We are often the harbingers of criticism. When someone screws up, there we are: the blog, ready to comment on it- with some pithy and irritating comment.
We do not often say "well done" and it is high time we do so.
We were in the courthouse today, doing what we do (and doing it very well may we add) , when we overheard a young woman on the phone to a family member. Apparently her husband was not being offered a good plea, and the case was proceeding to trial.
The woman had apparently brought her young daughter to court and here's what we heard her say:
"She's in day care....yes. They just started it a few weeks ago here in the courthouse. It's a blessing. "
It is indeed a blessing when we as a society treat children with special care and concern.
Well done to Judge Farina and Judge Blake, and all those whose efforts contributed to the establishment of a happy and safe place for young children to stay when their parents are in the REGJB.
And as several readers have pointed out to us in comments and private emails, Judge Soto deserves thanks for her efforts in getting child care to be a reality in the REGJB.
So permit us a moment to wax poetic:
So many times we as lawyers and Judges are so wrapped up in our cases, our clients, (and for Judges) the size of their case audits, that even though we may see something that is wrong, we feel we just don't have the time to make it right. And then a Judge like Judge Soto sees a problem with child care in our courthouse, and she works bring a solution to the problem. She didn't have to do that. We're certain she didn't get a reduced case load in exchange for her work on child care. Rather, to borrow the poignant words of Senator Ted Kennedy eulogizing his brother Bobby: "She saw a wrong, and tried to make it right."
Well done Judge Soto. The citizens of Dade County are well served by a jurist who works to make the lives of children a little better.
Well done indeed.
29 comments:
I know some lawyers and judges that could use some day care
Catalano is such a frickin busy body. He has to jump to say something always. He defends Terri Miller who was perhaps tied for second worse judge of her time here in Dade. Sharing the distinction are Feiler and Carnesoltas. Three bigger jerks never rode the bench in Dade. Miller quit bc she was a chicken to lose. Notice how something is always fishy when she runs.
Go finish your house Catalano. And who cares about your porch and dogs anyway? Your party sucked last year!
The backslapping for the child care center at REGJC goes to Judge Soto who spent hours and effort getting it up and running...
What's funny about Miller is that the reason she lost is not because she hammered ticket defendants, but because she generally was not nice, like McWhorter. Understand Mike?
Miller was smart to leave Dade when she did. She saw the handescribiendo on the wall years years before the others.
Your just jellus that judges don't come to you when they have trouble.
Catalano rocks.
Judge Soto was instrumental in this day care at the Justice building idea as well.
A criminal felony courthouse is not a place for children. Their parents have no business bringing them to such a place.
Shame on Soto.
beckett is fantastic!
rumpole, this kid could end up the best of all time...
9:48- when you look into a mirror, is the word "MORON" tattooed on your forehead? Or do people have to wait until you open your idiotic mouth before realising they are speaking with a MORON?
I'm glad to see that Berdy (not "Bertie") got credit for this. She didn't do it alone but she was the major mover for court care. She made it happen in DV and now here. Unfortunately, people bring there kids to court and idiots like 9:48 should know that. Court care isn't going to draw kids or encourage people to bring them. If anything it might save a defendant from missing court and having an AC issued bc they don't have child care.
Judge Soto is an administrative judge and unlike most admin judges, she carries a FULL caseload. She is here before 8:00am and doesn't leave until 5:00pm. She tries cases and accomodates everyone.
"Your just jellus that judges don't come to you when they have trouble."
"jellus" ?
What are you, like, totally twelve years old?
9:48, it's obvious that Judge Soto denied one of your bullshit motions in front of your client's family and you were embarrased. You're a MORON.
From the Herald story:
"Finkelstein said that Reidy, an assistant public defender for 22 years, isn't homophobic."
Do only homophobes make that type of joke? Does that joke make you a homophobe?
The problem was the time, place and context. I have no problem making a similar joke to a gay friend who would laugh his ass off!...no pun intended.
This Dade lawyer will say that Levenson is not your typical Broward Judge. He has always been respectful, accomodating and fair.
When you represent a judge you have to answer the charges.
You can not just sit back and watch them say things that you don't think they can prove.
If I were Mike Catalano and read the comments from someone who who was at his house for a Christmas party, I would tell that person he or she is not invited again.
How can you go to someone's house and later say such things?
Whoever you are, go to someone else's house this year.
9:48 -
"Shame on Soto"?
Well, the defendants bring their kids to COURT. Would you rather them see daddy get Life with no parole b/c he molested a child or committed a murder?
Please, we all know the accused have no common sense or no money for childcare so at least someone is trying to save the kids the trauma.
I agree - MORON.
Rump, 9:48 has a valid point, and your response is childish. I have watched countless defendants use their children as a prop in order to make judges feel bad for them and offer them a lenient sentence. And I would bet that the vast majority of these defendants did not have to bring their children to court--the children could have been left behind with a grandmother, aunt, or other relative, the same way they were when these same defendants were out stealing cars or burglarizing houses.
The courthouse is filthy and germ-ridden. Even the adults who work in it frequently get sick. Why on earth would anyone suggest that bringing children into the courthouse, even into some sort of in-house daycare center, is a good idea?!
Anonymous said...
A criminal felony courthouse is not a place for children. Their parents have no business bringing them to such a place.
Shame on Soto.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007 9:48:00 PM
Re above commnent:
Judge Bertie Soto was in large part responsible for accomplishing a great public service. She set up a day care center for kids whose parents have to be in court with no safe place to leave a child while doing so. I thought such action was certainly worthy of universal acclaim. How could anyone find fault with it? Absolutely impossible, right? Wrong! Wonders never cease. She should be ashamed?! How to react to such further revelation of the intricacies of the human psyche? Anger, frustration, chagrin, amusement, bemusement—take up arms against a sea of inanity? Look not to the bard but to the comics; just, grin and bear it.
9:48, please keep in mind, the parents bringing their kids with them probably feel the state has “no business bringing them to such a place” either.
Given our dysfunctional human condition, I imagine St. Peter gets complaints about the accommodations.
PS. The only objection I could possibly pose to the REGB child care system is if is run under the same guidelines as ours in the family division. Specifically, I was informed that as the newbie "robed one" on the block, I would have dirty diaper duty.
Ouch!! Exhibits tell a story...
http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/pub_info/summaries/briefs/07/07-1985/Filed_10-24-2007_MillerExhibits1.pdf
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
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Rob, you said, "9:48, please keep in mind, the parents bringing their kids with them probably feel the state has “no business bringing them to such a place” either."
You commenting on the building or the charges?
;-)
A criminal felony courthouse is not a place for children. Their parents have no business bringing them to such a place.
Couldn't agree more. Let them eat cake... preferably at Camp Disney's water-park, "Felony Falls."
O.K. back to reality. Not all people are rich enough to afford child-care. Even when money isn't a problem, finding child-care when times and dates are uncertain is a nightmare.
Tommorow school will be out. My nanny will be home with her kids forcing us to scramble for childcare. Luckily, my daughter is welcome at my wife's work.
Bertie Soto is a chip off the old block, the estimable Oswaldo Soto. A gentleman and a scholar.
Since we have a back and forth about the day care at REJ, let me ask: who is funding this? Are parents required/ requested to donate something for the babysitting?
And yes, for some of us, call us what you will, a good idea might be dependant upon who's footing the bill.
Kudos to Judge Soto for taking into account the children whose parents either can't do anything else with their children, or refuse to and expose them to the vulgarities of crimes they commit.
To 9:48...think outside your tiny little box.
Genarlow Wilson, the teen that was serving 10 years for consensual oral sex, was freed by the Georgia Supreme Court which ruled that his sentence was cruel and unusual punishment.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071026/ap_on_re_us/teen_sex_case
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