Florida Supreme Court justice should recuse himself on key abortion case, says ex-chief justice

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Florida Supreme Court justice should recuse himself on key abortion case, says ex-chief justice

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Barbara Pariente, a former chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court, said Tuesday that one of the current justices, Charles Canady, should recuse himself from the case before the court that will decide if state efforts to sharply reduce access to abortion are constitutional.

Canady has a long and deep record of opposition to abortion, dating back to his time in the state Legislature and Congress. But that’s not why Pariente, and some others in the legal world, think Canady ought to step aside.

The reason is the work of his spouse, state Rep. Jennifer Canady, a Lakeland Republican who is co-sponsor of the new state law that would ban virtually all abortions in Florida.

“In my view, he should (recuse himself). And the reason is that his wife was a co-sponsor of the six-week abortion ban,” Pariente said. “I know Justice Canady to be of the highest ethics. I cannot imagine himself not recusing himself from a bill that his wife co-sponsored. So the answer would be yes, because of that.”

Pariente offered her view in response to a question from a reporter at a forum on abortion access organized by U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat. Now retired from the court, she joined Frankel and other abortion rights supporters in discussing the effects of the June 24, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.

They also touted a proposed amendment that would enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution.