Duval County's longtime clerk of court, Jim Fuller, can't run  for re-election this year because of a recent Florida Supreme Court ruling, Jacksonville's head lawyer  said Monday.

"It is my advice ... he does not qualify, and therefore cannot be placed on  the ballot without a court order to that effect," General Counsel Cindy  Laquidara wrote to county Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland.

That conclusion could create a plum political job opening just weeks before  candidates file paperwork to qualify as countywide constitutional officers.

Laquidara was asked to look at the issue after the Supreme Court decided this  month to "recede" — in effect, to backtrack — from a 2002 decision that said  limits of two four-year terms Duval voters approved for those officers 20 years  ago were unconstitutional.

Other constitutional officers, such as Sheriff John Rutherford, have also  served longer than two terms, but are in the middle of their current term and  won't have to leave until that expires.