Volume III of the Supreme Court history is now in the hands of the publisher, University Press of Florida.

The Historical Society is pleased to announce that the complete manuscript of Volume III of History of the Florida Supreme Court has been turned over to the publisher and will be entering the next phase of publication. The projected release date is in early 2017. Author Neil Skene has poured years of work and masses of fascinating information into Volume III which will cover history from the 1970s to 1987, one of the most transformative periods of the court’s history. (For context, the manuscript occasionally reaches back further or extends forward.) Early feedback on the thoroughly researched and engagingly written manuscript is very positive, and this volume is sure to be a gratifying read for anyone interested in the Florida Supreme Court’s captivating history. Though the manuscript is completed, there are more steps to follow.

One of those steps is to collect photographs as illustrations for the book. Any society member who has photographs from that era is urged to contact the author at neil@skenelaw.com and let him know.

Here is an update directly from the author himself:

            After completing years of research and countless numbers of interviews, the final manuscript of Volume III was submitted to the University Press of Florida (UPF) for publication and has now passed the “peer review” evaluation by published authors. Peer reviewer Martin Dyckman, the longtime journalist, called it “superb.” Peer reviewer Jon Millers, the former House speaker and Dean Emeritus of the University of Florida Law School, commented, “Mr. Skene’s research is thorough, includes personal interviews and evaluations of historic documents. The result is not only a valuable research tool, but a book that is enjoyable reading.”

Very positive comments have come from others who have read the manuscript at my request or the Society’s, including Sandy D’Alemberte, Judge Marguerite “Ditti” Davis (who was law clerk to B.K. Roberts, Fred Karl and James Alderman), retired Justice Steve Grimes, and former Clerk of the House and legislative historian John Phelps (who said it reminded him of Blackstone’s Commentaries). All of them offered many very constructive suggestions in addition to generous time in interviews, for which I’m very grateful.                                    .

            UPF executive director Meredith Babb (who doubles as the acquisitions editor for this book) will seek a final approval from the UPF advisory board at its quarterly meeting in mid-February. Then UPF and the Society will enter into a final contract for publication, including a timeline and pricing.

            A long production process follows: copy-editing, selection of photos, page and cover design, page proofs, and finally indexing. Then the book goes to a printer. In the meantime the FSCHS Publication Committee members will be preparing a comprehensive marketing plan for this Volume, with a kickoff at the Florida Bar’s Annual Convention.

            I’m very grateful to the many members of the Society who have supported this effort and provided insights and knowledge.