R. Fred Lewis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

R. Fred Lewis (b. 1947) has been a Justice of the Florida Supreme Court since January 1, 1999 and became its Chief Justice for a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2006, after a swearing-in ceremony on June 30 that year. He was an attorney in private practice before his appointment by Governor Lawton Chiles.

Lewis attended Florida Southern College as an undergraduate, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami Law School.

Judge Lewis was one of seven Florida Supreme Court justices who concurred in the overturning of "Terry Schiavo's Law", a special law passed by the Florida legislature to allow the governor of the state to intervene in the private medical care of a severely disabled and comatose woman whose husband, Michael Schiavo, desired to discontinue her life support, against the wishes of her parents. The case was overturned on the principle of separation of powers in JEB BUSH, Governor of Florida, et al., vs. MICHAEL SCHIAVO, Guardian of Theresa Schiavo (No. SC04-925).