1994 – Charles T. Wells was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court on this date. Wells received both his bachelor’s degree and his juris doctor degree from the University of Florida. Wells practiced law in Orlando for 28 years before being appointed to the State Supreme Court by Governor Lawton Chiles. Wells served as Chief Justice from July 1, 2000 – July 1, 2002. During this period, he presided over the State Supreme Court cases known collectively as Bush v. Gore, which stemmed from controversy over the 2000 presidential election in Florida and subsequent recounts in certain counties. In a 4-3 decision, with Wells voting in the minority, the State Supreme Court ordered a statewide recount of the ballots. That decision however was reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, and shortly after Vice-President Al Gore conceded the race, granting then Governor George W. Bush the necessary 25 electoral votes from Florida to win the presidential election. In 2013 Wells wrote an analysis of the case entitled, “Inside Bush v. Gore,” which gives readers an inside look at the complexity of such an historic case.