Last week with the announcement of Governor DeSantis’s pick of Barbara Lagoa, I mentioned that it appears people are more interested in the judicial process these days. There’s a reasonable chance that however long Desantis serves as governor, his greatest legacy will be these three decisions at the onset of his administration.
Judge Robert Luck is the Governor’s second pick, so what do we know about him? First, here’s a bit about his personal background. Judge Luck was born and raised in Miami, is married and a father of two. He graduated from the University of Florida with an Economics degree and a Law degree. Between degrees, he worked as a legislative correspondent in Washington D.C. and was the Editor and Chief of the Florida Law Review at UF. He volunteers for the Florida Bar’s Appellate Court Rules Committee and has an affinity for Cuban coffee. Judge Luck admits to sweating a lot and is a fan of Seinfeld.
As for his professional background, Luck served as a law clerk on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, as an Assistant US attorney for the Southern District in Miami and was appointed to the 11th Judicial Circuit Court by Governor Rick Scott. He was also appointed to the 3rd District Court of Appeals by Governor Rick Scott and was retained by voters with 74% of the vote.
Of course, people want to know about ideological considerations. Professionally, Judge Luck focuses on major economic criminal cases. He is most well-known publicly for being attacked in the courtroom in 2015, sustaining minor injuries to his head and neck, declining medical attention and not missing any subsequent cases or time on the bench from the incident. Luck believes in collaboration of justices on courts and seeks unity/relationships within them. He also believes in straight-forward opinions that minimize legalese and are easier for everyone to understand.
Luck is a collaborator who appears to be cut in the mold of a traditional economic-minded conservative.
Photo by: Wendy Grossman