TALLAHASSEE ? Former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ben F. Overton, a Green Bay, Wisc., native who was the first justice elected after merit-retention reforms in the 1970s, died Saturday in Gainesville after complications from heart surgery, the court announced. He was 86.
Overton was a Pinellas County judge elevated to the high court in 1974?by then-Gov. Reubin Askew?in the midst of a?series of scandals involving?justices?allowing campaign-contributors to?write draft opinions,?which prompted the governor to create a merit retention process for appointing judges. The new merit retention process process was later?written into the Constitution to allow the governor to appoint them, and then voters to retain them every six years.
?Justice Overton was one of the most influential members of the Court after the sweeping reforms of the 1970s,? Chief Justice Ricky Polston said in a statement.? ?He will be remembered not only for his far-seeing opinions but also for his efforts in the 1970s to make the state courts more accessible by allowing cameras into our courtrooms.?
Overton served as chief justice and was instrumental in getting the Supreme Court?s oral arguments televised. He retired in 1999 and continued to teach law at his alma mater, the University of Florida.
From the court statement:
Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Overton attended the University of Florida and later received his degree from its law school in 1952.? He also earned an LL.M in jurisprudence from the University of Virginia in 1984.
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Overton served nearly 10 years on the Pinellas County circuit court and, for several years, as its chief judge.? He was well known for his work in legal education and dispute resolution and was Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Section of the American Bar Association.? He was also an active adjunct professor of law at the University of Florida?s Levin College of Law.
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Predeceased by his wife Marilyn, Overton is survived by his children Judge William H. Overton, Robert M. Overton, and Catherine L. Overton; 2 grandchildren William E. and Brian H.; and one great grandchild, Adelynn.
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Services will be held on Saturday morning, January 5, 2013 in Gainesville and Justice Overton will lie in state at the Florida Supreme Court on Monday, January 7, 2013. He will be interred in St. Petersburg, Florida on Wednesday, January 9, 2013.
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