Several plaintiffs are suing Gov. Ron DeSantis over his suspension of the Orlando-area state attorney earlier this year, arguing that the governor’s action flies in the face of the voters’ will and violates constitutional rights. 

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the legal complaint on Nov. 30 in the Middle District of Florida. The lawsuit alleges that DeSantis’ suspension of Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Monique Worrell, who was elected in 2020 after garnering 67% of the vote while advocating for policies that hold police officers more accountable for their actions, restricting the use of cash bail, focusing on mental health and drug abuse, and seeking out alternatives to prison sentences.

In August, DeSantis suspended Worrell from office over allegations that she was incompetent and neglected her official duties.