A.G. Gancarski
Hours after the 1st District Court of Appeal sided with Gov. Rick Scott in his desire to appoint the successor for Judge Robert Foster, the Governor announced last week that Duval County Judge Lester Bass would be his pick if the Florida Supreme Court doesn’t overrule the appeal.
On Friday, Jacksonville lawyer David Trotti, who had appealed the district court’s rulingto the Supreme Court, was granted a stay, with a new Wednesday deadline for an answer brief on jurisdiction.
At issue: Trotti filing to run for the seat before the qualifying deadline, a decision challenged by the Scott side. If the election were re-opened, Trotti’s “election” would be unopposed.
The selection of Bass, meanwhile, was lauded throughout Jacksonville and beyond.
His resume includes being a Duval County judge, 11 years as a General Magistrate and Hearing Officer in the 4th Judicial Circuit, and stints as an Assistant Public Defender, Assistant State Attorney, and as a lawyer with Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
Scott lauded Bass for his “commitment to his community and to public service. His service on the County Court has reflected the values we should expect from the judiciary: integrity, a tireless work ethic, respect for the rule of law, and an unwavering belief in equal justice under the law.”
Gregory S. Redmon, President of the D.W. Perkins Bar Association, also praised the appointment, “Judge Bass is a very high caliber gentleman of keen intellect, sterling character, uncompromising fairness, and unbounded concern for his fellow man. As he has been in the County Court, the Honorable Lester Bass will be an outstanding member of the Circuit Court. Congratulations Judge Bass!”
