Former Judges Defend 'Grim Reaper' Lawyer In COVID War With Gov. Ron DeSantis
HuffPost
"Requirements that lawyers be strong advocates are pillars of our democracy," a former Florida state Supreme Court justice wrote of attorney Daniel Uhlfe...
Two former high-ranking Florida judges are standing up for a lawyer who posed as the Grim Reaper on beaches last summer to criticize GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of COVID-19 and even filed a lawsuit to force DeSantis to close beaches in the state.
When a lower court ruled against the attorney, Daniel Uhlfelder, he appealed. But then the conservative First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee referred him to the Florida Bar for discipline, calling his appeal frivolous earlier this year, and later appeared to retaliate after he spoke to the press, ordering that he be investigated for misconduct and contempt of court.
Former Justice R. Fred Lewis, who served on the Florida State Supreme Court for more than 20 years, filed an affidavit earlier this week defending Uhlfelder in the ongoing Bar Association investigation. He wrote that the lawyer had every right to sue — and appeal.