TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee judge who played a pivotal role in Florida’s hotly contested presidential election in 2000 has died.
Sanders Sauls passed away last week at the age of 84.
He served on the Circuit bench for more than 20 years but is perhaps best known for presiding over the Bush v. Gore recount case.
That same case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Tallahassee judge Sanders Sauls was best known for presiding over the 2000 Presidential Election recount case in Florida.(WCTV)
Barry Richard was one of the attorneys who argued that case in front of Judge Sauls.
“It was the main case in Florida and Sauls did an excellent job,” Richard said. “It was a difficult case, I think, for a judge to preside over because you had the entire world watching and the courtroom was packed.”
Richard described Sauls as both folksy and respected.
“He ran a very disciplined courtroom, but he wasn’t stern,” Richard said. “He treated everybody respectfully … and he never got rattled by what was going on around us which was non-stop craziness.”
Barry Richard was one of the attorneys who argued the recount case in front of Judge Sanders Sauls.(WCTV)
Sauls served on the Second Circuit Court from October 1989 until August 2011.
“He served the Second Judicial Circuit faithfully and with fairness for more than two decades,” current Second Circuit Chief Judge Frank Allman said in a statement Thursday. “Judge Sauls applied his intellect and integrity to every case he handled. We will miss him.”
According to his obituary, Sauls’ graveside services and celebration of life were held on Thursday.
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