Barbara Lagoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Barbara Lagoa
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | |
| Assumed office December 6, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Stanley Marcus |
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida | |
| In office January 9, 2019 – December 6, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Ron DeSantis |
| Preceded by | R. Fred Lewis |
| Succeeded by | John D. Couriel |
| Chief Judge of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal | |
| In office January 1, 2019 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Leslie Rothenberg |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Emas |
| Judge of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal | |
| In office June 2006 – January 9, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Jeb Bush |
| Preceded by | David Levy |
| Succeeded by | Monica Gordo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 2, 1967 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Spouse | Paul Huck Jr. |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Florida International University (BA) Columbia University (JD) |
Barbara Lagoa (born November 2, 1967) is an American lawyer and judge. She currently serves as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Before this, she made history as the first Latina and Cuban American woman to be a justice on the Supreme Court of Florida.
In 2020, Judge Lagoa was considered for a spot on the Supreme Court of the United States. This important position ultimately went to Amy Coney Barrett.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Barbara Lagoa was born in Miami, Florida, in 1967. Her parents, Antonio and Araceli Lagoa, were immigrants from Cuba. They left Cuba after the Cuban Revolution and when Fidel Castro took power. Barbara grew up in Hialeah, Florida, a city with many Cuban-American residents. She can speak both English and Spanish fluently.
Lagoa studied English literature at Florida International University. She graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then went to Columbia Law School, where she helped edit the Columbia Law Review. She earned her law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1992.
A Career in Law
Starting Her Legal Journey
After finishing law school, Barbara Lagoa returned to Miami. She began working as a lawyer in private firms. From 1998 to 2003, she worked at Greenberg Traurig. In 2000, she was part of a team of lawyers who helped the Miami family of Elián González. Most of this work was pro bono, meaning they offered their legal services for free to help the family. In 2003, Lagoa became an Assistant United States Attorney. In this role, she worked for the government in different legal areas.
Serving Florida's Highest Court
In June 2006, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Lagoa to the Third District Court of Appeal. She became the Chief Judge of this court on January 1, 2019. Soon after, on January 9, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis appointed her to the Supreme Court of Florida. This was a big moment, as she became the first Hispanic woman and the first Cuban-American woman to serve on Florida's highest court.
In November 2019, Lagoa took part in discussions about a law regarding voting rights for felons. She resigned from her position on the Florida Supreme Court when she was appointed to a federal court.
Becoming a Federal Judge
On September 12, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his plan to nominate Barbara Lagoa to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. This court hears appeals from federal cases in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. Her nomination was approved by the United States Senate on November 20, 2019, by a vote of 80–15. She officially became a federal judge on December 6, 2019.
In July 2020, some senators asked Lagoa to step aside from a case about voting rights for felons in Florida. They felt her past involvement in a similar case in Florida's Supreme Court might affect her decision. However, Lagoa and another judge, Robert Luck, decided to stay on the case. They explained that the previous case was different and would not affect their fairness. In September 2020, Lagoa joined the majority decision that upheld a law requiring felons to pay all fines before voting.
In December 2022, Judge Lagoa wrote the court's main opinion about a high school's bathroom policy. The court found that separating bathrooms based on biological sex did not violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title IX. Lagoa also wrote a separate opinion to discuss how changing the understanding of "sex" could impact girls' and women's rights, especially in sports.
On August 21, 2023, Lagoa wrote an opinion that allowed a law in Alabama to take effect. This law makes it a crime to provide certain medical treatments to individuals under 19 if the purpose is to change their appearance to match a different gender. Lagoa's opinion stated that the Constitution likely does not protect a right for parents to give their children these specific medications. She also said the law does not discriminate based on sex.
Considered for the Supreme Court
On September 9, 2020, President Trump included Lagoa on a list of people he might nominate to the United States Supreme Court. After the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, 2020, Lagoa was seen as a top choice to fill the empty spot.
News reports described her as "quiet and collegial," meaning she is calm and works well with others. Many Republicans in Florida supported her possible nomination. If she had been chosen, she would have been the first Supreme Court justice from Florida. However, on September 26, 2020, President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett instead.
Personal Life
Barbara Lagoa is married to Paul C. Huck Jr., who is also a lawyer. Her father-in-law, Paul Huck, is a federal judge. Barbara and Paul have three daughters, including a set of twins. Lagoa is a practicing Roman Catholic. She has said that her Catholic education gave her "an abiding faith in God" that has helped her through life's challenges.
See also
In Spanish: Barbara Lagoa para niños
- Donald Trump Supreme Court candidates
- List of Hispanic and Latino American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Florida
