John Couriel Elected as Next Chief Justice of Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court unanimously elects Justice John D. Couriel as next chief justice, beginning July 1 for a two-year term.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — The Florida Supreme Court has unanimously elected Justice John D. Couriel to serve as the state’s next chief justice, beginning a two-year term on July 1.
Couriel, 48, will succeed Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz, who will complete his second term as chief justice on June 30 but remain on the court. The election marks another milestone for the court’s composition, with six of seven justices appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Background and Experience
Couriel has served on the Florida Supreme Court since 2020, when DeSantis appointed him to the position. Prior to his judicial appointment, the Miami native worked as a partner at Kobre & Kim LLP, an international law firm specializing in disputes and investigations.
He previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the criminal division of the Southern District of Florida. Couriel earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard College and his juris doctorate from Harvard Law School.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for their trust,” Justice Couriel said in a press release, “and am indebted to the previous chief justices with whom I’ve served. I will do my best to serve the people of Florida as they so ably have.”
Political Background
Before his judicial career, Couriel pursued elected office as a Republican candidate. He ran unsuccessfully for the Florida Senate in 2012 and for the House in 2016.
In 2018, he was nominated for a seat on the Florida Supreme Court, following an earlier application in 1999 for appointment to the U.S. District Court in Miami. Couriel has been a member of the libertarian-conservative Federalist Society since 2000.
Personal Heritage and Court Composition
Couriel is a first-generation Cuban American whose parents arrived separately in the United States in 1961. His father was among 14,000 Cuban children airlifted into South Florida during Operation Pedro Pan.
With Couriel’s elevation to chief justice, Justice Jorge Labarga remains the only member of the Florida Supreme Court not appointed by DeSantis. Labarga was placed on the court by then-Governor Charlie Crist in 2009 and is currently 73 years old. He will turn 75 in October 2028, which will require him to step down due to mandatory retirement age requirements.
The leadership transition will take effect at the beginning of the new fiscal year, as Couriel assumes the administrative responsibilities of guiding Florida’s highest court through its upcoming term.
