James A. Scott

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = James Alexander Scott

| image = Portrait of Florida legislative senator Jim Scott.jpg

| office = Member of the
Broward County Commission
from the 4th district

| term_start = December 12, 2000

| term_end = November 19, 2006

| predecessor = Scott Cowan

| successor = Ken Keechl

| office1 = President of the Florida Senate

| term_start1 = November 22, 1994

| term_end1 = November 19, 1996

| predecessor1 = Pat Thomas

| successor1 = Toni Jennings

| state_senate2 = Florida

| district2 = 31st

| term_start2 = November 16, 1976

| term_end2 = November 21, 2000

| predecessor2 = David C. Lane{{Cite web|url=http://uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/Senate18452001.html/|title=Florida Senators|date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229053123/http://uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/Senate18452001.html/|archive-date=2016-12-29}}

| successor2 = Debby P. Sanderson

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|01|14}}

| birth_place = Pikeville, Kentucky, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Republican

| spouse = {{marriage|Janice Ann Suskey{{cite web |title=Legislator Profile Former Florida Senator James A. Scott (R) |url=https://public.lobbytools.com/legislators/31 |website=Publiclobbytools.com |publisher=Lobbytools, Inc. |access-date=16 May 2023}}|1966|2004|end=died}} {{marriage|Virginia Wetherell|2020}}{{cite web |last1=Morgan |first1=Lucy |title=When relationships between two political parties were kinder and gentler |url=https://floridaphoenix.com/2020/02/14/when-relationships-between-two-political-parties-were-kinder-and-gentler/ |website=Floridaphoenix.com |date=14 February 2020 |publisher=Florida |access-date=15 May 2023}}

| children = 2

| alma_mater = University of Kentucky (BA, JD)

}}

James A. "Jim" Scott (born January 14, 1942) is a former member of the Florida Senate and former member of the member of the Broward County Commission. He is a member of the Republican Party.{{Cite web|url=https://public.lobbytools.com/legislators/31|title=Former Florida Senator James A. Scott (R) | LobbyTools|website=public.lobbytools.com}}

Scott was born in Pikeville, Kentucky. He attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned his BA and JD.{{Cite web| title=The Florida Senate 1994-1996 | url=https://www.flsenate.gov/UserContent/Publications/SenateHandbooks/pdf/94-96_Senate_Handbook.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229164307/https://www.flsenate.gov/UserContent/Publications/SenateHandbooks/pdf/94-96_Senate_Handbook.pdf | archive-date=2020-02-29}}

Scott was a founding partner of the Tripp Scott law firm and is Chairman Emeritus. The firm is associated with the Republican Party of Florida.{{cite web |title=James A. Scott Chairman Emeritus |url=https://www.trippscott.com/james-a-scott |website=trippscott.com |publisher=Tripp Scott |access-date=19 March 2025}}

In 1976, Scott was elected to the Florida Senate. In 1994, he became President of the Florida Senate. He left the State Senate in 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24328/james-scott|title=The Voter's Self Defense System}}

On December 12, 2000, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Scott to the Broward County Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=17468|title=Our Campaigns - Candidate - Jim A. Scott|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}} He replaced Scott Cowan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/12/07/bush-gives-former-senator-broward-commission-seat/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229205313/https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2000/12/07/bush-gives-former-senator-broward-commission-seat/|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 29, 2020|title=Bush gives former senator Broward commission seat|website=Tampa Bay Times}} His term expired on November 19, 2006, after he lost reelection to Ken Keechl.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=44648|title=Our Campaigns - Broward County Commissioner 4 Race - Nov 05, 2002|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}

After Mel Martínez resigned from the U.S. Senate in 2009, Governor Charlie Crist considered appointing Scott to fill the remainder of the vacancy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-mtblog-2009-08-could_former_florida_senate_pr-story.html|title=Could former Florida Senate President Jim Scott be headed to Washington?|first=Anthony|last=Man|website=sun-sentinel.com|date=11 August 2009 }} Ultimately, the position went to George LeMieux.