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.

Monday, December 13, 2010

JAIL VISIT GUIDELINES UPDATED

OK, we're back. Sort of. Not really into it, but we'll try.

From Rick Freedman comes this jail visit update:

The new policy, outlined below, which goes into effect December 15, 2010, is listed here on Correction's website (they also have great deals on amazon dot com electronics)

In June of this year I began meeting with the Miami-Dade Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. I met several times with Director Tim Ryan as well as his legal staff. I presented them with our concerns. We wanted all attorneys that were licensed members of The Florida Bar to have unbridled access to inmates at all MDCR facilities. We objected to the policy that only permitted attorneys of record to have face to face visits with inmates, while all other attorneys were forced to have a barrier visit (under glass) with the inmate.
MDCR explained to me on several occasions that their primary goal was always "safety and security". They were also concerned about several instances where attorneys were not following the MDCR rules and where some attorneys had allegedly violated the law. They did agree that it was unreasonable for each facility to have different rules depending on the day of the week, time of day and whom the shift commander may have been on any given day. While it took some time, they finally understood that they were making it very difficult for private counsel to interview potential new clients at the jail with a glass barrier separating the attorney from the client. I explained to them that going over A forms, OIR's, exhibit lists, depositions, diagrams, etc. required interaction that could not be effectively accomplished with a barrier. I also explained that there were several instances where an associate of a law firm could not even see the firm's client face to face if the partner of the firm was the attorney of record and the associate was there to see the client.
After several months of negotiations, MDCR did finally agree to relax the barrier rule. All licensed attorneys will now be permitted to see inmates at all facilities within MDCR without having to do so under glass. The new rule states that "an inmate shall only be allowed a one hour attorney visit, twice per day, by an attorney, not listed as the attorney of record by the Clerk of Courts." After two attorney visits, all other wishing to see that same inmate on that same day, will have to do so under glass. (If you are an associate from a firm that represents the inmate, you should bring with you a document from the firm on letterhead that explains your relationship to the client). Also, make sure that your letterhead address matches your Florida Bar address listed on the Bar's web site.
Please be aware of the recommended visitations times. Also, on a separate note, if any of our members have not already registered their law office number with MDCR "Do Not Record List" they may want to take this opportunity to follow the rules attached and do so now.
MDCR will be implementing these new policies effective December 15, 2010. They understand that there will be instances where a MDCR employee may not understand the rules the way you understand them. Please make every attempt to discuss the issue with the Shift Commander if at all possible. MDCR is doing their best to make sure that all employees of their department are aware of these new policies.
If any of our members have any questions or comments, please feel free to have them email me and I will attempt to answer the question myself or direct them to the person at MDCR who can answer their question.
I hope these new policies and procedures help make our members' lives a bit easier when visiting an inmate in Miami-Dade County.
Rick Freedman


Thank you Rick. Great job.

**ALERT** IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY, GO TO THE WEBSITE LISTED ABOVE AND REGISTER YOUR OFFICE PHONE NUMBER ON THE "DO NOT RECORD LIST"
DON'T SAY WE DIDN'T WARN YOU.

Thought of the day:

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.


In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.


INVICTUS,

-William Ernest Henley-

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

"They understand that there will be instances where a MDCR employee may not understand the rules the way you understand them". ha,ha,ha what are the odds of that happening?

Rumpole said...

Looking for your insulting comment? Write your own blog jackass.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that the poem McVeigh read as his last words?

Anonymous said...

Rumpole said...
Looking for your insulting comment? Write your own blog jackass.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010 7:47:00 AM

My children read this blog, can we keep the profanity down.

Anonymous said...

Rumpy, what you got to say about the Heat now? Nothing except that they are looking like champions!

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone let their children read this blog? Why would anyone's children even want to read this blog?

Anonymous said...

great idea however the pinheads at metrowest will undoubtedly screw it up.

Rumpole said...

I say the overrated Heat have no heart and come finals time they will either be watching it on TV or choking. Read Gary Player's Book and you will understand.

RFB said...

It's time for that REGJB favorite: I'll start it out, who knows where it will end?

TWAS THE DAY BEFORE XMAS....

Anonymous said...

AND IN AU BON I SAW SHUMIE

THE LAWYERS WERE HAPPY
the judges were gloomy

fake blake said...

the bond hearing schedule had been laid out by Joel Brown with care...
But Leon Firtel was upset and said "no fair"

Anonymous said...

And all of a sudden there was such a clatter
rick margolius had fallen off a ladder

Anonymous said...

12:15pm,

get your children a PlayStation 3 or cable TV. I can't imagine anyone's kids reading this blog.

Anonymous said...

Ditto Rump's comments on the Heat. There has been many a team over the years that roared out of December like a Lion only to be seen in June crying in a sweaty towel wondering where the magic went.

Anonymous said...

Gary Player? I gotta read an old book by some whitebread golfer to figure out what you are talking about? Just tell us already.

An eye for and eye? said...

What's wrong with this story?

How do we know this was not a drug buy gone bad or someother heated event leading to the beat down?

Don't get me wrong if in fact this guy molested my kid I would beat the guy senseless.

Something just does not add up.

Rumpole said...

Actually it's not an old book, it's fairly new- 2009-2010. I would also suggest you check out his website and his ten commandments for business and life, the first of which is "Change is the price of survival", the second of which is "everything in business is negotiable except quality", and I suggest you take these two to heart before buying your Heat finals tickets. These overpaid prima donnas no nothing about what being a champion is, I humbly suggest.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

I would agree with the overpaid prima donna statement to a degree; D Wade and U donis (not one of the BIG 3), have a good idea of what it takes (see 2006) and hopefully, some of that will rub off on the other 13 players on the team.

With Pat R at the helm I have no doubt that Wade learned a valuable lesson on the real commitment that it takes to bring home a Championship.

Cap Out .....

Anonymous said...

Just left DCJ and the staff is completely unaware of the alleged new policies. Also, i do not see any mention of the "2 visits for attorneys who are not the attorney of record" discussed in the new policy which i just printed and read