DeSantis appoints Cuban-American judge to Florida Supreme Court

This week Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Cuban American apellate judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court, made up of seven justices.

Sasso, who was previously chief judge of the Court of Appeals for the Sixth District of Florida, is now "the fourth woman and, as a Cuban-American, the fourth Hispanic judge appointed by DeSantis to the superior court since he took office in 2019," the governor's office said in a statement.

"I am proud to appoint Judge Meredith Sasso to the Florida Supreme Court because her fidelity to the Constitution will help preserve freedom in our state for generations to come," DeSantis said in the statement.

"As a Cuban-American woman who understands the importance of our constitutional system and the rule of law, Judge Sasso will serve our state well," added DeSantis, who is expected to formalize his presidential aspirations for the 2024 elections this week by registering his candidacy for the Republican primaries.

For her part, Sasso said she was "incredibly honored" that Gov. Ron DeSantis entrusted her with the vacant Supreme Court seat.

I am proud to appoint Judge Meredith Sasso to serve on the Florida Supreme Court. Her commitment to our Constitution and the rule of law will make her an excellent justice. pic.twitter.com/KBJAek0GoZ

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) May 23, 2023

"The judiciary plays a critical and unique role in our constitutional government, and I am resolutely committed to upholding the rule of law for as long as I am privileged to serve," added Sasso, who was part of a group of 15 candidates to fill the vacant position in the highest judicial instance of the state.

Raised in Tallahassee, the state capital, Sasso previously served as deputy general counsel to former Florida Gov. Rick Scott, representing the governor's office in litigation before the Florida Supreme Court and other courts.

Sasso graduated from the University of Florida (UF) and obtained her law degree in 2008. She began her professional practice in the private sphere representing the interests of clients in cases of great losses, complex commercial lawsuits and appeals, among others.

"She was certified twice before the governor for her appointment to the Supreme Court, in 2019 and 2022, although he did not select her" then, according to Florida Phoenix internet news site.

She has been a member since 2011 of the Federalist Society for Law, a conservative group, according to the aforementioned media.

Her grandparents left Cuba in 1953 and one of them served in the merchant marine during World War II.

"I am constantly mindful that the liberty we enjoy exists because of real people’s incredible sacrifices. And I am resolutely committed to fulfilling my judicial role in the manner for which it was intended: as an integral part of the structure of government created expressly to secure liberty for ourselves and our posterity," Sasso said, according to the news site.