Constitutional Judiciary.

• Author: Aikens, Augustus D.
• Position: Annual Reports of Committees of the Florida Bar: 2018-2019

The charge of the Constitutional Judiciary Committee is to strengthen the public's understanding of the role of the judicial branch of government, the constitution, the rule of law, and the role of judges and juries in the administration of justice. In addition to Benchmarks: Raising the Bar on Civics Education and the Guide for Florida Voters, the committee oversees The Florida Bar Merit Retention Poll, Confidential Judicial Feedback Program, and Judicial Candidate Voluntary Self-Disclosure Statements.

* Guide for Florida Voters--The Florida Bar's Guide for Florida Voters answers questions about judicial elections such as:

* What is the difference between a county and circuit court judge and an appellate judge?

* Do appeals court judges and Supreme Court justices have opponents?

* Why is it important to vote in judicial elections and merit retention elections?

This six-page guide was in its fourth edition for the 2018 election and printed in both English and Spanish. Of the 100,000 copies printed in English, nearly all were distributed statewide through county supervisors of elections, public libraries, voluntary bar associations and local civic and political groups.

The Bar also printed 5,000 copies in Spanish and distributed those through Hispanic bar associations. For their help in distribution, we thank the Cuban America Bar Association; Tampa Hispanic Bar Association; Puerto Rican Bar Association of Florida; Caribbean Bar Association; the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association; and the Hispanic Bar Association of Central Florida.

Additionally, in 2018, the committee oversaw The Vote's in Your Court page on The Florida Bar website. The page served as a hub for election-related information. It posted results of The Florida Bar Merit Retention Poll, links to the voter guide, and other voter resources and judicial biographies. In 2018, the page also amplified its reach with posts on both Facebook and Twitter (@VotesInYrCourt) providing information on merit retention as well as timely news.

To prepare for the 2020 election, a subcommittee is at work, reviewing the guide's content and format to suggest changes for the fifth edition. Thanks to Richard Levenstein for chairing this subcommittee with Vice Chair Melina Buncome, Rebecca Vaccariello, and Judge Joseph Williams.

* Benchmarks--Benchmarks: Raising the Bar on Civics Education is a pioneering Florida Bar program that offers attorneys civics education presentations they can use when...