Peggy Quince facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peggy A. Quince
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| Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida | |
| In office July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | R. Fred Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Charles T. Canady |
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida | |
| In office January 5, 1999 – January 8, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Ben F. Overton |
| Succeeded by | Carlos G. Muñiz |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 3, 1948 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| Website | Official Site: http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/justices/quince.shtml |
Peggy Ann Quince (born January 3, 1948) is a former judge who served on the highest court in Florida. This court is called the Supreme Court of Florida. She was a justice on this court from 1999 until 2019.
From 2008 to 2010, Peggy Quince was the Chief Justice. This means she was the head judge of the court. She made history as the second African American and third woman to hold this important position. She was also the first African-American woman to become a justice on Florida's Supreme Court. Before joining the Supreme Court, she was a judge on another court from 1993 to 1997.
Peggy Quince's Early Life and Education
Peggy Quince grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia. Her father, Solomon Quince, worked for the United States Navy. She was one of five children.
When she was young, she attended schools that were separated by race. Even with these challenges, she was an excellent student. She went to Howard University for her college degree. Later, she studied law at the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America. She became a lawyer in 1975. Peggy Quince is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
From 1980 to 1993, she worked for the Florida Attorney General's office. This office handles legal matters for the state. For five of those years, she led a team that worked on serious legal cases, including appeals for very serious crimes.
How Peggy Quince Became a Justice
Peggy Quince's appointment to the Supreme Court of Florida was very special. She is the only justice in Florida's history to be chosen by more than one governor at the same time.
Her term as a justice began exactly when Governor-elect Jeb Bush was taking office. To avoid any arguments about who appointed her, Governor Bush and the outgoing Governor Lawton Chiles made a joint agreement. They both announced her appointment together in December 1998.
A few days later, Governor Chiles sadly passed away. So, his temporary replacement, Governor Buddy MacKay, was the one who officially signed Peggy Quince's papers. This means that three different governors were involved in her becoming a Supreme Court Justice!
See also
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first women lawyers and judges in Florida
- List of female state supreme court justices
