R. Fred Lewis

R. Fred Lewis, 78, died on May 26, 2026. R. Fred Lewis was known publicly as an American judge and justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (1998–2019). Richard Fred Lewis (born December 14, 1947) is a retired American judge who was appointed to the Supreme Court of Florida on December 7, 1998, and served until January 8, 2019. While serving as chief justice, he founded Justice Teaching, an organization that now has over 3,900 volunteer lawyers and judges placed with and active in all Florida public schools, which enhances civic and law-related education through active programs in all levels of Florida schools. As chief justice, he also convened the first commission and statewide all-branch mental health summit which developed and proposed a unified and comprehensive plan to address the increasing problems with the intersection of mental illness and the justice system. Public biographical listings identify Lewis as an American judge. Lewis was also associated with justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (1998–2019). This public record remains centered on Lewis's work as an American judge and justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (1998–2019) and the documented milestones of that career.