Polston, at left.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Legal Newsline) - Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston has been picked to be the Court's new chief justice, starting July 1.
The state's high court unanimously elected Polston Wednesday. He will serve a two-year term, succeeding current Chief Justice Charles T. Canady.
He will be only the second chief justice from Jackson County and the first to come from west of the Apalachicola River since 1925, the Court noted in a news release.
"I am deeply honored by my colleagues' vote," Polston, 56, said in a statement. "And I commit myself to be a faithful steward of this public trust, recognizing that I am a servant to the people of Florida, to the constitution, and to the laws of the land."
Polston was appointed to the Court in 2008 by former Gov. Charlie Crist.
Prior to joining the Court, he served as a judge on the state's First District Court of Appeal and worked for a private law practice for 13 years. He also has worked as an adjunct law professor at Florida State University since 2003.
A graduate of FSU himself, Polston is also a certified public accountant.
He and his wife Deborah have 10 children, raising four of their own before adopting six brothers.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.