LBJ, Shelly Schwartz and Left Hook Al.

Query: What do Judge Sheldon Schwartz and the 36th President of the United States have in common?



President Johnson, tired of the “Hey Hey LBJ, How many kids did you kill today?” chants in the park across from the White House, said this:

I shall not seek, and I will not accept the nomination of my party for another term as your president."

Judge Sheldon Schwartz posted this on the blog:

Please; I do not wish to nor would I replace Judge Steve Leifman as the administrative person in charge of the traffic magistrates. I do believe such is a thankless position. Being an administrative judge is difficult and truly a thankless position. It is hoped that when a person becomes a judge or magistrate they have the ability to be independent thinkers and decision makers within the parameters of the law. Judge Leifman can't be blamed for the failures of others. Judge Leifman cannot be in every traffic magistrates court to watch over each of their rulings nor should he be.As a judge I have the opportunity to provide justice in the courts of our community. I listen to the facts and make the decision based upon the facts presented. I want people to understand what happens in a court ,whether represented or unrepresented. I wish for people to leave the court believing I was fair albeit not everyone leaves happy. I at least attempt to explain the reasons for my decision be it in civil infractions, criminal traffic violations, domestic violence matters and even uncontested dissolution of marriage matters.But as the song title goes,"I did it my way” providing what I believe to be justice.
So no thanks.
Judge Shelly Schwartzp.s.
Yes, I do view the log periodically.


Rumpole responds 1: The Lord of the Traffic Magistrates has yet to address the criticism and invectives hurled his way by the denizens of the traffic ticket world. You know who we mean. Those nameless, faceless attorneys who scurry between courtrooms starting with "1" which are seldom seen outside of the eyes of the motorcycle cop and the hapless 78 year old grandmother he stopped for speeding away from the bingo hall on her way to the 4:30 early bird. You, Judge Schwartz, may read and occasionally post on this humble blog, but the Lord Of Traffic Magistrates does not deign to bend down and post a response to his critics.

2: Not only do you- Judge Schwartz -“occasionally” read the blog, but you have replaced Judge Young as the most prolific poster among the robed readers. [However, Judge Young may be the first Robed Reader to leave a post in his own name, and for that we applaud his courage.] However, this business of getting ringers- attorneys to write in and extol your virtues, has to stop. You already have our support.


A reader “North Of the Boarder” (Broward) has a say:

I have been reading the website for the past several weeks and I have noted our dysfunctional family’s ever more virulent attacks on Bennett Brummer. While I am not now, nor have I ever been a member of the Public Defender’s Office, these attacks on BHB strike me as somewhat shortsighted. I practice extensively in Broward County and it has always struck me that the difference between practice in Miami, where “justice” is not just a word hidden in Webster’s, but an actual concept followed by all of the players (prosecutors, defense bar and judges) involved, at least most of the time, and Broward, where justice is rarely found, was because of the strong philosophical lead provided by Janet Reno, Bennett Brummer and a strong and vigorous defense bar. I guess you all would rather have the lead being provided by Michael “You May Not Have Committed This Offense, But You Must Be Guilty of Something” Satz and Alan “Let’s Spend the P.D.’s Money on Margarita Parties” Schreiber, not to mention Chief-fascist Dale Ross.Sorry, folks, but from where I sit, BHB’s lawyers are the ones that help the system run as fairly to those “accused” of committing crimes as it does. Look at the people who work for him; for the most part, they are dedicated, experienced and talented lawyers. If you don’t believe that the system is more fairly applied in our little courthouse, try a few weeks sitting in courtroom north of our border.Oh, and by the way, does anybody find it ironic (read, funny) that Al “I’ll Punch The Lights Out of Any Defense Attorney Who Crosses Me/ Or Any Lobotomized Juror Who Doesn’t Vote Guilty” Milian was busy calling the prosecutor’s case in the Broward’s Sheriff officer’s fake statistics matter a “prosecution looking for a case”? Sorry, but that cat is not changing his spots!

Rumpole Responds: Welcome dear reader from North of the boarder. You are welcome to pause here during your difficult days and find succor and drink from the well of Dade County. Your neck of the woods is reserved for the brave and foolhardy. You practice in a world where Judges (Aleman) do not let terminally ill defendants out of county jail to die at home with some peace and dignity (although the margarita soirées at the PD’s office sound kinda nice).

Currently you have let Left Hook Al Milian loose on us and he has set his sights on the judiciary in Dade. Do you think he will take a swing at Judge Farina if he doesn’t get the judicial assignment he wants? Or are his fist-a-cuffs confined to defense attorneys? "Motion to supress huh? First you have to fight me."


See You In Court. Not Traffic Ticket Court. We haven’t been to a courtroom that started with a “1” since Arthur Rothenberg was doing DUI’s.