George Greer
Encyclopedia
George W. Greer was an American
judge
serving in the Pinellas
-Pasco
County Circuit Court, family law
division, in Clearwater, Florida
, who received national attention when he presided over the Terri Schiavo case
.
. He received his associate's degree
from St. Petersburg Junior College in 1962, his bachelor's degree
from Florida State University
at Tallahassee in 1964, and his law degree
from the University of Florida
's College of Law
in Gainesville
in 1966. He became a commissioner
of Pinellas County
as a Republican
in 1984. He was first elected to his present position of probate
judge in 1992 on a nonpartisan
ballot, was reelected in 1998 and 2004. He retired in 2010 after his term expired.
Greer is a Republican who was once a member of a Southern Baptist Church http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=4059
He is legally blind and cannot drive cars. His colleagues say his condition gives him a unique perspective on the rights of the impaired.
During Greer's studies at Florida State, he was for a time a roommate of Jim Morrison
, who later became lead vocalist of The Doors
.
for his involvement in the Terri Schiavo case
. He was heavily criticized by Terri Schiavo's defenders for ordering her feeding tube
removed against the wishes of her parents and siblings.
Because Greer's controversial decisions in the Schiavo case conflicted with the opinions of patrons at his church, the Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater
, Greer was asked by pastor William Rice to clarify his relationship with his church. Greer then withdrew his membership from the Calvary congregation.
In 2005 Greer was threatened with impeachment
for his decisions in the Terri Schiavo case
. Attorney Barry Cohen
represented Judge Greer, who retained his position.
and his wife, Linda Bollea. On January 30, 2008, Greer denied Linda's motion to have Hulk's assets frozen.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
serving in the Pinellas
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
-Pasco
Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida which is in the northeast part of the county - somewhat...
County Circuit Court, family law
Family law
Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
division, in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, who received national attention when he presided over the Terri Schiavo case
Terri Schiavo case
The Terri Schiavo case was a legal battle in the United States between the legal guardians and the parents of Teresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo that lasted from 1998 to 2005...
.
Background and personal information
Born in 1942 in Brooklyn, New York, Judge Greer grew up in Dunedin, FloridaDunedin, Florida
Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632...
. He received his associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
from St. Petersburg Junior College in 1962, his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
at Tallahassee in 1964, and his law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
from the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
's College of Law
Levin College of Law
The Fredric G. Levin College of Law is the law school of the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida.-History:The College of Law was founded in 1909. It was first housed in Thomas Hall, and then in Bryan Hall from 1914 to 1969...
in Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1966. He became a commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
of Pinellas County
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in 1984. He was first elected to his present position of probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
judge in 1992 on a nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
ballot, was reelected in 1998 and 2004. He retired in 2010 after his term expired.
Greer is a Republican who was once a member of a Southern Baptist Church http://www.gofbw.com/news.asp?ID=4059
He is legally blind and cannot drive cars. His colleagues say his condition gives him a unique perspective on the rights of the impaired.
During Greer's studies at Florida State, he was for a time a roommate of Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
, who later became lead vocalist of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
.
Terri Schiavo case
Greer received substantial attention in national and international mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
for his involvement in the Terri Schiavo case
Terri Schiavo case
The Terri Schiavo case was a legal battle in the United States between the legal guardians and the parents of Teresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo that lasted from 1998 to 2005...
. He was heavily criticized by Terri Schiavo's defenders for ordering her feeding tube
Feeding tube
A feeding tube is a medical device used to provide nutrition to patients who cannot obtain nutrition by swallowing. The state of being fed by a feeding tube is called gavage, enteral feeding or tube feeding...
removed against the wishes of her parents and siblings.
Because Greer's controversial decisions in the Schiavo case conflicted with the opinions of patrons at his church, the Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
, Greer was asked by pastor William Rice to clarify his relationship with his church. Greer then withdrew his membership from the Calvary congregation.
In 2005 Greer was threatened with impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
for his decisions in the Terri Schiavo case
Terri Schiavo case
The Terri Schiavo case was a legal battle in the United States between the legal guardians and the parents of Teresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo that lasted from 1998 to 2005...
. Attorney Barry Cohen
Barry Cohen
Barry Cohen AM is a former Australian Labor politician. He was a minister in the government of Bob Hawke.-Biography:He was born in Griffith, New South Wales and educated at Griffith High School, Sydney Grammar School and North Sydney Technical High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the...
represented Judge Greer, who retained his position.
Awards
- In 2004 he was awarded the Clearwater's Bar Association's highest honor becoming the only judge to win it twice.
- In 2005 he was awarded the Presidents Award of Merit from the Florida Bar. Those who know Judge Greer and practice in front of him believe he is the ideal jurist," said President Kelly Overstreet Johnson. "He is fair, he is impartial, and his rulings are based on law, not emotions and not politics."
- In 2005 he was awarded the Benjamin Franklin award by the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club which recognizes those persons who, through public appointed or elected service, have exhibited extraordinary integrity, courage and achievement
- In 2005 was awarded the Special Justice award from the Pasco Bar. President Joan Hook said "He is very meticulous in his decisions and he is a supporter of the law, doesn't let his emotions or personal feelings get in the way of his analysis of the law."
- In 2005 Jurist of the Year by the Florida Chapter American Board of Trial Advocates
- In September he was named 2005 Bay Area Champion of Justice by the Tampa Bay Trial Lawyers Association
Hogan divorce case
Judge Greer presided over the 2008 divorce case of Hulk HoganHulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and his wife, Linda Bollea. On January 30, 2008, Greer denied Linda's motion to have Hulk's assets frozen.