Craig Waters, who is retiring as the longtime spokesman for the Florida Supreme Court, is being honored by the First Amendment Foundation for his work in using the internet and video technology to open the workings of the court system to the public.

The foundation announced Tuesday that Waters has been named the winner of its 2022 Pete Weitzel/Friend of the First Amendment Award.

"No one in this state has done more to open up justice in Florida to the public than Craig Waters," Pamela Marsh, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation, said in a prepared statement.

"He has dedicated his entire career to the public's free access to the judicial system and its records.”

Waters, who drew nationwide attention as spokesman for the Florida Supreme Court during the 2000 presidential recount, announced in December that he will retire in late February as the court’s communications director.

(Disclosure: The News Service of Florida is a member of the First Amendment Foundation.)