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, July 11, 2007

JUDGE SCOLA HONORED

We received this press release yesterday:

The Honorable Circuit Judge Robert Scola has been named the 2007 recipient of the William M. Hoeveler Judicial Award, presented each year by the Florida Bar to a judge who best exemplifies strength of character, commitment to service, and competence as a jurist, lawyer, and public servant.



Judge Scola received his award on June 28th during the Judicial Luncheon of the Florida Bar’s annual meeting, held this year in Orlando, Florida.
This prestigious award is presented each year by the Henry Latimer Center for Professionalism. Past award winners include:

2001 William M. Hoeveler, Sr. Judge, U.S. Federal Court, Southern District

2002 Major B. Harding, Justice, Florida Supreme Court
2003 William Terrell Hodges, Sr. Judge, U.S. Federal Court, Middle District
2004 Barbara J. Pariente, Justice, Florida Supreme Court
2005 Durand Adams, Judge, 12th Judicial Circuit
2006 Ralph Artigliere, Judge, 10th Judicial Circuit

Rumpole says: Well done Judge Scola!

Judge Glick Controversy:

We received an email reminding us that Judge Glick's comments on the length of time it took to bring the Braddy murder case to trial was nothing more than a recitation of facts in an article Oh Susannah Nesmith wrote for the Herald the other day. We stand by our comments that by merely explaining why the case took so long to bring to trial was not improper.

See You In Court

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Judge Scola. Achieve the Honorable!

Anonymous said...

The criticism of Glick is absurd. If he doesn't say anything, readers of the original post might think (unfairly) that HE allowed the case to drag and didn't do his job (a point I raised in an earlier e mail) and/or that the defense attorneys unethically dragged out the case. By responding as he did, he promoted trust in the system and reassured those of us who may have been concerned. Glick is one of the best judges Miami-Dade has ever seen. Yes, he's sarcastic and tough. Get over it. He's smart as a whip and has a great sense of humor. Don't get pissed, enjoy it. Glick is fair and runs a tight ship. He doesn't waste anyone's time and doesn't take things personally. I wish Miami had more like him.

Unfortunately, there's always some asshole out there looking to trash someone anonymously. It's a damn shame. I just hope this nonsense doesn't prevent Glick and others (Piniero, Abe, etc.) courageous enough to post here from continuing to do so.

Anonymous said...

More from NOTB:

Judge removed from case for fashion comment
By WANDA J. DeMARZO
wdemarzo@MiamiHerald.com
A Broward circuit court judge who compared a teen's fashion choices to that of the two teen Columbine High School killers has been removed from the case.

On Wednesday, the Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled that Judge Charles Kaplan's ``comments comparing his dress to students who create trouble in school, particularly for those who caused the tragedy at Columbine, made it reasonable for [the defendant] to fear that he would be more harshly sentenced due to his appearance.''

The teen was in Kaplan's courtroom after being caught with a razor blade on middle school property. The 14-year-old claimed he forgot to take the razor blade out of his pants.

http://www.miamiherald.com/416/story/167499.html

Anonymous said...

Judge Glick and all the other robed readers if you want to make a point and not get targeted by some dumb a.. simply post you thoughts and not your name as the author.

You get the point across and can leave us wondering who wrote the piece.

Saves us a lot of time reading all the crap the cry babies post attacking you.

Anonymous said...

glick shouldnt make any posts while a trial is goin on, especially not to comment on the defendant being "reluctant to face his day of reckoning" wheteher they are his own words or reprints form someone elses scribing. neutral and detached? hmmm.
appearance of impropriety, oh yeah.

lenny, nice guy, will never change his obvious distaste for criminal defendants.

Anonymous said...

Let me first start by saying congratulations to Judge Scola. He's a fine judge who deserves the recognition.

To 3:45: Your concerns are valid and have been discussed numerous times by Bar prosecutors, attorneys, scholars, judges, and others interested in the disciplinary system. Just so you do have the facts, unfortunately, solo practitioners and "bottom feeders" tend to be discipined more often than big firm attorneys. This is not because the Bar targets those attorneys, but simply because of the situtation. When a solo practitioner is sick and cannot make it to work, who covers for him...no one. When a member of a big firm is sick, there are dozens of lawyers who can cover. Solo practitioners have to worry about paying the bills and collecting fees, something that big firm lawyers do not have to worry about because the firm, not the lawyer, worries about that. When a solo practitioner's computer system crashes, what does he do. He has to waste a day getting technical help from different people. At a large firm, there is an entire IS department already involved that takes care of that. It is, unfortuantley, the risk of being a solo practitioner. As I have said in a previous post, there is more to being a solo practitioner than being a lawyer which is exactly why I have made the conscious decision not to do it.

But again, the Bar does not make a conscious decision to target or go after solo practioners. I, personally, have a number of cases that I am investigating concerning big firm lawyers. A number of big firm lawyers have been disciplined in the past. Please don't make assumptions or blanket accusations.

Your thoughts about having Chief Justice Lewis, KFR, or Judge Farina blog away--how do you know they aren't already? How do you know that they are not one of the numerous bloggers who sign anonymous like you, instead of signing their name (and in my humble opinion, adding some credibility to the post).

I do agree with you that Rumpole has done a fine job. I recently spoke with David Markus about both Rumpole's blog and David's blog and we were both impressed at how fine a job Rumpole has done. And you're right, this blog does mention a lot of rumors. That's why I read it. It's entertaining. That's why I read Joan Fleishman. That's why I read the New Times. But there are also thoughtful discussions on this blog.

To your question about one of 5 lawyers responsible for Bar prosecutions blogging away, my answer to you is that first, there are more than 5 lawyers responsible for prosecuting lawyers; and second, I am not the only one who blogs, I just happen to be one who signs my own name instead of signing anonymously. Again, please get your facts straight instead of making blanket accusations.

You have a point. I just don't agree with you.

Barnaby Min

Anonymous said...

Mr. Min, your answer is at the end saying that because I don't steal trust accounts from my clients does not mean I can't enjoy a paid for steak dinner from the lawyer who does steal trust money. Why would you as a person who must decide if members of the bar may be violating the rules of professional conduct want to be at that free dinner?

In short how could you investigate a lawyer who post under his name that Judge Tunis is a b.... or that Judge so and so is a crook when you are at the dinner table with the same lawyer getting the free meal from the stolen trust money.

Gee I hope this example makes sense.

In closing I like what Rumpole and Marcus and more so the Broward blog are doing. Its amazing what the blogs have done to bring forth topics that cant be addressed by written letter to a chief judge or in a interview with the herald or DBR.

Mr. Min I don't know you but I get your point.

Ps. I think Judge Tunis is a great jurist. Judge sorry for example.

Rumpole said...

We received this comment on another post- but it deserves a discussion:

The Justice Building Blog serves a good purpose. However, I am dismayed that anonymous postings are allowed. These postings remind me of grand jury proceedings. If you have an issue with a specific judge or lawyer, you should either sign your name or at the very least give detailed information to allow the readers the ability to decide for themselves about the individual.

Additionally, pejorative terms are not acceptable. Those of you who use the letter "B" when referring to a woman, do you have the nerve to use the letter "N" when referring to someone of color or "S" when referring to someone who speaks a spanish language? Prejudice is prejudice.

Elizabeth S. Katzen

Rumpole said...

Ms. Katzen, You make valid comments. Here is my dilemma- anonymous comments serve a purpose when they are made about outrageous practices of Judges. Judges who won't allow motions for continuances at soundings; judges who deny continuances when a lawyer has a vacation scheduled; etc.

Unfortunately, anonymous comments give people the ability to snipe at others. I moderate the blog, but I have only a few rules. No comments about a person's appearance, sexual orientation, private life. So if someone wants to call someone else an asshole, I will allow it. Otherwise, I would be too involved in mdoerating comment based on whether I approve it or not. You should know that there is considerable support for no moderation whatsoever. A total anonymous free for all, where people could call each other drug addicts, or make allegations about marital infidelity. Those people don't understand that due to the moderate volume of readers, those posts tend to turn up near the top in Google searches, and we will not be a party to that.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole you are going to love this. I just went to www.courthousescandal.com and it said to click here to enter the site and guess what it takes me to your blog.

OMG just when I thought I saw everything.

Anonymous said...

/San Diego Union Trib:

An attorney who admitted leaking the confidential grand jury testimony of Barry Bonds to the media in the BALCO case, asked a federal judge for leniency yesterday in San Francisco, noting that President Bush commuted I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby’s prison sentence for a similar crime.

In doing so, Troy Ellerman joins a growing a list of defendants across the country who have made the same arguments for leniency since Bush said the former vice presidential aide’s 2½ -year sentence for leaking the name of a CIA operative was too harsh and commuted it to probation and a fine.

Ellerman’s invocation of Libby’s case was part of a much larger court filing arguing for a prison sentence of 15 months, rather than the two years federal prosecutors are seeking.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone talked about the fact that alot of defense attorneys give a kick back to bondsman who "refer" them clients?

Anonymous said...

Whats the deal with all the music executives getting arrested for fraud and stealing over 300 million in cold cash from investors and banks.

Why is one music executive the creator/owner of the Backstreet Boys and Nsync in jail pending trial on criminal charges in Orlando (see the link for story):

http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN1140476220070711

Why is the other music executive a low life piece of trash a real scam artist not charged with a crime and still lives in his muti-million condo on south beach and getting paid $10-k a month for living expenses from the stolen money. All approved by a Miami Federal Judge (see the link for the story):

http://encore.celebrityaccess.com/index.php?encoreId=9&articleId=16801

The cases are almost identical except one crook gets charged with federal crimes while the other gets to live it up while a civil SEC claim drags through the federal court in Miami.

Does Orlando have more feds with balls or the guts to arrest some muti-million music executive?

KFR and Alex what say you?

Anonymous said...

no one will talk about it until some lawyer or bondsman gets pinched for something else, and needs to use that chip to skate.

there is an omerta and im not surprised the lid hasn't been lifted. people running for office (or for re-election) get LOTS of $$$ from bondsmen and lawyers. its an old rule...dont shit in your own plate.

Anonymous said...

Bob S: You 'da man!

Just remember another Bob's famous quote:

"In this great future, you can't forget your past."

--Bob Marley

Much Love,

The 2400 Building Boys

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Judge Scola. He's a terrific judge and all other judges should look to him as a model and for guidance. (Especially his wife!) Judge R. Scola is definitely one of the best judges we have.

Anonymous said...

"Has anyone talked about the fact that alot of defense attorneys give a kick back to bondsman who "refer" them clients?"

What does "alot" mean?

And yes, it was discussed many times on this blog, another complaint factory that no one will do anything about, but complain

If you know "alot" of these attorneys, why dont you report them to the Bar or the SAO?

Anonymous said...

Judge h-Scola is a mensch and well deserving.

Anonymous said...

Judge Scola is great. Is anyone going to fun against Josie Perez Velis? or is she going to get her seat unapposed?

Rumpole said...

the comment was not posted if yo are looking for it. You know why.

Anonymous said...

7:14, no one is going to run against Velis, people will just bitch about it on this blog and do nothing, don't worry.

Unknown said...

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Stop-Judge-Robert-Scola-from-bias-discrimination-and-intimidation/159291747415260?ref=mf

Unknown said...

Judge Scola why did you ignore my ex being in contempt and reward her for it? Our hearing was today. My ex-wife enrolled our son in a school without my knowledge and I filed a motion against her for doing so. Meanwhile she filed an "emergency motion" against me because she received the McKay scholarship for our 6 year old son which can only be used at a restricted amount of schools. My ex-wife already had him enrolled--and we jointly agreed on this months in advance--at a private Jewish school (we are orthodox). Two days before school starts she goes back on her word to send him to the Jewish school and enrolls him in a different school without telling me. Today Scola upheld her action. At first he said he would not allow child support to factor in, then he waffled and did allow it to weigh in his decision. The child support I am forced to pay is a scandal. She lied on her financial avidavit about paying rent where she lives. I was laid off, have had a medical condition, yet he yelled at me in court and intimidated me for not paying her enough money. I paid $1000 to her and what did she spend it on? Hiring a lawyer! Hey Scola...today you alleged to care SO MUCH about my kid...then why don't you do anything to ensure she spends my "child support" money on our CHILD???