18 Facts About Rosemary Barkett

1.

In January 1946, when Barkett was six, her entire family immigrated to Miami, Florida.

2.

Rosemary Barkett became a United States citizen in 1958 at the age of 18.

3.

At age 17, Rosemary Barkett joined the Sisters of St Joseph, becoming a nun.

4.

Rosemary Barkett went on to law school at the University of Florida in 1970, where she was the first woman to win the Miller Memorial award for outstanding senior graduate.

5.

Rosemary Barkett's nomination was hotly contested by newspaper columnists and such conservative politicians as Orrin Hatch, who was, at the time, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

6.

Rosemary Barkett was twice outvoted when the 11th Circuit Court refused to hear appeals after lawyers for death row inmates missed deadlines.

7.

In 2008, Barkett dissented in a case that involved Florida's system for purging the voting lists.

8.

Rosemary Barkett retired from the court, effective September 30,2013, in order to accept a post on an international tribunal.

9.

In July 2023, Barkett was appointed by the United States to serve as a Judge ad hoc on the International Court of Justice in Certain Iranian Assets.

10.

Rosemary Barkett served on the faculties of Florida's Judicial College, the National Judicial College, The Institute of Judicial Administration's New Appellate Judge Seminar, and the Aspen Institute.

11.

Rosemary Barkett has given lectures in countries throughout the world, including Syria, Qatar, Turkey, South Africa, Algeria, China, Haiti, Khyrgystan, and Mexico.

12.

Since leaving the Federal bench, Rosemary Barkett's academic focus has been on justice and human rights.

13.

Rosemary Barkett serves on the Board of Measures for Justice, an organization dedicated to bringing greater transparency to the legal system.

14.

Rosemary Barkett is the honorary president of the American Society of International Law.

15.

Rosemary Barkett has won dozens of awards and has been awarded seven honorary degrees.

16.

The Rosemary Barkett Award is presented annually by the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers to recognize efforts to provide equal justice.

17.

Rosemary Barkett was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame in 1986 and was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees of Barry University.

18.

Rosemary Barkett is featured in a non-fiction children's book, A Kid's Guide to Arab-American History, alongside a description of immigration patterns and a recipe for making hummus.