A Florida trial judge’s Facebook friendship with opposing counsel isn’t enough by itself to disqualify the judge from hearing a case.
Florida-based Law Offices of Herssein and Herssein P.A. can’t get a trial judge disqualified solely because the judge is Facebook “friends” with a potential party’s lawyer, the Florida Supreme Court said Nov. 15 in a divided opinion. It’s an issue that has divided the Florida appellate courts.
Disqualification is appropriate where Florida litigants fear they won’t get a fair trial because of judicial prejudice, the court said. Motions are legally sufficient when the facts alleged, if true, would make ...