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, June 27, 2008

GOODBYE JUDGE ROSINEK

Today (Friday) is Judge Jeffrey Rosinek's last day on the bench. 
It's been quite a ride. We will miss him, as will all of Dade County. We are diminished by his absence.

Stop by today and shake his hand; wish him well in retirement and while you're there, drop off a cheque for Friends Of Drug Court.



Speaking of retired judges....

HE'S BAAAAACKK....

Just when you thought it was safe to walk into a courtroom on the 4th floor comes word that everyone's favourite retired Judge, Rick Margolius is back running the show. 

No talking in court. (He once held a hearing impaired man and his translator in contempt for signing to each other while court was in session.)

Plea colloquies that make your client feel about two inches tall  ("so you're admitting to being a thief huh?")

Rants and raves not seen in this building since the old days.

We know there must be some good Margolius stories out there, so let's hear them.

UPDATE: An alert reader sent us his website. Enjoy

And just so you know what we really think, despite the sneering,  the chiding, the pondering out loud of lengthy prison sentences, Rick Margolius was always one judge you could count on to make the correct decision, consequences be damned.  If you caught the cop lying, he called him a liar, pure and simple. If granting a motion damaged an important case, he could care less. He called them as he saw them. And in the end, isn't that what you really want in a Judge?

See You In Court, just not in certain courts if our client is going to take a plea, if you know what we mean. 

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ramon A. Abadin

Alan J. Kluger

Hector J. Lombana

Cristina Pereyra-Shuminer

Pamela I. Perry

Why does this make me feel like the godfather part 12.

Anonymous said...

AND WHO COULD FORGET THE JUDGE'S HIT SINGLE RECORD
"I'M DRUNK"???

He's one of a kind.

Anonymous said...

We have a sponsor!!!!

Today's fake addelstein and matters word of the day is brought to you by Au Bon Pain. In the REGJB and hungry? Trial running long and need an espresso? How about an award winning soup in a bread bowl? Au Bon Pain has it all and more, on the first floor of your favorite courthouse.

HARBINGER IS OUR WORD OF THE DAY.

Use: The judge frowned when she read our case law. It was a harbinger of the decision to come.

Use: Shumie time is a harbinger of happy hour.

Didja know: In ancient England, the Harbinger was a member of the Royal Household who rode ahead and secured the lodging and food of the King when he was traveling?

Anonymous said...

Harbinger you aware that the soup in a bread bowl turns into absorbed soup in mushy bread?

Anonymous said...

Rump, I want to hear your opinion on North Korea...

Anonymous said...

Rump, I could not disagree with you more regarding your conclusions about Judge Margolius. Temperament is a BIG part of being a judge. Judge Magolius usually made the right decisions, consequences be damned, and did not favor either side. He simply called it as he saw it, which is exactly what one wants from a judge.

But the way he treated attorneys and, in particular, defendants, was simply horrible. There is nothing wrong with a judge chastising a defendant for his/her actions--in fact, in some cases it is exactly what a defendant needs. But there is a proper way to do it. Treating everyone who comes before you like crap isn't a great way to be a judge.

Margolius definitely has the knowledge and ability to be a very good judge. But his temperament is simply awful, which cannot be overlooked.

Anonymous said...

Rick Margolius may be crazy but, he was always nice to me and he sometimes gave real good deals when the prosecutor was overdoing it.

But, you should see what he looks like now. He looks like a hippie from the 60's.

I guess the chief judge is no longer mad at him for the comments he made about police brutality during the NATFA convention.

Anonymous said...

Har bin ger stock porfolio doing lately? Fake Anonymous

Anonymous said...

I always thought Margolius was a bit misunderstood. When I was a prosecutor, he subbed for my judge for a week. I was warned ahead of time and was fully prepared for everything. He treated me wonderfully. A year later, I tried a case in front of him. As Rump said, all his legal decisions were dead on. Again, he treated me wonderfully until I was late for sentencing. Then, he snapped and was, to say the least, more than nasty and threatening. I stayed calm and addressed him in the hallway. Again, he was a perfect gentleman and, when he heard why I was late, apologized. Some time after that, I went to his house to obtain a warrant. Again, he was a pleasure even though I showed up on the weekend. He didn't just sign the warrant (as many do). He read it carefully, even correcting a typo or two before finally signing it.

Tough? Unquestionably. Pleasant? Depends on mood. Fair and decent? Hell yes.

JUST BE PREPARED or you will be crucified.

Anonymous said...

Judge Rick Margolius is an ass!

Anonymous said...

"Why Zweig?"

I will tell you why. Because Ric Zweig, former member of the now defunct trio "Pain Train" and part time denizen of Panama, is a nice reminder of years gone by at the REGJB. Sure he was and is still crazy (hear the track on his biopic new cd titled ,"Yes I'm Crazy" for verification).
Who had the guts to ROR the whole box when the State was late for calender? Who, when on 24/7 warrant duty would not allow law enforcement officers to go to his home but to instead meet him at a nearby Dunkin Donuts to review affidavits? That stuff really didn't matter though. When it was time to roll up the sleeves and litigate "real" issues in his courtroom, you had better have your arguments prepared and be ready for a ruling that most judges would be afraid or intellectually limited to make. It came down to this with Margolious: be competent or go somewhere else. That applied to everyone in his courtroom.
How many courtrooms have you been in where either the ASA's run the courtroom, or corrections run the courtroom or the clerks run the courtroom? Not in Margolious's courtroom.
So "Why Zweig"? Check out the Panamanian babe on the cover of his new cd and ponder through those arrant calenders in courtrooms run by judges who don't have a clue as to what their job really is. I'll take "Ric" and some mood stabilizers any day, Bitches.

Riddler

Anonymous said...

Sorry to see Jeff leave.

Glad that the hospital has given Ric a fulough. Cannot wait to hear him sing: "Still crazy after all these years."

One more victory for the loony mice...

Anonymous said...

His music is pretty good. surprising.

Anonymous said...

Rick Margolius is not mentally suitable to sit as a judge. He has a flash temper and has no ability to control it. Who can forget the time he ripped a picture in half that had just been introduced into evidence by the state?

Anonymous said...

Folks, I'm calling it a bit early today. SHUMIE TIME. It's been a long week. I knocked the socks off the state a few times and banked some nice bucks.

Cut out, hit your favorite spot and throw back a few cool ones, courtesy of Shumie.

Anonymous said...

How about I stuck my harb-in-ger so hard that it came out the other end. But she liked it.

Anonymous said...

If you are prepared and on time, there is no better judge than ric.

Anonymous said...

I'm in Manhattan for my sister's wedding. Walking down by South Street and I see a sign in a bar
"2 for 1 drinks during Shumie Time"!!!!

I can't believe my eyes. I go inside and ask the bartender and he laughs and says the sign has been up for a few weeks as a joke ever since some wallstreet lawyers started talking about it based on something they read on the internet. I tell him the story behind this blog and he buys me a beer.

Can you believe it? Life is stranger than fiction after all.

Anonymous said...

8:42, you took the words straight out of my mouth.

11:00, Nice to meet ya! I've been a member since January.

Anonymous said...

ric is the greatest

he once told me that in opening statement, a lawyer could get away with saying pretty much anything so long as they said it with a certain measure of flare. he is one crazy son of a gun but you got love him.

and pay special attention to the photos on his web site! it seems he is taking good care down south.

never change old man.....

Anonymous said...

Rick Margolius is a raving lunatic and a mean-spirited son-of-a-bitch. Yes, there was a time when he was a really, really good judge (and a good guy), but whether it was mushrooms, or a non-terran abduction, or a negative epiphany, ultimately he got to a place where he enjoyed (and probably still does) humiliating, belittling, embarrassing, and discomfiting people - - attorneys, litigants, anyone into whom he could and can sink his vampirish teeth. He shouldn't be on any bench other than one in a park in Butte, Montana. Go 'way, Rick!

Anonymous said...

Judge Rosinek? He is a good judge. Judge Murphy? He is a good Judge. Judge Margol-i-Ass? He does not even deserve to polish their shoes. He is an ass and does not deserve to be on the bench. He is a disgrace to the judiciary. Stick to making crappy records no one is listening to, Rick.

Anonymous said...

If we rate who has the best campaign web site in this election season I would go with Judge Shapiros site. Check out at:

http://voteforshapiro.com/

Kudos for the great job...

Anonymous said...

Campaign event with Judges and Clerk of Court candidates at local Church on the North side of town.

Word is all Judicial candidates for election spoke with only Ruvin and McGillis appearing for the Clerk's position.

All in all a good event.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Judge Rosinek. You done a great job. Thank you so much to you and all of your JA's. Especially the ones that served with you while at Drug Court.

All the best!

Anonymous said...

Rump
I was in Rick M's divison and have tried many cases in front of him. It was always a pleasure to be in Rick's court because you knew what was coning and MORE IM PORTANT Rick would do the right thing and not automaticly fuck the Dwefendant. Both sides got blasted but he knew the law . In the end a client got treated right, was punished based on what he did. But the Lord help you if you were a charged w/GTAuto. I admit Rick is crazy, but he does the right thing in the end and he Never pretends he someone else, he is Pure Rick M.I like him & Respect him
D. Sisselman

Anonymous said...

Rump, to quote the admiral in Hunt For Red October: "This Shumie thing will get out of control. It will get out of control and someone will get hurt."

Get a handle on this before it spins away from you.

Anonymous said...

Rump, do you ever wake up in the night with a fear so real?

Rumpole said...

Who do you think you're messing with? I've been to see Bruce more times than you have picked a jury.

"You wake up in the night with a fear so real, you spend your life waiting for a moment that just won't come. Don't waste your life waiting. Badlands...."

Anonymous said...

Rumpole... If I took you to see Springsteen, best seats in the house, fly first class, will you go with me. I'll wear the smallest, tightest, hottest dress you've ever seen. I'm emailing you the pictures. All this and more can be yours, if you just say yes.

I want you.
I NEED you.
BB

Anonymous said...

It was a pleasure to be in front of Margolius. He knew the law and wouldn't take crap from either side. Since the state was usually the one bringin crap, I had nothing to worry about other than not talking while court was in session. The other good thing is that prosecutors learned quickly to be reasonable and act intelligently in his court, which was a good thing for them too, because that provided a excuse for ASA's to develop their potential without the constrains of their chiefs at the SAO. So, welcome back Rick!

Anonymous said...

Blonde Bombshell is a drag queen...

Anonymous said...

Blondebombshell is just that, a bomb, or more likely, a torpedo. Be careful, Rumpole.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole:

Blond Bombshell has very low self-esteem - he/she is trying so hard it's pathetic

a true female admirer who keeps you perfect as a fantasy,
1:29 am

Anonymous said...

Based on the facts that Grieco agreed with, it sounds like he got a deal of the a century.

If Grieco did not do what he admitted to doing, why would he accept the public censure? If he did do what he admitted, he should have been disbarred. He violated every code of ethics for a prosecutor.

Is this why he was fired from the State Attorney Office?