ORLANDO, Fla. — The case challenging the suspension of former State Attorney Monique Worrell heads to the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday. It’s the latest development in a months-long back-and-forth between Worrell and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis suspended Worrell from her role with the Ninth Judicial Circuit in August 2023 for what he described as failing “to faithfully prosecute crime.”

What You Need To Know

  • The Florida Supreme Court will take up the case between former State Attorney Monique Worrell and Gov. Ron DeSantis

  • Worrell was suspended from her role in August 2023 for what DeSantis called “neglect of duty and incompetence"

  • The suspension of Worrell came after two Orlando police officers were shot and the suspect was a man with a long criminal history and several warrants out for his arrest

  • The oral arguments will begin around 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6

A charter bus of around 40 Worrell supporters headed to Tallahassee early Wednesday morning to show their support as the Florida Supreme Court examines the case between Worrell and DeSantis.

Justin Jones, one of the trip organizers, said he hopes to send a message today. One being that the voters are standing behind their elected officials, and that the government should not overpower voters’ voices.

“You don’t remove somebody because you disagree on how they do their job," Jones said. "I’m pretty sure there are hundreds of thousands of people who don’t agree with the way DeSantis does his job. Yet, nobody is calling for his removal from office because he was placed there by the democratic process.”

Worrell was elected to the position in Orange and Osceola counties in 2020, but she was removed after two years for “neglect of duty and incompetence,” according to DeSantis.

“Refusing to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida puts our communities in danger and victimizes innocent Floridians,” DeSantis said.

The decision followed the shooting of two Orlando police officers in a case in which the suspect in the shooting had a lengthy criminal history and multiple outstanding warrants.

Legal experts said Wednesday’s oral arguments will give attorneys on both sides an opportunity to argue their case on whether the suspension was justified by Florida law.