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.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

RE-POST

As we get ready for our endorsements in the judicial races, we re-post this topic which we feel is of great concern to many attorneys who try cases in the REGJB.


A TRIAL LAWYER SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT

1) TO BE FREE FROM BEING EMBARRASSED AND CHEWED OUT IN FRONT OF OUR CLIENT.

We know we as attorneys say and do stupid things from time to time.
But Judges have chambers- and there’s sidebar. We have enough troubles with our clients (and Prosecutors have enough trouble with the 231 supervisors watching their every move, cops wanting the "max" and victims wanting restitution) without having to deal with them after a Judge has just dressed us down for something in court.

[ Half the time the judge is upset because we’re late. Well, usually we’re late because we just spent 45 minutes doing an arraignment in front of the Governor's latest new nominee to the bench. ] Does Judicial demeanor matter? Ask many of the Judges with opposition.

2) TO AT LEAST ONE WEEK AFTER RETURNING FROM VACATION BEFORE STARTING TRIAL.
This one really frosts our ass a little bit.
We have an important trial. And when the Judge suggests a date, we tell the Judge we have an FACDL Ski trip for that week. So the Judge gives us a big smile and tells us that sure, she’ll accommodate our vacation, “after all , lawyers are entitled to a vacation as well.”
And then she sets the trial for the Monday after we return that Sunday.


Hey- wake up!
Don’t you know what’s involved in a trial?

Don’t you realize that no matter how well an attorney plans and prepares that there are literally dozens of last minute problems that spring up, from subpoeaning witnesses and preparing them to testify, to viewing evidence and getting exhibits ready? No, we can’t fly across the country Sunday night, stagger home at 1:00 am and be fresh as a daisy and ready to go to trial Monday morning.

If Judges don’t want us to believe that the reason the majority of them became Judges is because they couldn’t try a case, then show some common sense and give us at least a week from retuning from a trip before trial.

This may surprise some of you future Supreme Court nominees, but other than the really successful or truly awful lawyers, the rest of us have more cases than the one clogging up your precious docket. We have clients that want to see us, employees that need guidance and your equally impatient colleagues who want us to try a case in their division on the day we return from vacation.

3) THE RIGHT TO AS MUCH TIME AS WE NEED IN VOIRE DIRE.
First of all, many lawyers who get stuck in a trial don’t try a lot of cases and couldn’t conduct a good voire dire with Perry Mason sitting with them as second chair. So you needn’t worry about them taking too much time. They ask a few moronic questions about which section of the Herald the jurror’s husband reads, and then they stagger back to their table sweating bullets and grab their law school text on opening statements to see what to do next.

For the rest of us, the ones who devote time and energy to our craft, a good voire dire is crucial. It is the most important part of the trial. We are not asking you to give us a long leash. Keep the leash short. But as long as we’re asking the right types of questions, then our clients (be it a defendant or the people of the state of Florida) are getting their moneys worth from the advocate they hired. Just leave us alone and let us do our job. Surprisingly, when that happens, the Jury system works just fine.

You want a short voire dire? Get an appointment to the Federal Bench.


4) THE RIGHT TO BEGIN AND END THE TRIAL AT A DECENT HOUR:

We see this with a lot of new Judges, especially in County Court.

Trying to establish some sort of macho reputation, they work until 11 PM and then send the jury out at midnight.

What are you people thinking?
Would you want the most important day of your life in the hands of someone who has been in the Justice Building since 8 AM making a decision about your life some 16 hours later?

What’s so difficult about coming back the next day?

WE ORIGINALLY POSTED THIS ON JANUARY 2 OF THIS YEAR. AS WE GET READY TO PUBLISH OUR MUCH ANTICIPATED ENDORSEMENTS, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM JUDGES AND CANDIDIATES ABOUT THEIR VIEWS OF THESE ISSUES. IT BEATS THE CRYING ABOUT SIGNS BEING TORN DOWN.

115 comments:

Anonymous said...

AMEN....................
(and the chorus sings)

Anonymous said...

Wow - I'm lucky I'm not up this year!

Anonymous said...

I will take a moment from the anti Hernandez campaign to say Right On Rumpole! By the above post you have proven that you are not a traffic ticket hack like Alvarez and Gonzales but a REAL LIVE TRIAL LAWYER. May the FORCE be with YOU !

Anonymous said...

P.S.break one of Rumpole's rules and WE will see you at the ballot box!

Rumpole said...

Us? A ticket lawyer? Nah. (Not that there's anything wrong it.) As we have repeatedly intimated, we have a thiriving Disorderly Intox practice.

Rumpole said...

See, the real Problem we have with the Gonzalezs and Alvarez's of the world is that they may be decent men and have the wisdom and temperment to be a great Judge. But being a Judge also means doing trials. And how can they make the proper rulings if they have never stood before a Jury with a client (or as a prosecutor seeking to enforce the law and obtain justice)watching, and hoping, and many times praying? Do they know the intense pressure of whether or not to ask that question that flashes before your eyes with the witness smirking at you and the jury staring at you? Do they know just how hard it is to get a prospective jurror to open up in voire dire and admit that because their nephew is in jail, or their brother in law is a cop, that they probably have a bias in a criminal case? Do they know how hard it is to work for 4 days and then get a closing argument ready to go?

These are tough questions that we are not sure they are willing or able to answer.

Anonymous said...

Rump, its Saturday...take a break. I'm in my office trying to prepare for trial.

Anonymous said...

Right again Rumpole!I think that I am actually starting to like you.When all is said and done you may actually turn out to be an acceptable non Hispanic Lawyer

Anonymous said...

I'm holding off printing my new palm cards to see if you endorse me rump. When will the endorsements be released

Anonymous said...

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

Anonymous said...

Hectorlombatamy is at it again.He is supposed to be neutral because on J.N.C.appointed by Bush,yet he is out campaigning for persons who will come before he and the J.N.C.when they loose the upcoming elections.Should the Herald not look into this.

Anonymous said...

Are you kidding me. If you have practiced at RGB for any number of years then you have definately practiced in front of several judges who had no clue about criminal law and/or proceedure. How many of them, especially recent governor appointments, have had to step off the bench to call an administrative judge for an opinion prior to making a ruling. How about the court administration placing competent civil attorneys as judges in a criminal division and competent criminal state or defense attorneys serving as civil judges. Their decision leaving the public and the attorneys scratching our heads wondering where the hell did these judges come from. What about Judge Lehr??? Weren't the commercials against her about the fact that she "never stepped foot inside a courthouse". Is she a horrible judge??? She obviously hasn't had opposition so I guess she turned out to be a pretty good judge. Besides the judges to be elected this September 5 will be spread across the county in several divisions and not just placed at the criminal courthouse. These judges must be able to competently serve a far greater spectrum then the limited view offered from the RGB.

Anonymous said...

I dont know if judge lehr is a horrible judge. I do know that the powers that be obviously think she may be, as they have not brought her to the MOST IMPORTANT courthouse in Miami - the REGJB. Why is it the most important, because there, judges decide whether someone should go to jail.

Anonymous said...

AMEN! Right on Rumpole! I can only hope that Judge Thomas is reading this post...

Anonymous said...

Juanito when are the Police (and we don't mean Sting and his pals) coming for you? Will you be finished masterminding the unsuccessful campaigns of Ivan " part timer" Hernandez,George "i'll handle your traffic ticket" Alvarez or Juan" where's the courthouse" Gonzalez?

BTW Juanito instead of blogging shouldn't you be preparing your defense with Henry "how does it feel to have a gun pointed at YOUR head!" Ferro?

Anonymous said...

Hey isn't it great that we have to elect our judges? We have Anglo Judges and candidates slipping out of Pinecrest and Aventura and finally finding out what it's like in the hispanic,black and carribbean neighborhoods. We also have Hispanic Judges and candidates going into Aventura and Pinecrest and historically Black areas.Similarly African American Judges and candidates are going into Hispanic and Anglo precincts.They may actually learn a great deal about the community they Judge.Kumbayaah!

Anonymous said...

Juanito:

Stop taking down Judge Miller signs and Robin Faber Signs.

Anonymous said...

I am one of those candidates you refer to, 3:30:25. And you're right, it sucks. The pandering, the posturing, the money...it's a hell of a way to choose a judiciary.

The appointment game is no better, if you're not from the right party or don't have the right supporters you're fu*ked. So what's a (fill in the gender) supposed to do?

We run, that's what we do. And we smile and we prance and try to put on the best face we can for you despite the criticisms we read here, the constant pressure of decisions on where to be and where to spread our love, and the promises of more not kept.

I would like to continue learning about my community after the election and I know I am going to be a very good judge. But, my friend, the reality is I have to play the game to get there.

Anonymous said...

I don't know who you are, but you make a good point. And maybe if we had more judges who followed through we could have a group who could honor Rump's Bill of Rights accordingly. At least you seem smart. That's more than I can say for some of the other candidates.

Rumpole said...

Judge Lehr came to the bench when she beat Judge Leifman. She was not the most qualified candidate in that race. She may be a good Judge now, I have no opinion about her. But she was in no way prepared to be a Judge when she was elected , and one wonders which cases she had to cut her teeth on, and whether any litigants left her court shaking their head in dismay over a Judge who did not know what she was doing. Not to pick on Judge Lehr, because there are many Judges who have no clue what to do.

By the way- Judge Thomas, like him or not, came to the bench after being a State and Federal PD and at least he knew what it was like to try a case. As an offhand remark, he seems to give both sides a whole lot of grief when it comes to continuances, but who am I to say that is wrong?

Anonymous said...

My oh My is Rumpole on point today/tonight. Who da man? You da man.

Anonymous said...

TO CHRIS PRACITTO

QUO TAN WAH.

Like...hey man... The coming of Tan is where its at. Tuesdays at 7 only on Howard 100.

Anonymous said...

The Herald said good things about Murphy today.Josie is in the wrong race. We might keep Murphy's Law.

Anonymous said...

GO MURPH!!!! Herald on Point, first time all week--since Fidel is still alive or is he?????? Do you know Rump??

Anonymous said...

To all those Lawyers who refuse to get involved in helping to stop the "Gang of Four"
(D'Arce',Hernandez,Alvarez & Gonzalez), because they fear repercussions or believe that we must abandon the bench to these idiots because they are Hispanic and may likely win election should read the following and absorb its lesson:

"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph."
Haile Selassie

Get involved lawyers,these people CAN AND MUST be stopped.If they succeed you will only have yourselves to blame!

Anonymous said...

9:25 I could not have said it better.

Anonymous said...

Tomorrow will probably be mendez and schwartzx. wanna bet on who gets that one?

Anonymous said...

dont forget to add patty whatshernamethisweek to that list gangbangers.

so correction it is the gang of five. bigots must never win!!

Anonymous said...

JUST STOP IT RIGHT NOW BEFORE I GET MICHAEL CATALANO TO GET YOU

Anonymous said...

Poor Josie. We don't care about Juan or the Gang of 4.

Anonymous said...

The "Gang Of Four" = DHAG

Anonymous said...

rumpole. this blog is turning into a blog of shit.

Anonymous said...

11:35 could you please define what you really mean by "shit".

thanks...

Anonymous said...

why is alan mishael important , i don't get it ?

Anonymous said...

sounds like there's nothin' but a bunch of racists on this blog -- you people need to ge off the anti-hispanic thing and move on ...like to Broward or something, there are more racists there and maybe "there" somebody will actually care about your racist views -- thank youuuuuuu.

Anonymous said...

we're not anti hispanic - we're anti-el stupido

Anonymous said...

Sunday is the most read day of any newspaper. The Herald did not print any endorsements today.

Shows what they think of the judicial races.

Anonymous said...

10:21,
are you always so stupid?

Anonymous said...

Add Armenteros Hugo Chavez to the gang of 5 or 6. Don't forget what the Herald has already reported:

"Armenteros-Chavez, 38, is an attorney with the firm Buckner & Shifrin. Driver's license and property records show she lives in Broward County." May 13

When she qualified to run against Slom, with D'Arce at her side, Armenteros-Chavez said she didn't think ethnicity should be a factor in her race.

"I grew up in New York," she said at the county elections office shortly after qualifying to run against Slom. "I'm more American than I am Hispanic."

She did not respond to repeated e-mail requests for an interview. When asked for a phone number to reach her during the campaign, she told The Miami Herald she would have to ask her husband before giving out her number. May 31


Go MAB

Anonymous said...

bitches and snitches. all of you gringos with political asperation need to get with the program. unless you have a (d) next to your name in a county wide race, don't waste your $$ unless your prepared to spend 350k. And even then, you only have a 50/50 shot.

Anonymous said...

your bubble will burst, i assure you.

Anonymous said...

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Check it out!

Anonymous said...

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Eventually these symbols will be distributed to 144,000 heads of families and their loved ones, who will comprise the potential wayfarers of the future airlift of travelers from the Earth unto a distant beautiful, un-polluted planet. Let me inform the reader that, one does not have to possess a symbol in order to become a potential wayfarer. However, possession of a symbol assures that the bearer will definitely be considered.

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Anonymous said...

Rumpole this blog sucks and has turned into a forum for angry candidates/ consultants to put down their opponent and make false accusations.

Stop this nonsense!

Rumpole said...

Okey Dokey artichokey...but if the blog sucks, why are you reading it on a Sunday afternoon when you should be about frolicking in the sun and surf of beautiful Miami?

Anonymous said...

Narie Abigail Davidson? Is she running a stealth campaign?

Anonymous said...

against who?

Anonymous said...

The Black community is getting ready to wage a war against anyone represented by Levy/Lorenzo. It's going up high, too--to the likes of Kendrick Meek, Commissioner Rolle, Bishop Curry, and others. You'll see. Go put your silly little signs up in the Black community, and unless you have a contracted with a paid Black political consultant, they WILL COME DOWN. shit will hit the fan.

Anonymous said...

MY MY

Anonymous said...

Good call on defense atty's rights.. I agree with everything..ecen the point about voir dire.. though I don't feel as strongly as you do about it the necesssity to drag on and on.. I've been a trial attorney for better than 20 years and in general I keep my Voir Dire fairly short... but hey... to each his own.. I won't tell you how to try your cases and I'll do what I want in mine.. As for all else..(and even the voir dire issue.. if you choose to have a lenghty voir dire you should be ALLOWED to have one)
you are right on target..

Anonymous said...

What's up with judge Bloom? Many years ago she was one of the most pleasant and professional judges I'd been in front of in county court.... NOW.. she seems angry, annoyed and just plain "unpleasant" .. What's the deal?

Rumpole said...

Its a fairly common afflition among county court Judges, called kevin emas disease, its marked by a short temper, permanent scowl, and frequent outbursts. The preferred cure is a promotion to circuit court.

Anonymous said...

Rump - the same person keeps posting negative stuff about Bloom - its obvious. Its one idiot who couldnt get 9 continuances out of her for no reason.

Notice how when others post negative stuff about judges who are actually jerks, the comments flow and flow, but with Bloom, its one in a blue moon.

It's one guy, ignore it.

Rumpole said...

it must be the heat

Anonymous said...

Well... I'm the person who just asked what's the deal with judge bloom and I've NEVER posted anything about any judge on this blog.. so .. for mr./ms "paranoid".. what's YOUR deal? I didn't say she was a "jerk" or name call or anything else.. I don't think she's a bad judge. I said there's a HUGE difference in her demeanor from what I once recall...... why so defensive? Rumpole.. your explanation makes a good deal of sense.. perhaps that's the answer... Frankly, IMHO she'd make a fairly good Circuit Court judge. I think she's "fair" to both sides etc.. I would just like to see the pleasant demeanor I recall... return.. but hey... it was just an observation EXXXCUUUUUSEEEE MEEEEE!

Anonymous said...

shut up already

Anonymous said...

NO

Anonymous said...

maybe she just doesnt like you

Anonymous said...

I have it on good source that the following companies are under Criminal investigation, regards Juan D'Arce. The Herald is working on big story.

DARCE, JUAN F.
T T L COMPUTER SYSTEMS, INC. K13057

D'ARCE, JUAN F.
LA ASOCIACION DE MEDICOS NICARAGUENSES EN EL EXILIO, INC. N14841

D'ARCE, JUAN F JR
NICARAGUAN AMERICAN ALLIANCE, INC.
N02000001281

D'ARCE, JUAN F JR.
PERICLES INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISES, INC. P04000101730

He has been using the companies as fronts in his campaign war against sitting judges. We need deepthroat on this one.

Anonymous said...

all under Juan D'Arce control

all Florida Corporations listing Juan as the man .

Anonymous said...

Well, I just don't know how I'll live another day if Judge Bloom doesn't like me..LOL.. get a life pal. I made an observaiton... you've cured me of caring..(I remember Judge bloom as one of kindest friendlies judges in county court.} I hope she's well, and happy and that her usual demeanor returns soon.. I hope you figure out why you are so frakin' worried about anyone thinks about judge bloom or any other judge. I hope you spend as much time defending your clients as you do the judiciary.. somehow I doubt it.

Anonymous said...

Anyone ever hear that Herald endorsements are the kiss of death?

Anonymous said...

To 1:33 (2:12): I agree with you regarding Judge Bloom. I think she's very intellectual, fair and willing to listen to and consider arguments. But you're right, lately her demeanor has been somewhat curt and unpleasant. I hope that whatever's bothering her (personal or emas disease) resolves itself soon so the nice Judge Bloom comes back soon. (for both our sake and hers.)

Anonymous said...

my my my who is Judge Bloom?

Anonymous said...

Hello from Judge Miller:

Alvarez has a bane to his campaign? I can imagine him on the bench looking like the guy (in the video Rumpole posted) wearing a bucket on his head and getting pelted with tennis balls--totally dazed and confused as he is confronted with important legal issues which go beyond "police officer is here, change of plea", "wrong statute, move to dismiss" and "pretty please no points so I don't have to refund the fee."

Judge Miller

Anonymous said...

hey judge bloom hater #1, didn't i tell you to shut up hours ago?

Anonymous said...

WHAT'S WITH THE LEVY/LORENZO STUFF?

Anonymous said...

hardly any of their candidates won last time. i don't trust them. judge ward says they're a bunch of crooks. ditto for rubinstein. just coasting by on their reputation. at least you know what you're getting with d'arce. plus, i trust him. that's why i hired him, and i'm not ashamed of it.

Anonymous said...

how come none of the alleged investigations on this blog ever amount to anything?

Anonymous said...

Because for all their talk, it's easy for people to hide behind anonymity and bitch and complain, but no one ever wants to actually get involved and do anything about it. I know lots of stuff that could be the basis for JQC complaints that actually have merit but what do you think would happen the next time I go in that judge's courtroom?

Anonymous said...

Once again I come to the defense of Judge Emas who happens to be one of the sharpest jurists we have. He makes you work...imagine that? He challenges you...whata jerk! He makes you follow procedure...the nerve of him. Those who complain about Judge Emas are the lawyers whose 4th motion for continuance is denied, even after they have received the third and final $150 monthly payment on their fee.

Anonymous said...

hey 7:23... RELAX! Emas disease was used to refer to the fact that he seemd bored doing trivial stuff in county court over and over again. After all, how many times can you ask a defendant "when will you be able to get a good license? Okay, reset 60 days." We weren't complaining about him following procedure, etc.

Anonymous said...

I was just thinking about the case of Meek v. Dade County where the suit aimed at creating more African-American seats on the County Commission. According to this Blog, that was a bad move since equality on the Commission removed the Anglo domination and Cubans were lucky that Meek's initiative paved the way for Cubans and other Spanish speaking people to be represented fairly. What I am trying to say is, thank you Mr. Meek.

Anonymous said...

no dumb ass, this blog thinks thats great - but judicial seats are not created for a certain race, you all hear that out there? And you know who Im speaking to you clowns

Anonymous said...

Anyone who talkes smack about Thomas has not tried a case in front of him.

Anonymous said...

I agree that Kevin is sharp and demanding which would make for a great Federal Judge. Go Emas!

Anonymous said...

The "Migna for Miami Tour" is on fire. FIRE! 20,000 for a rally in Homestead, 10,000 in Hialeah today. Even 5,000 curious people in the Aventura Mall parking lot friday nite. This girl sure can campaign!!!!

Anonymous said...

rumpole get over yourself and your idiotic bill of rights.
1. working late is a good thing--i know you have pressing things to do--we all do. but jurors dont and to make them have to stay extra days cause you need your night of mental masturbation is lame. all judges should work late-- its just not a 9-5 job

2. yes voir dire is a good thing but like alcohol and chocalate one can have too much of a good thing. sorry but a dui voir dire can be done in 45 minutes a side tops--the panels are small. a non murder felony with no special issues can be done with each atty getting one hour hour and half tops. obviously rules are diff for capital and media cases but the truth is rump while you ego is huge after about and hour and half jurors lose interest as fascinating as you think you are.

3. right to a vacation-- rump if you want a judge with 50 cases set to be mindful of rumpys little vacation plans you are incredibly self centered. if you want a rule like that join a union you whiny wimp
4. embarrassment-- agreed that no one likes to treated like that but you are full of crap if you tell me in all your years in practice(that you brag about incessantly) some of the lawyers havent earned a good beatdown from judges. the lawyer who never ever shows up to sounding. the lawyer who cant try a case for a whole week because he has a 20 minute change of plea in federal court monday am. i agree that many many are not warranted but there should be no rule--lets face it state attys and defense attorneys sometmies earn a beating.

rump hang up your shingle and go get a job at the police department--they have plenty of unions to help you with your inalienable rights

Anonymous said...

agree with most of your rant 9:01 except:

change of pleas in federal court take about an hour, and they're set at 10 a.m., and by the time you get back to the REGJB at 11:15, the building is basically empty.

and on the vacation issue, I dont want ANY judge f---ing with my vacation schedule, when they themselves go to "judge school" 9 times a year.

Anonymous said...

938 my point on change of plea was simply on a felony trial calendar that runs all week one hour plea should not disqualify you for whole week and serve, as it often does, as basis for continuance.

vacay-- yeah almost all judges will give you your vacay but to think you get an extra week is silly. prepare before you leave

Anonymous said...

You fool

Anonymous said...

Pando?

Anonymous said...

You trust D'Arce? He has a fool for a client.

Anonymous said...

Bennett Brummer's recent trials may be said to support the dictum that all political careers end in failure.

Anonymous said...

I am the best campaign advisor since bob levy.

Anonymous said...

juan?

Anonymous said...

You know I just visited that operationrestorejustice.com site and very informative, does any one have the tel # of the person running that site or first and last name?

Anonymous said...

No but you can write to the owner of the blog on the contact us page B-)

Anonymous said...

Larry Schwartz and Rima Bardawil get the Herald endorsement today in the first endorsements that show some of the more ridiculous reasons the Herald gives to endorse/not endorse candidates.

Schwartz basically gets the nod based on 16 years experience - the "why replace him" argument prevails. Good reason, and I hope it applies to some other candidates.

He does get slammed for his "short-temper" and "abruptness" His response to the Herald was that he "doesn't really tolerate lawyers who are unprepared or who poorly represent their clients." (hear the jeopardy buzzer here).

No, Larry, first, you don't have a temper, you are condescending. Sometimes you are condescending the very minute a lawyer opens his/her mouth. Well prepared, good lawyers fall victim to your behavior as well. So, as the Herald basically says, be a nice guy.

On the ricidulous reasons to endorse/not endorse, in the Bardawil race, the Herald says that candidate Jose Sanchez-Gronlier is well qualified because he "has wolunteered as a television commentator since 9/11, speaking authoritatively about terrorism and the Iraq war." (I'm not making this up).

They also comment on the special nurse/lawyer qualifications of Manno Schurr. Sorry, I just don't get this nurse thing.

They give it to Bardawil because she is "focused, confident, and self-assured." They end by saying she will bring intelligence and passion (passion?) to the bench.

Expect endorsements all week.

Rumpole said...

To 9:01, you have had your say. Who are you? Judge, attorney?
About working late, ask Judges like Lenny Glick and Luise Krieger-Martin, who never make jurors stay late if the jurors like that. They do. They all have their lives as well, and want to spend the right amount of time making a good decision. Most people think better at 1PM then 11PM.

As to vacations, you aparently lack any knowledge of what it is like to try any case beyond a 1 day DUI. Sorry, but we are right on that one.

On Voire Dire, you make valid points, but we stick with the belief that when a lawyer is doing a good job and getting good responses (not pre-trying their case) there should be no time limit.

Thanks for reading.

Anonymous said...

never had a case brfore Judge Larry Schwantz but he sounds like a joy to practice infront of.

Anonymous said...

Re working late: Many judges allow jurors to decide. I think that's the way it should be done. I think we owe them that. Unlike the rest of us, they aren't getting paid to be there.

Re vacation, etc.: These issues need to be addressed on a case by case basis. While you, Rump, may be reasonable, I've seen lawyers drag out cases for years by claiming illness, vacation, etc. Judges need to be bright enough to separate the legit lawyers from the showmen. Unfortunately, that's not always the case (especially in County Court).

Anonymous said...

Larry actually is a very nice guy.

He's just frustrated, as are many of us, that so many people waste his time by showing up unprepared or by making specious arguments in front of him day in and day out. Yes, he certainly could do a better job not taking it out on the many of us who do things properly, but, it does wear on you.

Anonymous said...

"But just as a doctor with a poor bedside manner can harm patients, so, too, can a judge with a short fuse do damage in a courtroom." Are you getting it yet, Larry????

Anonymous said...

Larry will respond later, he reads this blog like a hawk, so do all the other candidates.

Anonymous said...

So basically Larry Schwartz is a smart guy with no courtroom demeanor. There are a lot of smart people. We need judges who are smart and treat all people with respect. Sounds like it is a struggle for Larry. Kind of sad after all these years on the bench. Needs to learn demeanor from his wife.

Anonymous said...

i like judge bloom. i had some cases in front of her a while ago. i do remember her getting a little snippy with the ASAs in there... but they were being idiots. must be tiresome for county judges to deal with clueless ASAs and PDs all the time.

Anonymous said...

When I was a PD, Judge Bloom once had me wait for three hours, while
she was doing a bench trial, just to argue a simple motion. And she knew that I had only that one case left on the calendar, yet she still made me sit and wait. All I will say is she sure has her bad
days. And even though since I've been in private practice she has been ok with me, I will never forget how she treated me that day.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. It sounds like you have had a fairly "friction free" career so far. Hopefully, you will always remember that as your worst day.

Anonymous said...

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Rumpole said...

thought you could slip it by didn't you, jackass? caught ya.

Anonymous said...

Awww,

Poor 2:32. Having to sit behind a trial so you could get your motion heard. Better the judge should stop her trial, lose her train of thought, disrupt the lawyers who are trying to convince her their side should win and take up your motion.

Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Anonymous said...

OH PLEASE.. it's county court.. of course she should have taken this person's motion and let him/her go on with the day.. Give me a break!! I think Judge Bloom HAS become difficult in the last couple of years.. It's unfortunate because I always looked forward to her courtroom and now I dread it. I think rumpole may be right re Kevin Emas disease.. Emas became unbearable in county and then made circuit and became his old happy self again.. I think bloom is a good judge with a LOT of intellect and ability .. who just seems burnt out and tired of county court.. but as to making some poor guy wait while she does a trial to hear a mtn.. that's just wrong.. She's WAAAAYYYY bright enough to keep the two things separate in her mind.. She's one of the brightest judges on the bench.. BRIGHT, TALENTED AND UNFORUTNUATELY INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. I will admit that she is still "fair" to both sides....I think she's equally unpleasant to the State as she is the defense.. What a shame a talented bright decent judge has become someone I want to avoid. I hope she gets past whatever is making her this way and resumes her normal "tone".. I'm NOT giving up yet.

Anonymous said...

Kevin Emas is very smart but, he is way too agressive with people and he can be very mean and nasty. You should see him sink his teeth into people when he is mad. I give him a big F.

Larry Schwartz is not a bad guy, but, does need to stop sticking his nose in the air.

Beth Bloom is a very good person who is really sick of county court. She has become rather impatient lately.

Any judge who complains about a lawyers vacation is a total fucking asshole.

Anonymous said...

Beth Bloom has become extremely nasty and arrogant. She is bright, but who cares. Part of being a good judge is having the temperment to go along with the brains. Bloom has lost it and is totally out of control. I dread going before her now, when I used to look forward to it.

Anonymous said...

L. Schwartz is a smart-ass.

Anonymous said...

cant blame a guy for trying, rump. good eye.

Anonymous said...

to rump i am 901 last night and am a lawyer practiced at mjb for more than a decade. I have tried over 60 felonies some of them two weeks long. i am just saying, its more than a tad self centered to say to a judge must take into account not only your vacation but give you a week breather so you can recover from your week in a vegas whorehouse, hangover, heroin bender. this whole thing could be avoided instead of whining about this at sounding file a notice of unavailabilty for week of vacation and week after and you will be fine

Anonymous said...

Good point 9:04... if you need time after your vacay to recoup rumpole... add a couple of days for that purpose.. No one says you HAVE to spend every day of your vacay away..

Anonymous said...

The herald endorsement is the kiss of death since statistically speaking- 90% of those they endorse LOSE!

Anonymous said...

prove it.

Anonymous said...

to 9:01 yesterday, go practice in front of Adrien, Jackass. As a matter of fact, I think you're him trying to make a point. It will never stick, Camacho.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Manno and Parks got the Herald endorsements last time. They both lost. Go figure. Rubinstein and Thomas didn't get the endorsement, and they won. Peter Adrien and Ada Pozo Ravilla didn't get the endorsement, and they both won. Harnage and Levy got it, and they both lost. Barbara Areses got no endorsements whatsoever, except maybe from her church or PTA or something, and she won BIG TIME. So, it ain't over till the fat lady sings.

Anonymous said...

god, that's intersting.

Anonymous said...

Ain't no rhyme or reason...