The Florida Supreme Court has denied a Broward judge's last-ditch effort to win reelection Wednesday, possibly ending a legal fight between candidates that started soon after the August primary.

Mardi Anne Levey will not be replaced on the Nov. 4 ballot by current Circuit Judge Pedro Dijols, who filed a lawsuit that claimed Levey broke elections rules by campaigning under her maiden name.

Levey, who is married to Broward Circuit Judge Dale Cohen and has run for judge under his name previously, will face Bernard Bober for the spot on the bench in the Nov. 4 general election.

In a brief, one-page statement, the Supreme Court ruled it did not have the jurisdiction to reverse a September ruling by an appellate court that said Levey was lawfully entitled to her spot on the ballot.

''This lawsuit in my opinion was offensive,'' Levey said.

``It was filed by someone who was a sore loser.''

Levey first won the spot on the runoff ballot in November after besting Dijols at the polls by 70 votes in the three-way race.

But Dijols filed a complaint a few weeks later and won a decision from a Broward senior judge that had Levey kicked off the ballot because she did not use the same name under which she practiced law.

In late September, Levey successfully appealed that decision, prompting Dijols to turn to the state Supreme Court for help.

In the meantime, many ballots were printed without Levey's name.

Voters who want to select her will have to mark the ballot next to Dijols' name.

''We are clearly disappointed with the ruling, but we've gone as high as we can go,'' said Bill Scherer, Dijols' attorney. ``The courts are losing a good man and a good judge.''

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