FL Supreme Court sets arguments in prosecutor Worrell’s challenge to suspension

Monique Worrell, suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis as state’s attorney for Orange and Osceola counties, will get a hearing before the Florida Supreme Court on Dec. 6, the court announced Tuesday.

The court set aside 20 minutes for Worrell to argue that the governor acted unlawfully in essentially kicking her out of her elected office, contingent on a vote by the Florida Senate if she chooses that option. The governor will get the same amount of time, but the court stressed that “counsel is expected to use only so much of that time as necessary.”

The court set up an expedited period for the sides to file written arguments. “NO CONTINUANCES WILL BE GRANTED EXCEPT UPON A SHOWING OF EXTREME HARDSHIP,” its written order reads, with the all-caps in the original.

DeSantis suspended Worrell on Aug. 8, complaining that her office had been “undercharging violent offenses and putting the community at risk.”