Barkett Joins State Supreme Court 10-3-05W
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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gov,, Graham shares podium with Florida Supreme Court appointee Rosemary Barkett
lit Woman Justice .Moved
Brak.ettoi St�.t s Sure me Cour
t
P
By Brian E. Crowley
Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE — As she sat for the first
time yesterday in the seat reserved for the
juni,or justice, emotion filled the eyes of
Rosemary Barkett. Moments earlier she
was named the first woman justice of the
Florida Supreme Court.
"It's just a very moving experience; this
is just incredible," she said wiping a single
tear from her eye. "Ten years ago who
would have believed this? One year ago who
would have believed this?"
Barkett, who lives in Lake Park, will
;rade her 4th District Court of Appeal robes
nor those of a justice later this year. She was
appointed to the district court by Gov. Bob
Graham in 1984. She was a Palm Beach
County* Circuit Court judge for five years
before that.
After the announcement of her appoint-
ment to the Supreme Court, the new justice
gave Graham a peck on the cheek. When
asked if he had ever been kissed by a judge
before, the governor blushed.
Barkett, 46, not only is the first woman to
be appointed to the court — she also is the
first Mexican -born Syrian, former nun, for-
mer teacher and naturalized citizen, to win
an appointment.
. "It is one of the most significant things I
will do as governor," Graham said. "It is
significant for the court and it is significant
for the people of Florida."
Barkett was one of three finalists for the
job. The others were fellow 4th District
Judges Harry Anistead and Gavin Letts.
"They are both very, very gracious people,"
she said.
"I approach this position with a tremen-
dous sense of responsibility," Barkett said.
"I will do everything in my power to make
sure that I contribute to the people of thi's
state."
Tuesday, she received a call from Gra-
ham offering her the post. "I spoke with him
Turn to BARKETT,. A10
rkett said.
a couple of minutes�" Ba__
reaction into words?
ffl
yo put
How do t of
was Ju amount st a tremendous
,It
,.,Irnotion f or a min?ate-" d
her, mother an
. . . . . . . .
en called
She then the
f ather in Miam i to tell them
had moved f rom
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news. Her par ts 20s hoping to
Mexico in the 19
Syria to United
to the U
. . .. ...... ... ..
..........
... ......
f ind a quick route
States. Sh e had 16 brothers and sis-
tern. Only six a re alive today.
20 years
"We spent approximately
corr
in Mexico she said. "They wanted
much to c ome to this country?
very m a system they
because of the quot
. . .•. . . . . .....
but
i-ouldn9t."
She entered the convent at,age -it
In 19691
stayed for eight Years.
and st; left her order and
::
Sister St. Michael
began studying law. She received her
the University Of
. . . . . . . . . . . . . — -----
Om
law degree f r .
Rosemary Sarkett
Florida in 1970. ve
4 'When I left the convent it was the
'Sas_„ she said flashing one of her
B"�rkett's
selectionHistoric .
By Ron Bishop
woman to ever take a seat on any state's highest
Staff Writer
court. Florence Allen's election shattered a legal
Rosemary Barkett's longtime friend and fel-
gender -barrier, that some people thought would
low judge Mary Lupo was ecstatic at the news that
never fall.
Barkett had been appointed this week to serve as
Twenty-two states have followed suit. At last
the first woman on the Florida Supreme Court.
count, there were 25 women judges sitting as state
"It is historic," Lupo said:
supreme court justices, according to the National
Yes and no. In some ways, the appointment
Association of Women Judges. Three states, Min -
highlighted how far behind Florida has trailed
nesota, Michigan and Oklahoma, and the District
other states in advancements made by women up
of Columbia, have two women justices on their
the judicial ladder.
courts of last resort.
President Reagan appointed a woman to the
Still, when Gov. Bob Graham made the an -
U.S. Supreme Court three years ago amid wide-
nouncement Wednesday, it was hailed as a land -
spread publicity and joke's about the need to add a
mark decision, because in spite of significant gains
separate bathroom at the Supreme Court. But long
in recent years, women remain vastly underrepre-
bef ore that, in 1922, voters in Ohio elected the first
--sented in the legal profession and on the bench.
.7 lVilt:t_- aWY6�
to qualify and because women did not
enter the profession in large number
until the 1970s, they
simply have not
been able to compete
lawyers in experience. against male
Graham said he chose Barkett be
-
.cause her background, — a Mexican -
born, Syrian naturalized ;44
for St�te,
.
"There .are 1,440 known women judges at the
state and federal level," Diana Farthing-Capowich
said. "There may be a few more we don't know
about, but that figure equals about 4 percent of all
state and federal judges, and most women judges
are at the limited jurisdictional level."
In all, there are nearly 30,000 state and feder-
al judgeships — and in 1971, women filled only 200
of the positions. Women are somewhat better rep-
resented among the ranks of lawyers . about 16
percent and rising, according to the American Bar
Association.
The reason for the slow gains by women in the
legal profession since Allen's landmark election is
not mysterious, Barkett believes.
Turn to BARKETT, A6
W110
namedis a former nun and schoolteacher-�arkett hi h court
turned -lawyer.
"Judge Barkett stands on a record 9
f h mn ; +
Y9 s rvice, legal talent,
professionalism and demeanor,
which speaks for her, own
BARKETT from Al
Graham said. qualities,
Barkett's five-year stint
A judge's perspective is very nar-
Beach County Circuit as a Palm
Judge
row in that the judge's responsi-
in
several highly publicized cases. She
found former West Palm Beach
bility is to enforce the law ... I
dop.'-'t see anarticular conflict."
y p
Po -
lice Chief John Jamason in contempt.
Miss Barkett confessed to hav-
"reservations"
Of court after Jamason had refused fo
let a lawyer talk to a rape
ing. some about
the death penalty on "a personal
suspect.
The, case turfled ilAo a classic clash of
basis" but said those reservations
Police rights to investigate crimes
and a defendant's right
will not affect her objectivity in,
to a lawyer.
The Supreme Court eventually
death penalty cases.
held Barkett when Jarnnenn UP -
Graham repeatedly skirted
questions about the importance
of Miss Barkett's sex in his deci-
sion and whether the appoint-
ment might have been influenced
by the governor's anticipated U.S.,
Senate race against incumbent
Republican Sen. Paula Hawkins.
"I. think you demean Rosemary Miss Barkett, who is not mar-
Barkett if you wei-e to infer it was ried, was born in Mexico on Aug.
something other than her person- 307 1939, of Syrian immigrant
al ...and judicial qualifications parents. She and her family
that led to her appointment," moved to Miami in "1945 or
Graham said.. - 1946," she said.
Graham said Miss Barkett's She served on the Palm Beach
appealed
his $500 fine.' County Circuit Court from 1979
But her favorite area of law — and to 1984 and was chief judge of the
court during her last year of ser -
the one she may have the most influ- vice. She was appointed to the
ence on at the high court --is marital
law. She does not believe the courts appeal court in July 1984.
t
are the best place - o resolve . bitter Miss Barkett received her
bachelor of science degree from
"I have seen people who are articu- d Spring Hill College in Mobile
late and intelligent and sane become I
Ala., and her I-aw degree from the
involved in dissolutions and become.
I University of Florida.
so treendously'emotional and bitter Prior to joining the judi 10.
toward each other that they cannot ciary,
be objective" she said. "They will Miss Barkett was in private prac-
make business decisions you wouldn't tice in West Palm Beach from
ever expect them to make under oth- 1970 until her appointment to the
er circumstances
such as spending circuit court.'
$1,000 to have a lawyer nr I I'm fora ll
V1 a
hour over a $100 item, a tennis rac-
quet or some such thing.
"We throw. them into the adversar
system y
which works well in criminal
and civil cases ... but the difficulty
in divorces cases is that theperson
believes fie is telling, the truth, and
you get two Opposite tales told with
such sincerity. Our adversary system
:: f
is geared toward bringing out the
past, the Worst. about the past, and
IF
an
n mes
a
fl wom tic-..
]us 45
By Joe Bizzaro
Times Capitol Bureau
early life as a non-English speak-
ing native of Mexico and her
work as a Catholic school teacher
have "given her an awareness of
the full range of human experi-
ence.
TALLAHASSEE — Rosemary
Barkett, a former nun and native
of Mexico whose judicial career
_,began sixy ears ago on the Palm
. .Beach County Circuit Court, to-
day was named the first woman
state Supreme Court justice in
Florida history.
Downplaying Miss Barkett's
sex as a factor, Gov. Bob Graham
laid his decision was "a difficult:
ne" because all three nominees'
were qualified for the high court town attorney for almost 30
spot vacated this summer by Jus- years, was appointed to the Su-_
tice James Alderman. preme Court in 1952.
Miss Barkett, currently a Judge "I approach this position with a
on the 4th District Covurt of Ap- tremendous sense of responsibil-
peal in West Palm Beach, was ity," Miss Barkett said at a press
competing with fellow appeal conference called- to announce
court Justices Harry Lee Anstead her appointment today.
and Gavin K. Letts for the Su- "I will do everything in my
preme Court bench. power to make sure that I con -
She is at least the second judge tribute to the people of this
in Palm Beach County to be state."
named to the Supreme Court. E. The 46 -year-old, who became a --
Harris Drew, a then -prominent U.S. citizen in 1958, said the fact
local lawyer and Palm Beach that she is a woman "adds a sense
ofresponsibility to the position."
But she too de-emphasized the
importance of her gender with
respect to the appointment.
In a lighthearted vein, Miss
Barkett said her sex merely
meant that she was probably
more concerned about what she
wore to nominating panel inter-
views than her* male counter-
parts.
"They didn't have to worry
about whether they had a run in
their pantyhose," Miss Barkett
said.
Miss Barkett, who taught in
convent for eight years befor
leaving the order in 1964, doe
not think her religious back
ground will color her duties o'
the court, particularly when i
comes to the death penalty.
I "I don't see any conflict bE
tween the beliefs I have and m
responsibility J have as a judge,
Miss Barkett said. .
"There is the judicial personal
ity and the personal personalit3
BARKETT / Pap A2