The Florida Supreme Court released its long awaited decision concerning a judge’s Facebook friendship with an attorney as grounds for disqualification. In a nutshell the 4-3 opinion holds that:
In some circumstances, the relationship between a judge and a litigant, lawyer, or other person involved in a case will be a basis for disqualification of the judge. Particular friendship relationships may present such circumstances requiring disqualification. But our case law clearly establishes that not every relationship characterized as a friendship provides a basis for disqualification. And there is no reason that Facebook “friendships”—which regularly involve strangers—should be singled out and subjected to a per se rule of disqualification.
Florida has been viewed as one of the most conservative states in the country regarding judges conduct on Facebook so the opinion is sure to surprise many!
Read the opinion here
