JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

TRIVIA

ROUND TWO OF REGJB TRIVIA

1) Name the two Judges who have portraits hanging in courtrooms in the REGJB.
2) Identify the coutrooms.
3) Name the one famous defendant that one of the two judges sentenced to death and was executed.

BONUS: Name one of their bailiffs.

See You In Court.

PS: If you really want to claim a prize, send us an email before posting it. A prize suitable for framing or eating will arrive.

57 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, too simple for those of my generation. They both used the same Courtroom, one due to his assignment and the other for the case in question. Bailiffs were more colorful + memorable then, as well.

Anonymous said...

Mr. PD: "Objection. I request your Honor instruct the witness to answer the question."

Judge: "Mr. Laeser, I am tired of your pedantic attempts at illustrating your supperior knowledge. You shall answer the question and only the question...Name the Judges, Identify the Courtroom, Name the defendant and Name one of the bailiffs."

Anonymous said...

Paul Baker, Ed Cowart, Ted Bundy

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

The Captain has been requested to provide the following information for someone who wishes to file a complaint against a candidate in the upcoming election.

My suggestion is for you to go to the Florida Elections Commission website and download the Complaint form. You can do so with the following link:

http://www.fec.state.fl.us/complaints/index.html

Happy Filing........

CAPTAIN OUT ..................

Anonymous said...

Rumpole, are you a Wagner fan?

Anonymous said...

Wagner produced some of the best classical music in history.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the kind view, Mr. PD. By the way, Baker's bailiff was RICK, a martial arts master who handled all 'issues' or unruly behavior quite well. Interesting to watch that stuff in real life - probably even frightened the corrections officers. When Baker died, he became a personal bodyguard to the rich and infamous.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Captain. I am sure that many of the people who read this blog will be filing complaints.

Anonymous said...

I have a question, why do we have Senior Judges hearing Bond Calendars? Are our Judges to scared to sit there and keep people in jail? Seems like such a waste of money and time. Not that I do not like the Klein Duo, but really. Do we need to pay $350 per day to each of them for something that can be done with the Judges that we already have?

One of my favorite Bond Hearing Episodes: "What's you name? Elvis Presley. Where do you live? Graceland, but now I am homeless in Miami. OK, R&R. Next! What's you name? Elvis Presley also. Where do you live? Just like the guy before me. OK, R&R. Next!"

I think sitting Judges would take Bond Hearings more seriously. What do you all think?

Anonymous said...

Courtroom 4-3
Judge Edward Cowart
Sentenced Theodore Bundy
Baillif-Bill Maltz

Courtroom 4-1
Judge Ben Willard

Anonymous said...

You would think a practicing attorney would be able to figure out how to file an election complaint without assistance.

Wonder what kind of research skills???

Anonymous said...

Rumpole and Captain,
Do you know each other's identities?

Anonymous said...

Dear 12:57...ROR, not R&R. I would have imagined that most attorneys know that just because clients say R&R or adjudufucation, this does not make them words...Just curiously, what did you think R&R stands for?

Anonymous said...

ROR = Release Own Recognizance
R&R = Reset and Renotify.

A few years ago, there was a County Court ASA that said "withhold adjudification" when making plea offers in court.

Anonymous said...

According to my sources on the "row" Bundy was a hell of a basketball player.....

Anonymous said...

Rumpole!! Captain!!! You are directed to answer the question...Do you know each other's identity?????

Anonymous said...

I really, really hate dealing with JAC. That's the reason why most lawyers don't deal with appointments anymore.

By the way, in my days, R&R stands for Rest and Relaxation. am too dated to know what it truly means now since I've heard a judge say it accidentally due to poor accent.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

AS FER DE CAPTAIN:

I have no idea who Rumpole is, but I do enjoy contributing to his BLOG.

CAPTAIN OUT .......

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

DO YOU WANT TO BE A JUDGE

Gov. Bush will be very busy in the next couple of months. Sitting on his desk are six names to replace retiring Judge Fredricka Smith and six more names to replace deceased Judge Henry Leyte-Vidal.

In addition, the local JNC is in the process of interviewing attorneys for two County Court seats; those of Judge Silver and Judge Dakis. So, he should receive 12 more names in the near future. That means 4 new judges taking the bench by Labor Day.

RUMPOLE and other bloggers to this site will be happy to know that none of the finalists are spring chickens, with all having at least 15 years of legal experience.

Also worth noting, the JNC did not send one single County Court Judge's name up among the 12 finalists. Usually, Gov. Jeb has been known to get "two for the price of one" by naming a County Court Judge to a Circuit Court opening and then getting to name the County Court replacement.

The finalists for Judge Smith's seat are:

Douglas Chumbley, 1982, with Carlton Fields

Reemberto Diaz, 1980, criminal defense

Edith Osman, 1983, with Carlton Fields and former Prez. of the Florida Bar

Alan Sackrin, 1982, solo and Board Cert. in Civil Trial

Flora Seff, 1980, an ASA

Mary Jo Toussaint, 1988, an ASA

The finalists for Judge Leyte-Vidal's seat are:

Douglas Chumbley,

Reemberto Diaz,

H. Scott Fingerhut, 1989, criminal defense and former Prez. of FACDL-Miami

Rima Mullins, 1991, with White & Case

Alan Sackrin,

Flora Seff,

It looks like Judge Blake will be very busy at judicial college this Fall.

CAPTAIN OUT ................

Anonymous said...

Captain..any coincidence in Reimberto Diaz' and Flora Seff's name appearing on both lists?

Anonymous said...

Captain, I love you.

Anonymous said...

ricks last name was massey. coward also had colorful baliffs named bill chalk, and later "hamp".whenever i and asa graves were trying a murder case, we had instructions never to strike a good looking lady. chalk one time walked up to me with a note from the judge. the note said dont you dare strike this lady who was a good looking flight attendant. i didnt and we got another not guilty.

Anonymous said...

flora seff?

why?

Anonymous said...

can we talk about joel jacobi?

Anonymous said...

beautiful women don't want anything to do with even thinking about a man sitting in jail.

Anonymous said...

Do we really have to objectify women?

Anonymous said...

Objectify, schmectify....Just get me out of this damn wheelchair.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

and the Captain loves you too ....

OUT .......................

Anonymous said...

It's Juan for the money, two for the show, three to get ready....

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

yes, I noticed, that Chumbley, Diaz, Sackrin & Seff all appear twice. This was what the JNC sent up to the Gov.; I don't make the lists, I just report them.

I may not like all the finalists; but all are clearly well seasoned trial attorneys who have the ability to be very good jurists.

CAPTAIN OUT ................

Anonymous said...

juan, two three, what are we fighting for,

don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam

Anonymous said...

Joel Jacobi's wife is so damn hot, she makes Bronwyn Miller look ugly. Joel, I may vote for you if you let your girl be out more and show those fine curves. Love her in tight pants, but you may need to get her boobs.

Anonymous said...

so let me get this straight; you'll think about voting for him based on her fine curves; but you will definitely vote for him if he buys her some boobs.

Got it.

You just gotta love how lonely some people are at 11:54 in the evening.

Anonymous said...

jacobi? His wife is all he's got going for him and that's only in hialeah. He is as dumb as a door nail and a total joke. Does he even no where the REGJB is???

Anonymous said...

some drunk loser sat in front of his computer from 2am to 3am writing non-sense. dude, check out the porn sites, they are more interesting.

rump, can you filter out crap by denying access via IP address? its your blog, dont let the "i like pie" people post 30 times.

i bet you would really like pie if you ever got some, but i have a feeling copying, pasting, and bloggin at 2am wont get you any pie. sorry charlie.

Anonymous said...

So the NBA playoffs come down to this: Miami vs. Dallas. Tonight they begin a series that will determine which city is the winner and which city has many residents who are not cowboys but wear cowboy hats anyway, often in urban environments where they look ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Prez Bush says Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. I hope this is true. But I bet it's the same as "mission accomplished" and "wmd's in Iraq" and "i have a brain".

Ten bucks says Apu will show up in some seven 11 in pakistan next week. nice try to save some face, bush.

Rumpole said...

From 2-3 AM as the above poster notes, "some drunk loser" posted about 80 posts. It took him/her an hour to do it. It took us less than five minutes to erase them all. WE WIN --YOU LOSE.
We are not going to block their IP address. We are going to encourage them to spend hours and hours wasting time, and we will spend five minutes cleaning it up. Pretty fair deal on our end.

TRIVIA: Clearly Mr. Laeser knows his stuff and knew the answers. But he actually didn't post them. And only "Anonymous" did. So the prize rolls over to even larger amounts.
The acutal answer we were looking for regarding Bill the Bailiff was "Buckle Bill" which he was called because of the "Bill" belt buckle he wore. Those were good days.

Coming up next: Trivia even Mr. Laeser will have trouble answering.

PS: We don't know who the Captain is. We sent him an invitation to be a blogger, but like most people in our life, he turned us down. Captain, if you want posting privileges, email us again your private email and respond to the invitation.

Anonymous said...

whats the alternative to voting for joel jacobi?

Anonymous said...

I think that is what Rumpole was referring to.

I find it funny to be honest.

You should keep those Rumpole.

Anonymous said...

If joel jacobi is elected we will have 2 JJJ's

Judge Julio Jimenez
Judge Joel Jacobi

Anonymous said...

if flora becomes a judge can she expunge her husbands conviction?

Anonymous said...

Did anybody else see the new website

www.operationrestorejustice.com

It further exposes the sordid relationship between Judge Ivan Hernandez and political wannabee Juan D'Arce. You have also have to read Juan's e-mail threatening to sue the website operator.Who's going to represent him Juan Gonzalez?

Anonymous said...

if flora becomes a judge will she find a personality?

Anonymous said...

I guess this also further exposes the sordid relationships between D'Arce and Hon. Jeffrey Rosinek and Gabriel Martin. Interesting. If he sues, Lonnie should represent him.

Anonymous said...

The formating, or lack thereof of this blog, makes it unreadable.

Anonymous said...

To Anonymous @ Thursday, June 08, 2006 7:50:56 PM:

What is Flora seffs husbands name? What was he arrested for? What was the dispo? Details...details...Enquiring minds want to know

Anonymous said...

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/Issues/2000-07-27/news/feature.html

His Sister's Keeper
Is Darrin McGillis a noble crusader for his late sister's kids, or a courtroom junkie who thrives on drama? Both, actually.
By Lissette Corsa
Article Published Jul 27, 2000

For the complete story:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/Issues/2000-07-27/news/feature.html

Want legal advice, MCGILLIS gives it free on this site:

http://www.mcgillismusic.com/Free%20Legal%20Tips.htm

Anonymous said...

DARRIN MCGILLIS, Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s), vs. DANIEL NESS, ET AL., Appellee(s)/Respondent(s).


CASE NO.: 3D05-2339

COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT

923 So. 2d 1178; 2006 Fla. App. LEXIS 5161


January 24, 2006, Decided

NOTICE: [*1] DECISION WITHOUT PUBLISHED OPINION

PRIOR HISTORY: LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 05-6983, 05-7087, 05-296 AP.

JUDGES: FLETCHER, SHEPHERD and ROTHENBERG, JJ., concur.

OPINION: Following review of the petition for writ of certiorari and the response and reply thereto, it is ordered that said petition is hereby denied.

Upon consideration of the motion for sanctions filed by respondent Benjamin Ness, it is ordered that said motion is granted and remanded to the trial court to fix amount.

Upon consideration, petitioner's request for sanctions against counsel is hereby denied.

FLETCHER, SHEPHERD and ROTHENBERG, JJ., concur.

Anonymous said...

DARRIN MCGILLIS, Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s), vs. BENJAMIN NESS, Appellee(s)/Respondent(s).


CASE NO.: 3D05-1230

COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT

910 So. 2d 274; 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 15963


August 30, 2005, Decided

NOTICE: [*1] DECISION WITHOUT PUBLISHED OPINION

PRIOR HISTORY: LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 05-14334. McGillis v. Ness, 903 So. 2d 198, 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 10168 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 3d Dist., 2005)


JUDGES: LEVY, C.J., and FLETCHER and CORTINAS, JJ., concur.

OPINION: Upon consideration of the emergency petition for writ of mandamus, it is ordered that said petition is hereby dismissed as moot. LEVY, C.J., and FLETCHER and CORTINAS, JJ., concur.

Anonymous said...

DARRIN MCGILLIS, Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s), vs. BENJAMIN NESS, Appellee(s)/Respondent(s).


CASE NO.: 3D05-1230

COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA, THIRD DISTRICT

903 So. 2d 198; 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 10168


June 15, 2005, Decided

NOTICE: [*1] DECISION WITHOUT PUBLISHED OPINION

SUBSEQUENT HISTORY: Writ dismissed by McGillis v. Ness, 2005 Fla. App. LEXIS 15963 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 3d Dist., Aug. 30, 2005)


PRIOR HISTORY: LOWER TRIBUNAL NO. 05-14334.

OPINION: This Court's order dated June 14, 2005 is hereby vacated.

Anonymous said...

I may still vote for Judge Cohen...

He is consumed by his sister's life and death and by the disdain he feels for those whom he says contributed to her untimely passing. Few other thoughts, it seems, cross his mind. His world is a lonely one. He relies on public transportation and recently moved in with a friend “from the music business” because he couldn't afford to pay his rent. He hasn't been working since 1997 and says he gets by on royalties from some of the Menudo music he owns, which mostly sells in Latin-American countries.

McGillis also faces many accusations. The state's welfare agency and juvenile court considers him a harasser and manipulator. A few days after Wendolyn died, McGillis videotaped her children answering questions about what transpired before their mother's death. The DCF claims McGillis brainwashed the kids into believing Benge killed their mother. McGillis denies the allegations. He's jammed up many fax machines. During a hearing in October 1999, Judge Jeri Cohen complained about it. “You are not to fax me anything else,” Cohen ordered. “If you have something. I'm warning you not to do it. Let me tell you something, Mr. McGillis. Look at me. That fax machine is my fax machine. I pay for all the ribbons in that, and since you have started faxing me information my bills -- and I'll call my secretary in here -- have gone up. It's costing me $85 a month in ribbons because of all the junk you've sent me.”

According to DCF's district administrator Charles Auslander, McGillis had harassed attorney Lucy Piniero by calling her office 50 times in a row. Judge Cohen entered an order prohibiting him from communicating with anyone from the Department of Children and Families, particularly Piniero. McGillis appealed. “Well, you know the problem with that was that maybe he only called 40 times,” says E. Joseph Ryan, Jr., an appeals expert who represented McGillis in the Third District Court of Appeal. “It sounded like a fantasy.” Once police even dragged him out of the Juvenile Justice Center in handcuffs because he wouldn't leave Piniero's office until he spoke to her. McGillis was charged with trespassing even though he was in a public building during business hours.

While McGillis clearly has crossed lines, those opposing him have as well. Judge Cohen has questioned his sanity: “Darrin is mentally ill.... You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that he's got severe psychological problems,” she said during a hearing in April 1999.

Anonymous said...

That nut job called an attorney 50 times in a row? He need psychological treatment. Maybe Liefman should get him in his program, but by the looks of this, they may be working together already.

Anonymous said...

Judge Cohen must have been super scared of the McGillis fella'. I just finished reading the whole story about him and his doings to the system and I cannot believe the havoc McGillis can serve. He should be Baker Acted.

Read the story:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/issues/2000-07-27/news/feature.html

Anonymous said...

that post about mcgillis is slander rumor has it he is suing the blog web hosting company

Anonymous said...

rump delete that libel please

Anonymous said...

Scandal is brewing over at the Florida bar:

Ramon A. Abadin, Esq., (a very powerful attorney) is reviewing a complaint that was escalated to him by the Florida bar against Miguel De La O, several problems with this, some are below:

He, Ramon A. Abadin donated money to Leifmans campaign, so did Miguel de la O. They are both listed as the top endorsements on Leifmans official campaign web site and the campaign contribution report filed with the county.

Problem Miguel De La O, is the co-chair to Leifmans campaign.

Interesting fact: Randi Klayman Lazarus and Kenneth Marvin of the Florida Bar have reviewed the complaint for disposition, they also contributed to Leifmans campaign. “Conflict” “Conflict”.

Problem, when the complaint against Miguel De La O, was filed with the Florida bar it was assigned to Randi Klayman Lazarus, weeks later after being told a response to the complaint was being requested of De La O, it is revealed that Miguel De La O, is personal friends with Randi K. Lazarus and is on her grievance committee. (I guess having De La O on the grievance to decide his own fate was just wrong). So the case was supposedly sent to Barnaby Lee Min for get this “impartial review” in what took 3 weeks only took Mr. Min one day to close the case and not ask for a response to the complaint. We can be sure that since Lazarus and Min share the same office space that no conflict existed. (Eyes rolling).

John Harness office said it would be sent to another circuit (i.e. Ft. Lauderdale for impartial review) never happened. Ms. Arlene Sankel refused to do the right thing. Mr. John Anthony Boggs appears and says I will make a independent review (yea right). Meanwhile Ms. Sankel’s writing letters to Mr. De La O, saying case is closed and then after Boggs gets involved writes another letter case sent to grievance committee.

Miguel De la O, is a powerful man, he was recently appointed to be the Chair of the Florida Bar of Examiners. If this complaint would have been against any other lawyer at the very least the bar would have complied with its policies of asking for a response to the VERIFIED complaint. It actually says this on there web site.

Those of you lawyers wishing to avoid answering those irritating bar complaints simply get appointed to one of the grievance committees of the Florida bar. It’s kind of like that pesky corrupt Judicial Assistant just did not have the right friends in the right places.

All together now “CORRUPTION”.

The Florida bar (when I say this I mean the Miami div) waited until Ramon was recently elected to the board of governors of the Florida bar before escalating the complaint to him. The complaint was sitting at the Grievance committee for over six months. My how time flies.