FORMER FLORIDA CHIEF JUSTICE GERALD KOGAN, 1933-2021

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TALLAHASSEE — Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald Kogan died in Miami on Thursday, March 4, 2021.  He was 87 and was Florida’s 73rd Justice since statehood was granted in 1845.

In the 1990s, Kogan earned international praise for his “Access Initiative” – a program to use the emerging technology of the Internet to make Florida’s court more transparent to the public.

He pushed for courts to provide their records freely to the public on the World-Wide Web. Kogan also organized the first program to make all Florida Supreme Court arguments available gavel-to-gavel by Internet livestream.

These are practices now standard around the nation but novel when he pioneered them.

From his appointment on January 30, 1987, until his retirement on December 31, 1998, Kogan was a key figure in a series of reforms that made the Florida Supreme Court one of the most respected and accessible in the nation. He served as its Chief Justice from 1996 to 1998.

Born in New York City, Kogan moved with his parents and brother to Miami Beach in 1947 and remained a Florida resident for the rest of his life. He graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School and attended the University of Miami, where he received the bachelor’s degree in business administration and his law degree.

Upon graduation from law school, Justice Kogan entered the United States Army. He graduated from the Army Intelligence School and served on active duty as a special agent in the Counterintelligence Corps.

Upon his discharge, he entered the private practice of law in Miami. In 1960 he was appointed an assistant state attorney in the Dade County State Attorney’s Office and rose to the rank of chief prosecutor of the Homicide and Capital Crimes Division.

In 1967 he left the State Attorney’s Office to resume private practice, specializing in criminal trial and appellate law. During this time, he was a prosecutor on behalf of The Florida Bar in attorney disciplinary cases.

Justice Kogan was special counsel to the Florida Legislature’s Select Committee on Organized Crime and Law Enforcement.

In 1980 he was appointed a circuit judge in Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit. In 1984 he was appointed administrative judge of the Criminal Division, and he served in that capacity until his appointment to the Florida Supreme Court in 1987.

Kogan is survived by his wife Irene and his children Robert Kogan and Karen Kogan Rosenzweig. Arrangements for services are pending.

MAY APPOINTMENTS TO BE FILLED

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ABA House of Delegates:  Two lawyers to serve two-year terms commencing August 2021, at the conclusion of the ABA Annual Meeting.  Applicants must also be ABA members.

Florida Legal Services, Inc. Board of Directors:  One lawyer to serve a three-year term commencing July 1, 2021.  This 15-member board provides judicial advocacy through co-counseling with local program attorneys and volunteer pro bono attorneys and provides legislative and administrative advocacy on policies impacting the legal rights of the poor, as well as providing civil legal assistance to indigent persons who would not otherwise have the means to obtain a lawyer.

Florida Lawyers Assistance, Inc. Board of Directors:  Three lawyers and two non-lawyers to serve three-year terms commencing July 1, 2021. This 15-member Board assists the legal community in securing counseling and treatment for emotional and chemical dependency problems for lawyers.

Persons interested in applying for this vacancy may click here to download the Application for Special Appointment or should call Bar headquarters at (850) 561-5757, to obtain the application form.  Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399-2300 or submitted via e-mail to [email protected] no later than the close of business on Friday, April 16, 2021.  Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application.  The Board of Governors will review all applications and may request telephone or personal interviews.