Brewster Bevis, senior vice president of state and federal affairs for Associated Industries of Florida, commented on the nomination of Justices Barbara Lagoa and Robert Luck to serve at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals..
“This is a testament to how good these justices are," Bevis said. "When [Gov. Ron DeSantis] picked [Barbara] Lagoa and [Robert] Luck to serve on the Florida Supreme Court, he [DeSantis] went through a list of several strong, conservative potential nominees...I have all the faith in the world that the governor will have two great choices to fill those seats.”
Lagoa and Luck were nominated earlier this month by President Trump to fill vacancies at the 11th Circuit, based in Atlanta. The 11th Circuit hears cases from Florida, Alabama and from Georgia.
“Let's put it this way, I am much more comfortable with this court than I was with the previous court,” Bevis said.
The court pivoted to a 6-1 conservative majority from a 4-3 liberal majority in January, following DeSantis's election in November.
Although any new justices will face a learning curve, “These are some of the brightest minds in the state of Florida,” Bevis said. “I'm sure they will be quick studies.”
Bevis predicted tort reform proposals will advance into the year ahead, adding, “They might be delayed, potentially, but I don't see them [tort reform efforts] going away.”