DeSantis Appoints Judge Adam Tanenbaum To Florida Supreme Court

SEMINOLE, Florida — Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of the Honorable Judge Adam Tanenbaum, of the state’s First District Court of Appeal, to fill the current vacancy on the Supreme Court of Florida. Judge Tanenbaum brings decades of experience across state government.“Congratulations to Florida’s new Supreme Court Justice Adam Tanenbaum,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “He will be a bold and fearless jurist!”

DeSantis described Tanenbaum as a constitutional originalist and textualist. Originalism is a method of constitutional interpretation that emphasizes understanding the U.S. Constitution (or similar documents) based on its original meaning at the time it was ratified. Originalists argue that the text should be applied as the framers and ratifiers intended or publicly understood it in historical context. This approach aims to limit judicial discretion by anchoring decisions to historical evidence, such as debates from the Constitutional Convention, Federalist Papers, or contemporary dictionaries. It’s often contrasted with “living constitutionalism,” which allows the document to evolve with societal changes. U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia (former, deceased) and Clarence Thomas are originalists.

Judge Tanenbaum has served on Florida’s First District Court of Appeal since 2019, where he has distinguished himself through extensive judicial writing and a steadfast commitment to the rule of law. Since joining the court, Judge Tanenbaum has participated in over 170 appellate opinions, including more than 90 majority opinions, and he has written three of the court’s seven en banc opinions during his tenure. He has handled one of Florida’s most demanding appellate dockets and participated in high-profile constitutional cases involving election law, separation of powers, and the rights of Floridians.

Prior to his judicial service, Judge Tanenbaum worked as General Counsel for the Florida House of Representatives, General Counsel for the Florida Department of State, and Florida’s Chief Deputy Solicitor General.

In addition to his judicial duties, Judge Tanenbaum contributes to the legal profession as an adjunct professor at Florida State University College of Law and as a frequent speaker and writer on constitutional and statutory construction and appellate practice.

Judge Tanenbaum earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with honors from the University of Florida, where he was co-valedictorian, recognized with awards for Outstanding Male Leader and Four-Year Scholar, and inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, Florida Blue Key, and the UF Hall of Fame. He graduated cum laude with a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center.