Florida Supreme Court Justice Stephen Grimes has died

Florida Supreme Court Justice Stephen Grimes has died at 93. As reported by Tallahassee Reports, Grimes was the 72nd justice to serve on Florida’s high court.

Grimes served from 1987 to 1997 on Florida’s high court and then served as Chief Justice from 1994 to 1996.

He was appointed by Gov. Bob Martinez after a career as a lawyer with Holland & Knight.

After retiring from working in the Supreme Court in 1997, Grimes returned to the law firm. 

“He was a brilliant lawyer. He always took the time to mentor younger lawyers, and he was just definitely somebody that we all looked up to, and we were extremely fortunate to be able to practice with someone of his caliber,” says Shannon Hartsfield, Executive Partner of Holland & Knight’s Tallahassee office.

Grimes’s judicial career began in 1973. He was appointed to the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Lakeland, Fla. Grimes served as Chief Justice from 1978 to 1980. 

The former Supreme Court Justice was native to Peoria, Ill., and studied at the University of Florida where he received his bachelor’s and law degrees. Grimes lived with his wife and four daughters.