New Chief Justice Quince becomes first black woman to head branch of state in Florida
Fair Courts E-lert
Bibliographic Info:
Author: Jim Ash
Source: Tallahassee.com
Date: 06/28/2008
Article reports that Peggy A. Quince became the first African-American woman to become chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Quince, who is the second African-American and third woman to serve on the court, used her swearing in ceremony "to call for a new commission to fight a widespread perception of unequal treatment in the courts." Along with vowing to "continue a push by her predecessor" to reform the way Florida's criminal justice system deals with mentally ill defendants, Quince also noted that "[s]teep budget cuts will force administrators to eventually accept only the most pressing cases, straining courts to the breaking point."