Article Image

IPFS News Link • Courtroom and Trials

Ousted Florida prosecutor vs. DeSantis in court Monday. What could happen?

• https://www.msn.com, Sue Carlton

A new face just went up: Susan Lopez, the judge who left the bench to take over the job after Gov. Ron DeSantis' surprise removal of State Attorney Andrew Warren last month.

Now Warren, whose smiling picture currently sits below that of Lopez, is headed to court to try to get the job back.

At 9 a.m. Monday, lawyers for DeSantis and the ousted prosecutor are scheduled to face off before a federal judge in Tallahassee. Warren, a Democrat, has called his suspension a political stunt by the Republican governor and wants to be returned to office. DeSantis says Warren refused to enforce the law and his removal should stand.

Depending on what Senior U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle decides, Warren could ultimately be back at his desk, or the governor's suspension could prevail. Whatever happens could land in an appeals court, with a possible stay of the proceedings while it all plays out.

Warren was escorted from his offices by a sheriff's deputy Aug. 4. At issue were statements he signed with other prosecutors — one pledging not to criminalize gender-affirming health care or transgender people, another to refrain from prosecuting those seeking or providing abortions. DeSantis also criticized an office policy on avoiding charges for certain low-level crimes.


AzureStandard