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Sidney M. Aronovitz

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(1920-1997)

Sidney M. Aronovitz

Considered a man of great integrity, he served more than 20 years on the U.S. District Court (South Florida) after first being nominated in 1976 by President Gerald Ford. Among his decisions: ruling in the early days of legalized abortion that a woman did not need her husband’s consent to obtain one, cancellation of $4.6 million in fines against boat owners involved in Mariel boatlift, ruling that President Carter’s “open arms” speech welcoming Cuban refugees translated into government approval. He was active throughout his life on behalf of Dade County and the community he served, becoming the incorporator and/or serving as “first” president/chairman of multiple vital religious, educational and health organizations.

Born in Key West in 1920. Married Elinore Richman, and they had three children: Elaine Aronovitz Glasser, Karen Aronovitz Shonson, and Tod Aronovitz. Survived by wife and three children. Son, Tod, is 2002-03 president of The Florida Bar.

College Education / Achievements

  • Graduated, 1942, with B.A.; J.D. with honors, 1943, University of Florida
  • Member Blue Key, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappi Phi, Phi Eta Sigma

Legal Experience

  • Practiced law in Miami, 1946-76
  • U.S. District Court Judge with distinction, Southern District of Florida, 1976-97
  • Periodically sat by designation on U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
  • Member U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, 1988-92, by appointment of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice

Non-Legal Achievements

  • U.S. Army Captain,1943-46, with multiple WWII field decorations (including Bronze Star)
  • President, Hillel Advisory Council and Miami Hillel Foundation, University of Miami, 1950-54
  • President, member Dade County Zoning Board of Adjustments, 1950-56
  • Miami City Commissioner, 1962-66; Vice-Mayor 1965
  • National Council of Christians and Jews Gold Medallion Award
  • Greater Miami Urban League Award for Distinguished Service on Behalf of Equal Opportunity
  • Award for dedication/service to Dade County as Chairman, Member Little HUD Advisory Board
  • Winner Miami Herald Spirit of Excellence Award

Associations / Organizations / Honors

  • First Chairman, Dade County Community Relations Board
  • Founder / Incorporator, Cedars of Lebanon Hospital
  • Founder / Board Member, Miami Jewish Hospital and Home for the Aged
  • Judge Sidney M. Aronovitz Memorial Scholarship established in his honor, and administered by Dade Community Foundation to award Miami- Dade County minority students

Published: June 26th, 2014

Category: Alumni

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The Florida Constitutional Law Endowment in memory of Justice Ben F. Overton was created by Judge Karen Miller in 2013. This fund supports lectures and presentations by Justices of the Florida Supreme Court at the Fredric G. Levin College of Law.

HISTORY

Justice Overton, who earned his B.S. in 1951 and his Juris Doctor in 1952 from the University of Florida, was the first merit appointment to the Florida Supreme Court. Throughout his career he was active in legal education and served as an Adjunct Professor at the Levin College of Law through December 2012, the month of his death. Although he resided at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, a continuing care retirement community developed in cooperation with UF, he also considered the Florida Supreme Court “home.” Among the high points of his later years was hosting Justices of the Florida Supreme Court in Gainesville and taking his class to Tallahassee to hear oral arguments at the Florida Supreme Court.
Judge Miller, who earned her B.S. cum laude from New York University in 1974 and her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 1977, served as Chief Administrative Law Judge of the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs, New York City’s business regulatory agency, before she retired to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida. Having accompanied Justice Overton on his excursions to Tallahassee and joined him in welcoming guests to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, she created the endowment in memory of Justice Overton to ensure that the Levin College of Law continues to have the funding necessary to continue and enhance the interaction between its students and the Florida Supreme Court.

 

Judge Miller remembered the event that motivated the endowment.

 

Prior to a dinner at the home of Dean Robert Jerry and Lisa Jerry shortly after Justice Overton’s death, Justice Barbara Pariente and I were discussing a suitable memorial. Justice Pariente, who had been Justice Overton’s colleague on the Florida Supreme Court and who understood the importance to him of the interaction between his students and the Court, suggested the outline of what has become the Overton lectures. Dean Jerry, who has since retired, as has Dean Emeritus Jon Mills, who assumed responsibility for implementing the Overton lectures, were very supportive from the beginning. Since Dean Mills’ retirement, Professor Timothy McClendon, who assisted both Justice Overton and Dean Mills teaching Florida Constitutional Law and who co-authored the recent Florida Constitutional Law casebook, has continued the Overton lectures with the support of Interim Dean Merritt McAlister and CGR director, Professor Danaya Wright.

Justice Overton was a devoted jurist, educator, and ethical leader of the Florida legal profession. The Overton Lecture Series brings Florida Supreme Court Justices to the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, and serves to introduce students to the inner workings of the Court. CGR and the students of the College of Law extend our deepest gratitude to Judge Karen Miller for making the Overton Lectures possible in perpetuity.

You can watch an interview for the Florida Historical Society by Mary Adkins, professor emeritus of the UF Levin College of Law, with Justice Overton here.

Justice Overton was also interviewed for the Samuel Proctor Oral History Project and a transcript of his interview is available at the Smathers Library, and here.
Justice Overton sat on the Constitution Revision Commission of 1977-78 that proposed a right to privacy in the Florida Constitution. Although it failed as part of the Constitution Revision Commission recommendations, it passed in 1980 when proposed by the legislature. The bill was co-sponsored by our very own Jon Mills. The privacy provision prevailed by greater than 60%. Justice Overton then wrote a concurrence in a critical reproductive rights case in 1989 affirming that the privacy provision of the Florida Constitution included the right to obtain an abortion. That decision was overruled in Planned Parenthood of SW and Central Florida v. Florida. You can read about the role of Justice Overton, Jon Mills – director emeritus of CGR, and the history of the 1989 case here.