Florida Circuit Court Judge Nancy Jacobs is set to resign from her position following a controversy in which she branded her opponent a “bigot” during a politically charged campaign. Jacobs, a Democrat serving in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, will officially step down on May 31. Her resignation was formally submitted to Governor Ron DeSantis, as per the notice filed with the Florida Supreme Court.
In her departure statement, Jacobs expressed her ongoing commitment to legal principles and civil liberties. “I step aside with my integrity intact and my voice unwavering. I remain committed to the rule of law, to civil liberties, and to the idea that no person should be silenced for speaking out on matters of public concern,” Jacobs said.
The decision to resign comes amid attempts by state judicial ethics regulators to remove Jacobs from her post. This followed the intense rhetoric used during her 2022 campaign against her opponent, Jared Smith, a Republican. Smith, who had criticized Jacobs with religious undertones, was described by Jacobs as not only a “bigot,” but also as “not a good person” and “someone who hates Jews,” due to his position on abortion and remarks towards the Jewish community.
Jacobs contested the ethical complaint over her language, insisting that her speech was protected under the First Amendment as political discourse. More details can be accessed in the original report by Bloomberg Law.
The case, JQC re: Hon. Nancy Jacobs, Fla., No. SC2023-1303, reflects ongoing tensions over the boundaries of political speech for judicial officials and underscores the complexity of maintaining ethical standards within the judiciary amid politically sensitive campaigns.