Cases and background information for

Former Justice Alan Lawson

View All 5th District JudgesView All Supreme Court Justices
About this Court Position
About this Court Position

Candidate Background

Justice Lawson retired from the court in 2022.

Judicial Background

  • 2016 - 2022: Justice, Florida Supreme Court. Appointed by Governor Rick Scott. In 2018, he won the retention vote by 71.4%.
  • 2006 - 2016: Judge, 5th District Court of Appeal. Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush. He won the retention vote in 2008 by 70.1% and in 2014 by 72.6%.
  • 2002 - 2005: Circuit Judge, 9th Judicial Circuit Court. Appointed by Governor Jeb Bush.*

Additional Background

Justice Lawson started his career in private practice in 1987. He specialized in civil litigation. He left in 1995 to be able to spend more time with family. He was briefly General Counsel for a corporation (1996). Then he moved on to become Assistant County Attorney for Orange County (1997-2001).

This judge is a member of the Federalist Society.

Expected Retirement

This judge is a textualist, who uses an interpretation of the Constitution that is advocated by the Federalist Society.

additional resources

Note: Some sources, like the Orlando Sentinel, Florida Today, and Tampa Bay Times, have a limited number of free articles.

* Appointed instead of running for election because of a vacancy between election cycles.