Larry Edward Franz Metz (born March 20,1955) is a retired American judge and politician from Florida. He served on the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court from July 1,2018,until his retirement on July 15,2023.[3] Previously,he was a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from November 2,2010[4],until his appointment as a circuit judge in 2018,was a member of the Lake County School Board from October 29,2004[5],until November 1,2010,and served on other boards and commissions.[4]
He was stationed in Japan for his last year of active duty. Following his active-duty tour,Metz served for 2 years in the Marine Corps Reserve[6],after which he was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.[7] While a Marine,Metz took graduate-level courses in public administration at San Diego State University,but did not graduate.[8] In 1980,he was admitted to the Florida State University College of Law,where he received a Juris Doctor with High Honors in 1983. In 1983 he began private practice as an attorney in South Florida,eventually moving to Central Florida and starting Metz Law Firm,P.A. in Lake County in 2007.[9]
In 1992,Metz ran for Congress against incumbent Democrat Congressman Harry Johnston in the newly created 19th District comprising portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties.[10] Unopposed for the Republican nomination in the heavily Democrat district,he lost to Johnston,receiving 37% of the vote.[10][11] Metz and his family moved to Yalaha in Lake County in 1997,and he became active in Lake political circles while working for a law firm in Orlando.[10] In 2004,when State Representative Carey Baker opted to run for the Florida Senate rather than seek re-election in the 25th District[12],which included large areas of northern and eastern Lake County and smaller areas of northern Seminole and southern Volusia counties,Metz ran to succeed him. He faced Alan Hays,Johnny Barton Smith,Randy Wiseman,and JoAnn Huggins in the Republican primary. Metz lost to Hays,with 29% of the vote to Hays's 35%. [13]
Lake County,Florida School Board
Approximately one month after Metz’s defeat in the 2004 primary for state representative,Dennis Reid,a member of the School Board of Lake County[14],resigned,creating a vacancy to be filled by Governor Jeb Bush. Metz applied and was appointed effective October 29,2004.[14] One year later his colleagues on the board elected him vice chairman. Metz ran for a full 4-year term in 2006 and was challenged by Leesburg businessman Bill Mathias.[15] Metz held onto the seat with 54% of the votes to 46% for Mathias. At the beginning of his full term[15],Metz was elected chairman and one year later was re-elected.[15] During his second year as chairman,the Lake County School District received its first “A”grade from the Florida Department of Education.[16] In addition,the district received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)[17],later known as COGNIA.[16] These recognitions were joint goals of the superintendent and the school board.[16]
Florida House of Representatives
Representative Metz began his political career by running for the Florida House of Representatives in 2010.[18] He won the Republican primary for House District 25 by a narrow margin and later defeated his Democratic opponent in the general election. After redistricting in 2012[19],he was moved to House District 32[20],where he continued to serve without opposition in subsequent elections. During his time in office,he was actively involved in various committees,including those focused on justice,education,and budget appropriations. In later years,he chaired committees related to ethics,public integrity,and government accountability.[21][22]
Metz supported legislation related to veterans,military service members,and law enforcement. He sponsored bills to honor Vietnam and Korean War veterans[23],including the creation of specialty license plates and a "Welcome Home" event.[24] He also worked on legislation to protect the custody rights of deployed military parents. Additionally,he played a role in designating highways in honor of fallen soldiers and a former sheriff from Lake County.[25]
As a practicing lawyer,Metz focused on judicial reform. He introduced and advocated for the adoption of the Daubert standard for expert witness testimony[26],which was eventually enacted into law. He also supported efforts to call for a Convention of the States to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution,addressing government fiscal policies and congressional term limits. In addition,he worked on legislation related to local government,special districts,and hospital district reforms.[27]
Metz sponsored legislation on various topics,including information security,metals theft,student safety,and criminal forfeiture laws. He supported government accountability measures,privacy protections,and restrictions on the use of tracking devices and drones.[28][29] While some of his legislative efforts were unsuccessful,many of his proposals were later incorporated into state law. His advocacy extended to issues such as banning sanctuary cities and increasing restrictions on lobbying by former officials.[30][31]
Circuit Judge,Florida Fifth Judicial Circuit
On March 11,2018,Governor Rick Scott made an unannounced visit to the Florida House of Representatives during the last day of the extended regular session to announce his appointment of Metz to an open judicial seat in the Fifth Judicial Circuit of Florida.[32][33]The Fifth Circuit consists of Citrus,Hernando,Lake,Marion,and Sumter counties. He assumed office on July 1,2018,replacing the Honorable William Law.[32][33][34] In 2020,Metz was elected to a full six-year term without opposition. His chambers were in the Lake County Courthouse in Tavares. In his first two years on the bench,he presided over civil jury trial cases and domestic cases. Thereafter he presided over criminal felony cases,civil non-jury cases,and probate matters. Metz retired effective July 15,2023,to spend time with his family and to focus on his health. [35]
Other Public Service and Awards
Metz has also served as a member of the Lake County Zoning Board[36],the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization Governing Board[37],the Lake County Value Adjustment Board[38],and the Four Corners Charter School[39],Inc. Board of Directors. From 2012 to 2018 Metz served as Governor Scott’s appointee to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Council.[40] In 2015,Governor Scott appointed Metz as one of three commissioners representing Florida at the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws,also known as the Uniform Law Commission[41][42],a position to which he was reappointed and served until 2023. Metz has received recognition for his public service,including the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Most Valuable Legislator Award in 2013[43],the Central Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America’s Lake County Golden Eagle Dinner Honoree in 2016;and the Lake County Community Service Award for Leadership in 2008. [44]
Personal life
Metz was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2016 at the age of sixty-one.[45] He went public with the news during his interview with the Florida Supreme Court Nominating Commission in November 2016[46] and spoke freely about it thereafter. Metz was one of eleven candidates interviewed for a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Florida[47][48] but was not one of the three nominees provided by the commission to the Governor.
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