[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4741]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE HONORABLE ROSEMARY BARKETT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 25, 2013

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Women's History Month 
I rise today to honor Judge Rosemary Barkett, an outstanding individual 
and someone who has continuously supported the Miami community.
   Judge Barkett is currently serving as one of the twelve active 
judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 
which reviews federal cases originating in Alabama, Florida, and 
Georgia. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton and received her 
appointment in 1994.
   Judge Barkett earned her J.D. from the University of Florida Law 
School, where she became the first woman to be awarded the J. Hillis 
Miller Memorial Award as the outstanding senior graduate. After having 
practiced civil and trial law from 1971 to 1979, she was appointed to 
circuit court judge in the Fifteenth Judicial Court of Florida. After 
only 4 years she was elected as chief judge of the circuit, becoming 
the first woman chief judge in the State's history. Two short years 
later she was appointed to serve on the Florida Supreme Court, again 
marking the first time in the State's history that a woman had been 
named justice. Finally, in 1992 her colleagues chose her to become 
Florida's first woman chief justice.
   Throughout the years, Judge Barkett has been consistently honored 
for her achievements. The recipient of seven honorary degrees from 
institutions of higher learning, she has also earned dozens of honors 
and awards from national and state professional, civic and charitable 
groups. Her contributions have also been uniquely recognized by the 
creation of the ``Rosemary Barkett Outstanding Achievement Award'', 
given each year to two outstanding lawyers by the Florida Association 
of Women Lawyers, and the ``Rosemary Barkett Award'' which is presented 
by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers to a person who has 
demonstrated outstanding commitment to equal justice under law.
   Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to the Honorable Judge 
Rosemary Barkett for her continued service to the Miami community and I 
ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this remarkable individual.

                          ____________________