission has the authority to make nominations. All acts of a judicial nominating commission must be made with a concurrence of a majority of its members. (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, each current member of a judicial nominating commission appointed directly by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar shall serve the remainder of his or her term, unless removed for cause. The terms of all other members of a judicial nominating commission are hereby terminated, and the Governor shall appoint new members to each judicial nominating commission in the following manner:(a) Two appointments for terms ending July 1, 2002, one of which shall be an appointment selected from nominations submitted by the Board of Governors of The Florida Bar pursuant to paragraph (1)(a); (b) Two appointments for terms ending July 1, 2003; and (c) Two appointments for terms ending July 1, 2004. Every subsequent appointment, except an appointment to fill a vacant, unexpired term, shall be for 4 years. Each expired term or vacancy shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the member whose position is being filled. (4) In making an appointment, the Governor shall seek to ensure that, to the extent possible, the membership of the commission reflects the racial, ethnic, and gender diversity, as well as the geographic distribution, of the population within the territorial jurisdiction of the court for which nominations will be considered. The Governor shall also consider the adequacy of representation of each county within the judicial circuit. (5) A member of a judicial nominating commission may be suspended for cause by the Governor pursuant to uniform rules of procedure established by the Executive Office of the Governor consistent with s. 7, Art. IV of the State Constitution. (6) A quorum of the judicial nominating commission is necessary to take any action or transact any business. For purposes of this section, a quorum consists of a majority of commission members currently appointed. (7) The Executive Office of the Governor shall provide all administrative support for each judicial nominating commission.