Three justices with deep Jacksonville roots are getting their moment back home. The Florida Supreme Court Historical Society and the city's legal community will gather at the Duval County Courthouse on Thursday, October 8, to honor former justices Raymond Ehrlich, Leander J. Shaw Jr. and Major B. Harding, whose combined tenure on the state's highest court stretched more than three decades.
The event, titled “A Supreme Homecoming: Seven Justices, Three Jacksonville Icons, One Historic Night,” is meant to recognize the three jurists’ service and Northeast Florida’s contributions to the state judiciary, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. Ehrlich served on the Florida Supreme Court from 1981 to 1991, Shaw from 1983 to 2003, and Harding from 1991 to 2002, according to The Florida Bar News. Together, the three justices served a combined 30-plus years on Florida's highest court, per the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society.
A Rare Reunion for Florida's Legal Community
The gathering offers a rare opportunity to bring together judges, lawyers and leaders from across the state. Fourth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Lance M. Day, who serves as a trustee of the historical society, said Jacksonville's legal community has played a proud and enduring role in developing Florida's judiciary. Day added that the three justices being recognized exemplified the highest ethical standards expected of the judiciary, per the same account.
Interest in the event outpaced its public rollout. Hank Coxe, a Bedell law firm attorney and past president of both the historical society and The Florida Bar, said the response from Jacksonville's legal community has been strong. “we sold out the event sponsorships before we had a chance to announce it publicly,” Coxe told the Florida Bar News.
A Society Built on Preserving Court History
The Florida Supreme Court Historical Society preserves the history of the Florida Supreme Court and its justices, and its stated mission is to expand public awareness and understanding of the court's role in the state's system of government, according to the society's own site. That mission has taken shape through programming, including annual dinners and an oral-history series, per the Florida Bar News.
Part of a Broader Tradition of Tribute Events
The upcoming homecoming follows the society's established rhythm of marquee gatherings. A Supreme Evening 2025 drew 400 guests to the FSU Dunlap Champions Club in Tallahassee, with Coxe serving as master of ceremonies, according to Bedell Firm.
That Tallahassee dinner and the society's oral-history series form the backdrop for October's Jacksonville event, which organizers frame as a chance to spotlight the city's outsized imprint on Florida's judiciary. With sponsorships already claimed and a courthouse steeped in prior tributes to its honorees, the homecoming carries the weight of both nostalgia and institutional history for the state's legal community.
