Judge who denied abortion to teen over bad grades may become next Florida Supreme Court justice

A judge who was voted out of office after he denied an abortion to a 17-year-old girl because her GPA wasn't high enough is reportedly on a shortlist to become a Florida Supreme Court justice.

Judge Jared Smith ruled last year that the unnamed teen's GPA meant that she likely didn't have the capacity to make her own decision on abortion. The decision was ultimately overturned on appeal, and Smith was voted out, but Gov. Ron DeSantis chose to promote him to an even higher court in December.

Now, Smith is being considered for another promotion, according to The Guardian. The outlet reports that Smith is one of 15 total individuals being interviewed:

"Jared Smith will be interviewed alongside 14 others next month by a nominating commission that will make recommendations to DeSantis, who last week signed a six-week abortion ban into law," The Guardian reported. "The governor appointed Smith to the newly established sixth district court of appeal in December, four months after voters in Hillsborough county ousted him from the circuit court following his controversial ruling."

The news was also picked up by Above The Law, which noted that this will be the fifth state supreme court justice pick by DeSantis.

"So a reliably conservative jurist who just happens to be out of step with Floridians is exactly the kind of person DeSantis wants on that court," the report says.