Christopher Columbus High School
A Catholic School for Young Men in the Marist Tradition since 1958
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Couriel '96 Appointed to Fl. Supreme Court
Gov. Ron DeSantis selected two new picks to fill Florida Supreme Court vacancies – one being a Columbus grad.
John Couriel ‘96, an attorney with the Miami-based firm Kobre & Kim, will help round out the seven seats on the bench. Couriel is a Harvard college and law school graduate and was an assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida before taking up his private practice. He was also the Valedictorian of his senior class at Columbus.
Couriel is the second Explorer to hold a seat in the state’s highest court. Former Justice Raoul G. Cantero ’78 was appointed to the Court on July 10, 2002, by Governor Jeb Bush. He is the first Justice of Hispanic descent to sit on the Court.
DeSantis traced Couriel’s legal understanding to his parents’ background. Both escaped the Fidel Castro regime in 1961, which the Governor said helped emphasize the importance of the rule of law in the new appointee.
“He distinctly understands the proper role of the judiciary, he understands the structural limitations in the Constitution, all those things that you would want, but I think because he’s had such extensive business experience, he’s bringing a perspective on the court that may not be there in abundance right now,” he said.
With the impending COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis delayed in March his 60-day deadline to appoint justices despite questions from the legal community. That month, he said he had not had time to read all of the candidates’ opinions or other writings to prepare to make a proper decision given the urgency of the coronavirus crisis.
Christopher Columbus High School | 3000 SW 87 Avenue | Miami, FL 33165 | (305) 223-5650
Brotherhood, Faith, and Scholarship define the Marist Brothers Catholic education at Christopher Columbus High School. By making Jesus Christ known and loved and creating an inspiring academic and extracurricular environment, we prepare young men for higher learning and a life-long commitment to leadership and service through Gospel and Marist values.
Columbus is fully accredited by Cognia and is a member of the Marist Association of Secondary schools, the National Catholic Education Association and the Independent Schools of South Florida.
