MIAMI – With the first of his three picks for the Florida Supreme Court, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday chose a female Cuban-American appellate judge to become the state's newest justice.
Barbara Lagoa, for the past 12 years a judge on the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Miami, was introduced by DeSantis at an event at Miami's Freedom Tower. The site is highly symbolic for Cuban-Americans because so many immigrants who fled the communist reign of Cuban leader Fidel Castro were processed into the U.S. through that building.
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"In the country, my parents fled the whim of a single individual could mean the difference between food and hunger, liberty or prison, life or death," Lagoa said. "Unlike the country my parents fled, we are a nation of laws."
DeSantis, who just took office on Tuesday, said Lagoa, 51, has an impeccable judicial background and that her Cuban-American upbringing gives her extra appreciation for the rule of law. He noted that she has considered more than 11,000 cases and written 470 legal opinions
"She has been the essence of what a judge should be" the governor said. "She understands the rule of law, how important that is to a society."
Lagoa, who grew up in the heavily Cuban-American suburb of Hialeah, attended Florida International University and Columbia University law school where she was associate editor of the Columbia Law Review. She also is a former federal prosecutor in Miami. Her father-in-law is Miami senior U.S. District Judge Paul C. Huck and her husband, Paul C. Huck Jr., is a prominent Miami attorney.
DeSantis said Lagoa is the first Hispanic woman appointed to the Supreme Court, but former Chief Justice Rosemary Barkett was born in Mexico to Syrian parents and spoke only Spanish until moving to the U.S.
"I couldn't be more honored to appoint you," the governor told Lagoa as her parents, husband, in-laws and three daughters looked on.
Florida Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said in a statement he is confident that Lagoa will fit the judicial temperament that DeSantis laid out in his inaugural address, which called for a more limited role for the Supreme Court.
"I share the governor's concern that in recent years the power of the judicial branch has extended beyond its limited constitutional responsibility, in many cases eroding the authority of the legislative branch," Galvano said. "I believe democracy is at its best when each branch of government exercises both authority and restraint at the appropriate time."
New GOP U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, Florida's governor the past eight years, called Lagoa a "fantastic choice" who has had a "stellar legal career."
"I know she will be a strong voice for years to come," Scott said in a statement.
DeSantis has two other Supreme Court picks due to mandatory retirements and is widely expected to tilt the court toward a more conservative philosophy.
Lagoa's bio from Florida Third District Court of Appeal's website
Barbara Lagoa was born in Miami, Florida in 1967. She received her B.A. cum laude in 1989 from Florida International University where she majored in English and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society. Judge Lagoa received her Juris Doctor from Columbia University in 1992, where she served as an Associate Editor of the Columbia Law Review. Judge Lagoa is fluent in English and Spanish.
The first Cuban American woman to serve on the Court, Judge Lagoa was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush in June, 2006 to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Levy. While a practicing lawyer, she was admitted to practice by the Florida Bar, the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She was also a member of many local, state, and national professional groups including the Dade County and American Bar Associations.
Prior to joining the bench, Judge Lagoa practiced in both the civil and criminal arenas. Her civil practice focused on general and complex commercial litigation, particularly the areas of employment discrimination, business torts, securities litigation, construction litigation, and insurance coverage disputes. In 2003, she joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida as an Assistant United States Attorney, where she worked in the Civil, Major Crimes and Appellate Sections. As an Assistant United States Attorney, she tried numerous criminal jury trials, including drug conspiracies and Hobbs Act violations. She also handled a significant number of appeals.
Judge Lagoa’s civic and community activities include service on the Board of Directors for the YWCA of Greater Miami and Dade County, the Film Society of Miami, Kristi House, and the FIU Alumni Association. She was also a member of the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. She is currently a member of the Eugene P. Spellman and William Hoeveler Chapter of the American Inns of Court, the Junior League of Miami, and Fairchild Tropical Gardens.
Judge Lagoa is married to Paul C. Huck, Jr., an attorney. They have three children.