ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling Thursday in the dispute between Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell.
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DeSantis issued an executive order suspending Worrell in August of last year, citing a neglect of duty.
Worrell challenged her suspension at the Supreme Court in September, arguing DeSantis had no legal basis for the decision.
READ: Legal challenge to suspension of Monique Worrell dismissed by federal judge
In a six-to-one ruling with Justice Jorge Labarga dissenting, the court concluded that the claims made in DeSantis’ executive order were not vague, as Worrell alleged in her petition.
In their ruling, the justices acknowledged that the order included “factual allegations” made by DeSantis based on data supplied by the 9th Judicial Circuit but that the Florida Constitution prohibits them from examining or determining the “sufficiency of evidence supporting the facts.”
The court’s opinion defers to the majority-Republican Florida Senate to decide whether the allegations made in DeSantis’ executive order are sufficient to approve the charges of neglect of duty.
READ: Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in legal fight between DeSantis, Worrell
“Today’s opinion is disappointing but not a surprise. The governor appointed most of the justices on Florida’s Supreme Court,” Worrell said in a statement about the ruling. “They took the easy way out by refusing to examine whether the governor’s claims had any factual basis. They do not, and the Court today, with the exception of the dissenting justice, rubber-stamped a political stunt.”
Both Worrell and current 9th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Andrew Bain- who was appointed by DeSantis following Worrell’s suspension- have said they will run for reelection.
Read the full opinion below:
FL Supreme Court Worrell Opinion by Charles Frazier on Scribd
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