Ricky Polston
{{Short description|American judge}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Ricky Polston
|image = Florida-Supreme-Court-Justice-Ricky-Polston-2019.jpg
|imagesize =
|office1 = Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida
|term_start1 = October 2, 2008
|term_end1 = March 31, 2023
|appointer1 = Charlie Crist
|predecessor1 = Kenneth B. Bell
|successor1 = Meredith Sasso
|office = Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
|term_start = July 1, 2012
|term_end = June 30, 2014
|predecessor = Charles T. Canady
|successor = Jorge Labarga
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|11|24}}
|birth_place = Dothan, Alabama, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse = Deborah Polston
|residence = Tallahassee, Florida
|alma_mater = Florida State University (BS, JD)
}}
Ricky L. Polston (born November 24, 1955) is an American lawyer who served as a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 2008 to 2023. He served as the chief justice of the court from July 2012 to June 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/justices/old_justices_stuff/Former/chiefjustices.pdf |title=Chronology of the Chief Justices of Florida |publisher=The Office of Public Information, State of Florida |date=June 30, 2012 |accessdate=November 15, 2010}} He is a graduate of Florida State University College of Law.
Background
Polston was raised in Graceville, Florida, and graduated from Graceville High School in 1973 as valedictorian. He received an Associate of Arts from Chipola College in 1975, and a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from Florida State University in 1977. In 1986, he received his Juris Doctor with high honors from the Florida State University College of Law.
Polston is married to children's book author Deborah Ehler Polston. They have ten children, including six whom they have adopted. Described as an "active Christian" by the Miami Herald in 2013, Polston wrote of himself, “I am a product and reflection of Florida. My children are racially diverse, which gives me a better appreciation of different cultures and how they react to each other. In short, I am not isolated as a judge.”{{cite news|author=Bousquet, Steve|title=Florida Chief Justice Ricky Polston ends practice of congratulating new Eagle Scouts|work=Miami Herald|date=May 28, 2013|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article1951945.html|access-date=September 26, 2019}}
Polston has been a certified public accountant since 1978 and worked as a public accountant from 1977 to 1984. After becoming an attorney, Polston was in private practice from 1987 to 2000. Governor Jeb Bush appointed him a judge of the First District Court of Appeal of Florida on January 2, 2001, where he served until his appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. During his service on the court of appeals, Polston heard over 6,000 appellate cases.The Florida Bar News, "Polston Joins the Court", October 15, 2008, p. 1. Since 2003, Polston has also worked as an adjunct professor at Florida State University College of Law, teaching the Florida Constitutional Law class there for several years.{{cn|date=April 2023}}
Supreme Court appointment
Governor Charlie Crist appointed Polston to the Florida Supreme Court on October 1, 2008 to replace Kenneth B. Bell, who resigned that day to return to private practice. Polston was sworn in the next day. He was the second of Crist's four appointments to the Florida Supreme Court.
Polston was elected unanimously to serve as Florida's 55th Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, starting July 1, 2012. Polston, who served a two-year term in the office, is the first Florida State Law alumni to be selected as chief justice.{{cn|date=April 2023}}
On March 20, 2023, Polston announced his resignation, effective March 31, 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article273382960.html |title=Justice Ricky Polston resigns from Florida Supreme Court after 14 years|publisher=Miami Herald |date=March 20, 2023 |accessdate=March 22, 2023}} Ron DeSantis thanked Polston on Twitter remarking: "Justice Polston has been a remarkable Justice and was stalwart for the rule of law and the constitution" {{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1637897716251475970?s=20 |title=Ron Desantis on Twitter|date=March 20, 2023 |accessdate=March 22, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Biography}}
- [http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/justices/polston.shtml Florida Supreme Court Profile]
- Hafenbrack, Josh, "[http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-crist-names-polston-100108,0,2159166.story Crist names Ricky Polston to Florida Supreme Court]," Orlando Sentinel, October 1, 2008.
- Flemming, Paul, "[http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS01/810020339 Gov. Crist names Panhandle native to state high court]," Pensacola News Journal, October 1, 2008.
- Liberto, Jennifer, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20081005180642/http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article835220.ece Polston to join state Supreme Court]," St. Petersburg Times, October 2, 2008.
{{s-start}}
{{s-legal}}
{{s-bef|before=Kenneth B. Bell}}
{{s-ttl|title=Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida|years=2008–2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Meredith Sasso}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Polston, Ricky}}
Category:20th-century American lawyers
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:21st-century American judges
Category:Chief justices of the Supreme Court of Florida
Category:People from Dothan, Alabama
Category:Florida State University faculty
Category:Florida State University alumni
Category:Florida State University College of Law alumni
Category:Judges of the Florida District Courts of Appeal