On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis called Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court to replace retirement Judge Ricky Polston.
Sasso is currently the Chief Judge on the Court of Appeals for the Sixth District of Florida, located in Lakeland. She is the fourth woman and, as a Cuban-American, the fourth Hispanic justice DeSantis has appointed to the high court since she took office in 2019. She is the seventh woman to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. With this appointment, there will be three women sitting on the Florida Supreme Court simultaneously for the first time in Florida history.
“I am proud to appoint Justice Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court because her faithfulness to the Constitution will help preserve freedom in our state for generations to come,” DeSantis said. “As a Cuban-American woman who understands the importance of our constitutional system and the rule of law, Judge Sasso will serve our state well.”
“I am incredibly honored to be entrusted with this role by Governor Ron DeSantis,” Sasso said. “The judiciary plays a critical and unique role in our constitutional government, and I am resolutely committed to upholding the rule of law for as long as I have the privilege to serve.”
Sasso received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2005 and his law degree from the University of Florida in 2008, where he was a member of the Campbell Thornal Moot Court Board of Justice. Judge Sasso began her career in private practice, representing clients in large loss general liability, auto negligence, and complex commercial claims in state and federal courts on trial and appellate. She has also served as a guardian ad litem, representing abused or neglected children. Prior to serving on the court, Judge Sasso served as Senior Deputy General Counsel to Governor Rick Scott. In this role, she represented the Office of the Governor in litigation before the Florida Supreme Court, the First District Court of Appeals, and state and federal trial courts, among other capacities. In January 2019, she was appointed to the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District. Governor DeSantis recommissioned Judge Sasso to the Fifth District Court of Appeals for the Sixth District on January 1, 2023.
Sasso was raised in Tallahassee, Florida, is married with two children. He currently serves as an appointed member of the Florida Bar Court of Appeals Rules Committee. He is also a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network and the Federalist Society.
William Large, president of the Florida Justice Reform Institute, applauded the choice.
“The Florida Institute for Justice Reform applauds Governor DeSantis for his bold and consistent leadership as he continues to do exactly what he promised in reshaping the Florida Supreme Court,” Large said. “The Governor’s appointment of Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court cements this promise to appoint judges with a proven track record of embracing textualism and the notion that courts should interpret our laws, not write them.
“Justice Sasso is an exceptional choice for the Florida Supreme Court because of her extensive legal experience, dedication to public service, and strong demonstrated commitment to upholding justice and the rule of law. We further applaud Governor DeSantis for his continued commitment to a Court that can draw on a rich diversity of life experiences,” Large added.
Originally from Jacksonville, Kevin Derby is the editor of Florida Daily and covers politics in Florida. Contact Kevin at [email protected]
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