Gov. DeSantis appoints ousted judge who blocked teen's abortion to new appeals district
Back in August, Hillsborough County voters gave Judge Jared Smith the heave-ho less than a year after he made headlines for denying a teen access to an abortion, citing her grades.
He’s set to leave the bench in less than two weeks. But by then, he’ll have an even better job, thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis.
On Tuesday, DeSantis’ office released a list of three appointees to the new 6th District Court of Appeal. Smith, who has served on the 13th Judicial Circuit Court since the Governor appointed him there in September of 2019, was among them.
Smith ruled in January that an unnamed 17-year-old could not terminate her unwanted pregnancy. In his ruling, he questioned her “overall intelligence,” wh...
