▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Chief ▁Judge ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁assuming ▁senior ▁status ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁r ul ings ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁King ▁over ru led ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Florida ▁in ▁determ ining ▁that ▁tre asure ▁h unter ▁Mel ▁Fish er ▁was ▁the ▁right ful ▁owner ▁of ▁tre asure ▁salv aged ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 7 1 5 ▁w reck ▁of ▁a ▁Spanish ▁g alle on , ▁in ▁the ▁C obb ▁Co in ▁case . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁ruled ▁that ▁relatives ▁of ▁the ▁Brothers ▁to ▁the ▁Res cue ▁pil ots ▁shot ▁down ▁by ▁the ▁Cub an ▁Air ▁Force ▁could ▁sue ▁Cuba ▁for ▁wrong ful ▁death . ▁He ▁also ▁dismiss ed ▁challeng es ▁to ▁Florida ' s ▁fel ony ▁dis enf ranch is ement ▁law ▁and ▁Florida ' s ▁prohib ition ▁against ▁hom osex ual ▁ad option . ▁King ▁was ▁ultimately ▁aff ir med ▁by ▁the ▁Ele vent h ▁Circ uit ▁in ▁both ▁cases . ▁ ▁Honor ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁renamed ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Cour th ouse ▁in ▁Miami ▁the ▁James ▁Lawrence ▁King ▁Federal ▁Justice ▁Building . ▁ ▁References ▁