Immigrant of the Day: Rosemary Barkett (Mexico)

Rosemary Barkett (born 1939 in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico) is a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. She previously was Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and was the first woman ever to serve on that court.

Barkett was born in Mexico to parents of Syrian descent. At age six, she moved to Miami. English was her second language. Barkett became a U.S. citizen in 1958.

At 17, Barkett joined the Sisters of St. Joseph and became a nun, and was known for a decade as Sister St. Michael. In 1967 Barkett left the convent because she believed there were other ways for her to serve humanity.

Barkett received her B.S. from Spring Hill College in 1967, and her J.D. from the University of Florida in 1970. She worked as a lawyer in private practice from 1971 until 1979 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

After nearly a decade in private practice, Barkett was appointed as a state circuit court judge in 1979, by Governor Bob Graham. She became Chief Judge of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and, in 1984, a judge on the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In 1985, Governor Graham appointed Barkett to the Florida Supreme Court. In 1992, she was selected Chief Justice by her colleagues.

When Barkett was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court, the justices’ chambers had two restrooms, one marked “Justices,” the other marked “women.”  She made sure that was changed.  Barkett initially was to be called “Madam Justice Barkett,” which she felt was inappropriate. She requested to be addressed simply as “Justice Barkett.” The other justices followed suit and dropped “Mr.” from their titles.

On September 24, 1993, President Bill Clinton nominated Barkett to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Her confirmation by the U.S. Senate was delayed because of some concerns that she was unwilling to support the death penalty. Barkett was confirmed by the Senate in April 1994.

KJ