Judge Covington Receives the 2021 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award
hCBA congratulates Judge Virginia hernandez Covington of the u . S . District Court for the Middle District of Florida , who was awarded the 2021 Distinguished Federal Judicial Service Award by Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles T . Canady on January 28 . The award honors outstanding and sustained service to the public , especially as it relates to support of pro bono legal services .
Judge Covington has been a public servant her entire legal career . She was appointed to the Second District Court of Appeal in 2001 , and to the united States District Court for the Middle District of Florida , Tampa Division , in 2004 . Judge Covington took senior status in July 2020 , but still maintains a 100 percent caseload .
As the child of a Cuban immigrant mother who did not speak english , Judge Covington was accustomed to helping others in the Cuban American community who needed help with their language . As an adult , she has been a long-time member of the Board of Directors of the hispanic needs and Services Council ( el Consejo de necesidades y Servicios para hispanos ), providing hundreds of hours of volunteer work , including providing pro bono legal services to non-english speaking hispanics .
Judge Covington understands the important role she can play in arranging pro bono services for the needy . Taking to heart two very real challenges in the federal legal system — the practitioner ’ s challenge to gain meaningful trial experience and the pro se litigant ’ s challenge to navigate the law and process — Judge Covington has met the needs of both by inviting the legal community to take on pro bono representation in cases where it would promote the administration of justice .
Judge Covington also regularly presides over immigration ceremonies and reminds the audience that the first time she was in the federal courthouse was in 1966 when her mother became an American citizen . Congratulations to Judge Covington on this well-deserved award !
Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington
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