Robert Joshua Luck (born March 17, 1979) is an American lawyer and jurist who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He was a justice of the Florida Supreme Court in 2019. A Miami native, he previously served as an assistant United States attorney and as a judge on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida and then the Florida Third District Court of Appeal.

Robert J. Luck
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
Assumed office
November 19, 2019
Appointed byDonald Trump
Preceded byGerald Bard Tjoflat
Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida
In office
January 14, 2019 – November 19, 2019
Appointed byRon DeSantis
Preceded byBarbara Pariente
Succeeded byJamie Grosshans
Judge of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal
In office
March 6, 2017 – January 14, 2019
Appointed byRick Scott
Preceded byFrank A. Sheperd
Succeeded byFleur Lobree[1]
Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida
In office
September 2013 – March 2017
Appointed byRick Scott
Personal details
Born
Robert Joshua Luck

(1979-03-17) March 17, 1979 (age 45)
South Miami, Florida, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Florida (BA, JD)

Background

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Luck was born on March 17, 1979, to a Jewish family in South Miami, Florida. He grew up in North Miami Beach. After high school, Luck studied economics at the University of Florida, graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors. He worked as a legislative correspondent for U.S. senators Paul Coverdell and Jon Kyl from 2000 to 2001, then attended the University of Florida's Fredric G. Levin College of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the Florida Law Review. He graduated in 2004 with a Juris Doctor magna cum laude and Order of the Coif membership.[2]

Luck was a law clerk for Judge Edward Earl Carnes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from 2004 to 2005. He spent a year in private practice at the law firm Greenberg Traurig, then returned to Carnes's chambers to work as a staff attorney and law clerk from 2006 to 2008. In 2008, he returned to Miami as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of Florida.[3]

Judicial career

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State judicial service

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He was appointed to the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in June 2013 by Governor Rick Scott.[4] He was later appointed to the Florida Third District Court of Appeal in March 2017, where he served as a judge.[5]

On January 14, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis selected Luck to be a justice on the Supreme Court of Florida. He resigned from the court after being appointed to the federal appellate court.[6]

Federal judicial service

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On September 12, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Luck to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.[7] On October 15, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. President Trump nominated Luck to the seat being vacated by Judge Gerald Bard Tjoflat, who had previously announced his intention to assume senior status upon confirmation of a successor.[8] Luck was unanimously rated well-qualified by the American Bar Association for the appellate position.[9] On October 16, 2019, a hearing on his nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[10] On November 7, 2019, his nomination was reported out of committee by a 16–6 vote.[11] On November 18, 2019, the Senate invoked cloture by a 61–30 vote.[12] On November 19, 2019, his nomination was confirmed by a 64–31 vote.[13] He received his judicial commission on the same day.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Governor Ron DeSantis Appoints Monica Gordo and Fleur Lobree to the Third District Court of Appeal".
  2. ^ Ward, Thomas S. "Judicial Profile – Judge ROBERT J. LUCK". The Record. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  3. ^ "Senate Judiciary Committee Questionnaire – Robert J. Luck" (PDF).
  4. ^ FL Governor Scott's Press Office. "11th Circuit Court Press Release". fl.gov.
  5. ^ Governor Scott's Press Office. "Governor Scott Appoints Judge Robert J. Luck to the Third District Court of Appeal" (PDF). fl.gov.
  6. ^ "Gov. DeSantis names Robert Luck to Florida Supreme Court". 10NEWS. January 14, 2019.
  7. ^ "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees" White House, September 12, 2019   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "Twenty-five Nominations and Three Withdrawals Sent to the Senate" White House, October 15, 2019
  9. ^ "Standing Committee On the Federal Judiciary Ratings Of Article III and Article IV Judicial Nominees" (PDF). www.americanbar.org. ABA. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  10. ^ United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary: Nominations for October 16, 2019
  11. ^ Results of Executive Business – November 7, 2019, Senate Judiciary Committee
  12. ^ "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Robert J. Luck to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit)". United States Senate. November 18, 2019.
  13. ^ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Robert J. Luck to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit)". United States Senate. November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
  14. ^ Robert J. Luck at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
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Legal offices
Preceded by
Frank A. Sheperd
Judge of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal
2017–2019
Succeeded by
Fleur Lobree
Preceded by Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida
2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
2019–present
Incumbent