Who is Barbara Lagoa, possible Trump Supreme Court contender?
Judge Lagoa is reportedly on the short list to fill the seat vacated by the late Justice Ginsburg
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}President Trump is expected to announce his new pick for the Supreme Court by the end of this week, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Among those rumored for the nomination is 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Barbara Lagoa.
POTENTIAL SUPREME COURT NOMINEE BARBARA LAGOA COULD HELP TRUMP WIN FLORIDA, STATE REPUBLICANS SAY
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lagoa, 52, previously served on Florida’s 3rd U.S. District Court of Appeals and the Florida Supreme Court.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 09: Newly sworn-in Gov. Ron DeSantis stands behind Barbara Lagoa as she speaks after he named her to the Florida Supreme Court on January 09, 2019 in Miami, Florida. Mr. DeSantis was sworn in yesterday as the 46th governor of the state of Florida.(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images,)
Lagoa was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate when she was confirmed to the 11th Circuit bench with a vote of 80-15 in November 2019. Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Kamala Harris, D-Calif.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., did not vote. All five were campaigning in the Democratic primary race at the time.
The American Bar Association gave Lagoa a unanimous rating of “Well Qualified” prior to her 11th Circuit confirmation, which is the highest rating possible.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}SUPREME COURT NOMINEES IF BIDEN WINS: WHO MIGHT BE CONSIDERED
Lagoa was involved in the Eleventh Circuit's 6-4 decision upholding a Florida law requiring ex-felons to pay all outstanding fines, fees, and other costs before being permitted to vote. She drew complaints from Democrats, who accused her of possibly violating the Code of Conduct for United States Judges for not recusing herself from the matter, as she had previously issued an advisory opinion and participated in oral arguments in the case at the state level when she served on Florida’s Supreme Court.
According to the Florida Supreme Court's website, Lagoa -- a graduate of Columbia Law School -- was the first Latina appointed to that court when she was chosen by Gov. Ron DeSantis in January 2019. Before this, she had served on the state's 3rd District appeals court since her 2006 appointment by then-Gov. Jeb Bush.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Prior to becoming a judge, Lagoa served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and practiced civil litigation for the law firm Greenberg Traurig.