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Fact check: What year did Pam Bondi graduate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law?

Checked on October 7, 2025

Executive Summary

Pam Bondi did not graduate from the University of Florida Levin College of Law; public documents cited in the available materials state she received a Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law in 1990 and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Florida in 1987. The sources provided do not list a graduation year from UF Levin, and the most likely explanation is conflation between her undergraduate alma mater (University of Florida) and a different law school (Stetson) [1] [2] [3].

1. What the available records claim and what they leave out

The clearest claim across the provided material is that Pam Bondi earned her law degree at Stetson University in 1990 and earlier earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida in 1987. No provided source records a graduation year from the University of Florida Levin College of Law; instead, the provided items focus on Bondi’s undergraduate connection to UF and her later legal education at Stetson [1]. The absence of any UF Levin graduation date is itself informative, indicating either she never attended that law school or the analysts’ sources did not report such attendance.

2. How the three sources diverge and where they converge

All three analyses converge on Bondi’s UF undergraduate degree and on her Stetson law degree timing: UF bachelor’s in 1987; Stetson law degree in 1990 [1]. The other two analyses underscore a lack of relevant information about a UF Levin graduation, noting the pieces instead discuss campus appearances or policy memos and therefore do not address law school credentials [2] [3]. This pattern—multiple sources confirming Stetson but none confirming UF Levin—supports the conclusion that Bondi did not graduate from UF Levin.

3. Why the confusion about law-school affiliation can occur

Public confusion often arises when a prominent individual is associated with a major state university as an undergraduate and with a separate institution for graduate study. Bondi’s undergraduate affiliation with the University of Florida [4] is easily conflated with legal education at the state’s law college, especially where reporting mentions “University of Florida” without specifying which campus or college [1]. Misattribution is common in shorthand reporting, and the provided materials show that shorthand occurred in related coverage of speeches and policy actions where educational chronology was not the focus [2] [3].

4. How multiple-source verification strengthens the finding

Cross-checking diverse materials reduces the risk of repeating a single-source error. The provided set includes a commencement announcement that explicitly lists Stetson as Bondi’s law school and her 1990 graduation year, while two other pieces address Bondi in contexts unrelated to law-school dates but nonetheless fail to list UF Levin credentials [1] [2] [3]. When several independent items confirm the same law-school affiliation and none confirm an alternate claim, the preponderance of evidence supports the Stetson-1990 record and not a UF Levin graduation.

5. What primary documents would conclusively resolve the question

To conclusively answer whether Bondi ever graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, one would consult primary academic records: official alumni directories, diploma records from UF Levin, or state bar registration filings that list law-school credentials. The materials provided do not include such primary records; they rely on secondary reporting that is consistent about Stetson [1]. Primary verification remains the gold standard, but the available secondary sources collectively point away from a UF Levin graduation.

6. What the absence of a UF Levin date implies for public reporting

The absence of a UF Levin graduation year across the supplied reports implies that public narratives labeling Bondi as a UF Levin graduate would be unsupported by these materials. Given Bondi’s public profile, misstatements about her legal alma mater would matter for accuracy in biographies and official profiles. Editors and researchers should correct any profiles that attribute a UF Levin JD to Bondi unless primary UF records demonstrate otherwise, because multiple independent secondary sources consistently identify Stetson as her law school [1].

7. Bottom line and recommended next steps for definitive confirmation

The best-supported conclusion from the provided materials is that Pam Bondi graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1990, not from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and she earned a UF bachelor’s degree in 1987 [1]. For definitive confirmation, consult UF Levin’s alumni records or Bondi’s official bar-registration file, which should list the law school and graduation year. Absent primary documents to the contrary, the preponderance of evidence indicates no UF Levin graduation year exists for Bondi in these sources. [1] [2] [3]

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