Gov. Ron DeSantis announces appointment of Fleur Lobree and Monica Gordo to the 3rd District Court of Appeal. Credit: Governor’s office
Gov. Ron DeSantis has selected candidates with backgrounds as prosecutors to replace two Miami state appeals court judges. The vacancies happened when DeSantis appointed the two to the Florida Supreme Court.
Joining the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal are Monica Gordo, a trial judge in Miami who earlier worked as an assistant state attorney; and Fleur Lobree, a legal adviser and assistant state attorney who formerly worked as a trial judge.
“This is the first time in the history of the 3rd DCA where you have a total of four women on it,” DeSantis said during a news conference this week. “And, of the six judges I’ve picked in Miami, we’re picked five women. It’s not because they’re women, it’s just because they are good judges.”
His figure included appointments to the local trial courts.
Shortly after assuming office, DeSantis chose 3rd DCA judges Barbara Lagoa and Robert Luck to serve on the state’s highest court.
During the news conference, Gordo described herself as the daughter of immigrants from Cuba and Spain, and she promised to “impartially say what the law is while being intellectually honest.” She earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Miami, according to information provided by the governor’s office.
In one notable case, Gordo upheld Miami Shores’ ban on front-yard vegetable gardens in 2016 as within the city’s authority, while noting that she didn’t understand why that was an aesthetic problem.
Lobree is an Indiana native with an undergraduate degree from Florida State University and her law degree from the UM, according to information provided by the governor’s office. She said she began her legal career as an intern in the Miami attorney general’s office and in addition to her public service has worked in private practice.
Last year, Lobree produced evidence deflating a Georgia prison escapee’s claim that his twin brother was they guy they wanted – apparently, twins don’t have identical fingerprints. This year, she was responsible for vetting claims of false convictions arising from alleged police corruption in the Village of Biscayne Park.
“I am going to work really hard to deserve the honor,” Lobree said.
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