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.

Friday, November 17, 2006

FACDL MIAMI -MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

RICK FREEDMAN GIVES US AN UPDATE:

Court Appointed Counsel Update:

In reference to the money, or lack of it, many people on both a local and statewide level are working very hard to get the money released ASAP.

On a more critical issue: As many of you know, this new statewide system took birth on July 1, 2004 as a result of the 1998 constitutional amendment that voters passed transferring funding from a local level to a state level. With that, the legislature spent two years writing legislation that was passed in 2003 and 2004 to help run the new system. While the CAC system is run by the JAC in Tallahassee, we were very successful in keeping local input to a maximum with the creation of the local ISC (Indigent Service Committee), the FRC (Fee Review Committee) and the Screening Committee. Each of the 20 circuits still have these groups in place to help keep most of the decision-making local.

Now, only 27 months into this new system, there is a move afoot to change it again.

The present system would be replaced by one run 100% out of Tallahassee.
An "Executive Director" would be hired (sort of like a Chief Public Defender) who would then hire Regional Directors and Local Directors. They would rent office space and hire staff throughout the state. All decisions would begin and end with the Executive Director.

What's good for the attorney in Palatka or Pahokee would be good for the attorney in Miami. [Rumpole notes: what a wonderful thought. We need a little Pahokee in Miamah."

All staff would be paid employees of the State. They would replace all of the above committees that are VOLUNTEER committees.

We would have NO local input.

Needless to say, we are fighting like hell against these changes.

We are lobbying members of the Commission that is responsible for this new proposal. We are lobbying judges throughout the State that we feel can help our position. We are lobbying State Senators and State Representatives. We will be lobbying both the Lt. Gov. and the Governor.

Someone asked what FACDL-Miami does.

This is just one of the things we do.

We do many, many other things that benefit the members of the criminal defense bar.We invite your comments and suggestions and hope to have you as a member of our organization for 2007.

Rick Freedman

Rumpole says: Pay your 2007 FACDL dues now. President David O Markus just sent out an email with the bill. If you are not a member, go to the link for Markus's blog and shoot him an email. Before you can say "The people in Tallahassee are not the brightest bulbs on the tree" Markus will have you signed up.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm from pahokee...it was the "home of Mel Tillis"

Anonymous said...

Now would be the time to change to CIVIL court!!! FORMER JUDGE JONATHAN COLBY and SCOTT LEEDS received a 100 page order from the federal court JUDGE in new york ordering the immediate payment to the firm of a $100 MILLION verdict (in their trial against CUBA) ... nice contingent payday! The money will come from frozen funds held in a ny bank from 1960 after castro invaded the island....why are there not more of us who join these big civil firms?

Anonymous said...

Lenny Cooperman would switch right now with Judge Colby!

Anonymous said...

Didn't Andy Kotsin write the motion for them in NY?

Anonymous said...

CUBA
Castro victims awarded $91MTwo families whose relatives were executed by Castro agents in the 1960s can collect $91 million in frozen Cuban government assets held in a U.S. bank, a federal judge ruled.

BY JAY WEAVER
jweaver@MiamiHerald.com


A New York federal judge on Friday ordered JP Morgan Chase Bank to turn over $91 million in frozen Cuban assets to a South Florida family and others who had won huge damages claims against Fidel Castro's government for having executed two relatives more than four decades ago.

Anonymous said...

b/c criminal is basically the easiest job ever, thats why i dont do civil.

Anonymous said...

Maybe I'm wrong, but some of the best words a defendant can hear are "Theodore G Mastos for the defense."

Anonymous said...

How come no one suspects Ric Freedman. ? He has been around the right amount of time. Gets low play on the blog (except today) and seems to be in the know. also Dan Lurvey usually smirks and walks away when people talk about the blog with him.

Anonymous said...

wait, don't they (Freedman & Lurvey) work together in the same building and sharing space for many years

Anonymous said...

lurvey wouldnt waste his time with some of the idiots here

Anonymous said...

Another day at Bennett Brummer's PD's office. A brand new lawyer
goes to trial on a DUI in front of
Judge Ortiz and not a single training attorney or senior
attorney takes the time to watch the kid and critique him. The kid
ends up having to get critiqued
by the Judge.

Good old BHB, why everyone loves him I do not know. The ship over their is sinking and has been for
years.

Anonymous said...

Mastos was under investigation for taking BRIBES when he was a judge. Left UNDER FIRE!

Anonymous said...

cannot be lurvey. some of the references by rump predate him.

Anonymous said...

Let us be accurate. Mastos took bribes. Admitted it. Offered to testify againat other judges if he can leave the bench and just keep his Bar card. Makes me PUKE that he has the gall to wear a Gavel tie-tack -- as though he did not corrupt his office!

Anonymous said...

rick freedman, are you aware that a lot of court reporters, process servers, etc... are no longer accepting work on JAC cases? well, you know what?!? that's a great fucking idea. i'm done... no more court appointments for me.

Anonymous said...

if that is true about mastos he is a fucking shit turd. if true he should rot in hell.

Anonymous said...

I'm also through with court appointments.. I have cases I've never billed because they are such a royal pain.. and it's just not worth it.. I will never forget sitting in the Justice Building being "assured" by local judges, attorneys etc, that our concerns about JAC were unwarrranted!!

Anonymous said...

dan lurvey isn't rump! he also doesn't work with rick freedman.