R. Fred Lewis

Richard Fred Lewis (born December 14, 1947) is a retired American judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court of Florida on December 7, 1998, and served until January 8, 2019. While serving as chief justice, he founded Justice Teaching, an organization that now has over 3,900 volunteer lawyers and judges placed with and active in all Florida public schools, which enhances civic and law-related education through active programs in all levels of Florida schools. As chief justice, he also convened the first commission and statewide all-branch mental health summit which developed and proposed a unified and comprehensive plan to address the increasing problems with the intersection of mental illness and the justice system. Life and career Born to a coal mining family in the coal mining area of Beckley, West Virginia, in 1947, Lewis attended Woodrow Wilson High School, where he was actively involved in both athletic and academic pursuits, serving as president of the student body, receiving all state and all American recognition for athletic achievement and receiving the Pete George Memorial award as the outstanding scholar athlete. Lewis continues to maintain a jar of coal and his grandfather's miner's carbide light on his desk to honor his family. Lewis came to Florida in 1965 to attend Florida Southern College in Lakeland, a small religious school which stressed religion and family values, where he excelled in athletics and academics. He was elected president of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes and in 1969 was selected honor walk student, which is awarded annually to the outstanding senior student for scholastic and service achievements. He is now a member of the college's hall of fame.