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Lakeland Judge Named To State Supreme Court

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By CATHERINE DOLINSKI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 29, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Charles T. Canady of Lakeland on Thursday to the Florida Supreme Court.

Canady, 54, who represented his home district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000, replaces Justice Raoul G. Cantero III, who announced his resignation from the court in April, citing family reasons.

Canady has served on the 2nd District Court of Appeal since 2002. He served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1984 to 1990.

Crist, who appeared with the incoming justice at the govenor's mansion on Thursday, said he had looked for a candidate who has "demonstrated a career committed to justice and fairness."

Canady, whom Crist has known for years, meets those requirements and demonstrates "great integrity, great intellect and great humility," the governor said.

"I will strive to do the best that I can for every Floridian on our highest court," Canady said, adding later that he will work to maintain a constructive working relationship with the other two branches of state government -- especially as the state struggles through its ongoing budget crisis.

He and his family will relocate to Tallahassee, he said. .

Canady's appointment leaves Crist with one more decision to make on the Supreme Court in the near future. In the next couple of months, the governor will name a replacement for Justice Kenneth Bell, who also resigned this year.

Bell and Cantero were Bush appointees.

Two more justices will reach the retirement age of 70 next year, empowering Crist to name a majority of the seven-justice Supreme Court.

Canady, a Republican like Crist and Bush, was part of the GOP-controlled House's legal team that argued President Clinton, a Democrat, should be removed for lying under oath about his affair with intern Monica Lewinsky. The Senate acquitted Clinton.

In his closing argument Canady equated lying about the affair with lying about sexual harassment.

"He sat there in the White House, and then he put on his most sincere face," Canady said. "He swore to God to tell the truth, and he lied."

Later, Canady served as general counsel to Bush who then appointed him to the appellate court in his hometown. Canady also once served as a state legislator.

As Bush's top lawyer Canady defended the then-governor's voucher program, which let children from failing public schools switch to private schools at taxpayer expense. The Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that it was unconstitutional.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter Catherine Dolinski can be reached at (850) 222-8382 or cdolinski@tampatrib.com.

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