CONTACT: Pat Vaughan Tremmel at (847) 491-4892 or at p-tremmel@northwestern.edu

February 5, 2002

Chief Justice Wells to Talk About 2000 Presidential Election

CHICAGO --- Remember the hanging and dimpled chads? The counts and recounts? The dizzying succession of court verdicts that finally led to George W. Bush’s presidency?

Charles T. Wells, chief justice of the Supreme Court of Florida and one of the key players in those historic election proceedings, will deliver the 10th Pope & John Lecture on Professionalism at Northwestern University School of Law.

The lecture, "The 2000 Presidential Election: November 8 to December 12 – Inside the Florida Supreme Court," will take place 4 p.m. Feb. 14 at the School of Law, 357 E. Chicago Ave.

"This distinguished jurist played a central role in an election whose legal proceedings will be analyzed for many years to come," said David E. Van Zandt, dean of the School of Law. "We are pleased to showcase him in a lecture series that continues to feature the best legal minds of our times."

The lecture is part of the School of Law’s Program on Advocacy and Professionalism, which is directed by Professor Steven Lubet. The lecture was designed to focus on the many dimensions of a lawyer’s professional responsibility -- including legal ethics, public service, professional civility, pro bono representation and standards of conduct.

Wells entered the national spotlight in December 2000 when he wrote a dissenting opinion to the Florida Court’s decision in favor of the Gore campaign, calling for a county-by-county recount. In his dissent, Wells expressed concern that the narrow four-to-three majority ruling would lead to an "unprecedented constitutional crisis."

On Dec. 12, 2000, the U. S. Supreme Court agreed with Wells and overturned the Supreme Court of Florida with a ruling that led to George W. Bush’s presidency.

Since the 2000 election, Wells has lectured throughout the United States on the Florida Court’s processing and administration of the election cases.

Before his appointment to the Supreme Court of Florida, he was a partner at the firm of Wells, Gatis, Hallowes and Carpenter in Orlando. Before that he was with Maguire, Voorhis and Wells and was a trial attorney with the U. S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

During his 28 years in private practice, Wells was a certified mediator of the Florida Circuit Court and U.S. District Court.

He was actively involved in the Orange County Legal Aid Society from 1968 until 1994, serving on its board of trustees from 1988 through 1989. From 1985 through 1994, Wells participated in the Guardian Ad Litem Program, representing dependent and abused children in juvenile and domestic court proceedings. The society awarded him its Award of Excellence in 1989 for his outstanding pro bono service.

He currently serves on the board of directors of the Conference of Chief Justices and as a member of several of the conference’s committees. He also is a member of the Federal Judicial Conference Standing Committee on Rules of Practice Procedure.