Tallahassee federal courthouse renamed in honor of Justice Hatchett
Justice Joseph Hatchett
President Joe Biden recently signed legislation renaming the federal courthouse in Tallahassee after civil rights pioneer and former Supreme Court Justice Joseph W. Hatchett.
A retired 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals chief judge and the first Black person since Reconstruction to serve on Florida’s highest court, Judge Hatchett died April 30, 2021, at the age of 88.
“Judge Hatchett’s work for the state of Florida speaks for itself,” North Florida Democratic Congressman Al Lawson said. “He was a groundbreaking judge and honorable man who served in our country’s military. Judge Hatchett’s leadership was demonstrated in his civil rights advocacy.”
The quest to name the courthouse after Hatchett suffered a setback earlier this year when Lawson’s bill failed on March 31 to muster a two-thirds majority needed for fast-track approval after a Georgia Congressman raised concerns about a ruling Judge Hatchett made in 1999 regarding school prayer. The renaming provision was then tucked into the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that was passed June 24. The legislation names the federal courthouse in Tallahassee the “Judge Joseph Woodrow Hatchett U.S. Courthouse.”
“We are gratified that the federal government is honoring Judge Hatchett’s lifelong commitment to justice and public service by naming the courthouse in Tallahassee for him, an honor that could not be more well-deserved,” said Akerman Chair Scott Meyers of their former partner. “Akerman has advocated for the bill’s passage since its inception, and we are overjoyed to see our dear friend and colleague recognized for his outstanding legacy.”
Judge Hatchett attended Florida A&M University and Howard University School of Law, and was admitted to The Florida Bar in November 1959. In 1966, he was appointed assistant United States attorney for the Middle District of Florida, then first assistant United States attorney in 1967. He was appointed a United States magistrate for the Middle District of Florida in 1971. With this role, Judge Hatchett became the first Black federal judicial officer in the South.
In 1975, Judge Hatchett was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Gov. Reubin Askew, who called the appointment the most satisfying act he performed as governor. Judge Hatchett became the first Black Justice to serve on Florida’s highest court. In 1976, Judge Hatchett became the first Black person to win a Florida statewide contested election in the twentieth century. In 1979, he was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, becoming the first Black person to serve in a federal court in the Deep South. Judge Hatchett served as a federal circuit court judge for 20 years, including a role as Chief Judge of the 11th Circuit from 1996-99.
Judge Hatchett retired from the bench in 1999 and became a partner at Akerman, where he chaired the firm’s appellate practice and served as a member of the firm’s in-house moot court panel, Akerman Bench.
Over the course of his career, Judge Hatchett received many honors and awards recognizing his work and commitment. He was inducted into the National Bar Association’s Hall of Fame for his dedication to the cause of justice and equality before the Courts of the United States of America and on behalf of the Black community. The ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession also awarded him with the Spirit of Excellence Award, which is presented to exceptional lawyers who have made significant education contributions to the promotion of racial and ethnic diversity within the legal profession.
In February 2021, Judge Hatchett was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. The society honored Judge Hatchett, “in recognition of his highly distinguished career as a lawyer, his many years of extraordinary contributions to Florida’s legal system as a highly respected member of the judiciary, and his lifelong devotion to the improvement of the lives of others.”
During the ceremony, former Florida Supreme Court Justice Rosemary Barkett traced Judge Hatchett’s early career, from a Florida A&M University undergraduate and a stint in the Army, to a Howard University law degree and private practice in Daytona Beach, where he made a name for himself challenging segregation and defending civil rights protesters.
“His external gentleness and calmness are wrapped around a steel core of dedication to equality and justice,” she said. “His contribution to both of those ideals in Florida and this country throughout his life are immeasurable.”
