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.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

THE CASE AGAINST LAW SCHOOLS

The facts: Only 55% of 43,755 law school graduates had law related jobs 9 months after graduation in 2011. 
At the top 20 law schools with the highest job placement rates, 83% of graduates were working as lawyers; at the bottom 20 only 31% were working as lawyers. 


The average law school graduate in 2010 had school related debt of $98,500.
The cold hard numbers show that we have too many lawyers for the work available and too many law schools churning out even more unneeded lawyers. These law school graduates are being let loose on a dismal job market, and they are competing in this market with enormous mountains of debt, having been sold a pipe dream that graduation and passing the bar would automatically lead to a secure career. Somebody needs to put a stop to this train which is barreling out of control. 
The NY Times article on this mess is here. 


On Tuesday July 24 the latest law school graduates will convene in Tampa to take the Florida bar for two days. While youth may be wasted on the young, there is very little to envy about this group of young lawyers who have unprecedented challenges standing in their way to practice the career they trained for. We wish them luck. 


DEATH PENALTY FOR PENN STATE FOOTBALL?
In light of the Freeh report released this week, should the NCAA step in and suspend Penn State football for this year and/or beyond? 
Is it appropriate for football to be played in "Happy Valley" this September with all that we now know that went on there? 


Coming Monday: The surprising response to a juror who says a verdict was racially motivated. 

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sort of puts that comment yesterday in the prior post about the male law student who is sleeping with his boss to secure a job at a big law firm in a little bit of perspective.

Anonymous said...

Its always bothered me that John Dean testified before the House watergate committee. Why? WHy say there was a cancer on the presidency? Nixon could have survived if Dean hadn't turned against him. If Nixon survives, no Ford. No Ford- no Carter. No Carter No Reagan-Buish. No Reagan-Bush, no Clinton.
We would have been better off if Dean had just kept his mouth shut.

PANDO PANDO PANDO said...

No one's talking about the historic judicial race this summer. Pando Pando Pando rising from the canvas Bill Clinton like and slugging back and surging ahead in the polls!!!
Come see why they call Pando the Clinton of Hialeah.

Anonymous said...

I said it in a comment here days ago.

Death penalty for Penn State. This puts paying players in perspective. No school has ever deserved the death penalty more. Talk about lack of institutional control.

I was a Penn State fan growing up. I'm now disgusted.

There is talk now about the removal of Paterno statues and likenesses from around the school. There are people on both sides o the debate.

I don't think there is any debate, however. He should be removed from every corner of the school, except the facility they are currently renovating- the one where Sandusky was seen raping a young boy. Paterno' s likeness should be right out front so everyone knows his involvement.

But of of course, the statue should only be of his back, and it should be turned.

Anonymous said...

death penalty for penns state for sure

if this were miami, theyd close the entire school

Anonymous said...

BTDT - Gail Levine deserves every bit of the "beating" she is receiving on this blog. She is bringing down the State Attorney's Office by her antics in the courtroom. She is a nasty, unethical prosecutor and should be fired from the State Attorney's Office. She has lied in the courtroom on many occasions and just gets away with it. Are these the types of prosecutors we should have? – that we want in our courtrooms? She is an embarrassment to the judicial system.

Anonymous said...

Not sure I agree with football death penalty for Penn State's program. Or any program for that matter.
Sandusky's in jail.
Paterno's dead.
The AD and Vp are being charged.
The President and anyone else named in the Freeh report should be charged criminally as well.

But why take it out on the students and future generation of players who had nothing to do with any of this?

Is the ncaa death penalty supposed to have a deterrent effect? Do we really think that there are others out there covering up things like this but thinking that gee, maybe my school would lose our football program so maybe I should turn in the pedophile?
What good does suspending current program do? Punish people for their own past deeds. Don't punish people for the criminal immoral deeds of others.

Anonymous said...

Gail Levine is not the only unethical prosecutor in KFR's stable--Richard Scruggs is probably THE most unethical prosecutor in the history of Miami Dade Co. His pattern of prosecutorial misconduct is legendary, i.e. Waco, arrest warrant in Costa Rica, Spence Jones, Rev. Smith etc. The fact that he was demoted indicates that KFR knows he is bad--he should be fired and disbarred by the Fl bar.

Fake Kenny W said...

Against all odds the new Katy Perry Part Of Me 3d movie just doesn't work, it succeeds! This is the true life story of a minister's daughter who beats the million to one shot and succeeds at her life long dream of having a singing career. This is Rocky for the pop signers. Signed, dropped, mismanaged, spurned, its only when KP lives true to her own theme of being herself that she hits pop stardom with five- count em- five number one hits from one single album. A feat only achieved by the king of pop himself- Michael Jackson. Throw in a messy love affair and break up with the nasty actor/comedian Russell Brand and this movie has it all! Hellooooo Frisco! Ooooga! A real date night winner.
Go see it now.

Anonymous said...

Too many lawyers and not enough good cases causes the the litigation of many cases that should not be filed. It is a mess, a real mess specially for those that are just starting out in this profession.

Secret Judge said...

While Ms. Levine can be commended for her zealousness, the unfortunate reality is she plays fast and loose with the truth. This is simply unacceptable behavior in a courtroom by an assistant state attorney. However, I would not fire Ms. Levine. A stint trying cases in misdemeanor court would be an appropriate response by her superiors and would hopefully restore her ethical keel.

Anonymous said...

It's not just some prosecutors etc. There are some our judges, whose conduct in their own personal cases that are being litigated in South Florida, that is on the edge of what is ethical, fair, just and correct. Some are great judges and great human beings, and some are not.

Anonymous said...

Re John Dean. You can speculate all you want and go all the way back to Warren Harding eating the wrong food on a train or Squeaky Fromme not knowing how to pull a trigger. Here is a little secret about Watergate: the scandal never gained traction until the economy went to hell in 1973-74. Had times been good and gas lines short, Nixon would have survived. The irony is that upon his death, his reputation among his enemies was greater than if he had survived Watergate. Go figure. And here is a good laugh for the "What If" school of history: if Oswald had the same marksmanship skills as Manson's squeeze, we would have had a bimbo eruption post 1964 that would have made Clinton's indiscretions the equivalent of a peck on the cheek behind the bookcase in first grade. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

BS I say. BS. Nixon told Bob Halderman that he "loved him like a brother" and then refused to issue him a pardon on his last day in office when it was suggested he pardon Halderman, Erlichman, and all the Vietnam draft dodgers. Al Haig was there. He saw it all happen and he did nothing to intervene either.

And you don't know your history pal. The Dade County SAO under Dicky Gerstein was all wrapped in Watergate. Ever hear of Martin Dardis?

Martin Dardis said...

A Miami Legend. Click and read.

Anonymous said...

The height of calumny! Indeed. To infer or suggest I think of Katy Perry as anything other than the top pop-singer, superstar and movie star is outrageous. She's the best.

The real Kenny W

DS said...

I am feed up w the Herald spewing crap about my former Client,
Rudy Eugene, called the
Causeway Cannibal.

No Bath Salts
No Drugs
No Demons

Just Psychosis

He was Mentall ILL.

That is Alpha & and Omega of the Story.

Marijuana to self medicate, Religous Fixation. Not on Psy meds.

HIPA & Bar rules limit what I can say, but what the Herald, Media and Pundits say just belittles his reputation with lies.

DS

Anonymous said...

I agree with Secret Judge. Send Ms. Levine back to division. Preferably as a "C" in Sayfie. That would certainly be a reality check.

Anonymous said...

Kathy Rundle got the Herald Endorsement! Give up already Rod, we all know you only want a job in politics so you can finally pay that IRS tax lien.

Anonymous said...

I find it incredibly sad that so many people who supposedly are devoted to protecting individual rights are so willing to rush to judgment and condemn Gail or anyone else on this blog.

I have not had a case with Gail nor seen her in years, but I remember her being VERY critical of other prosecutors who filed cases she didn't believe in. Gail fights hard, but is a good lawyer and honest. These ad hominem attacks are pathetic.

And, if Rod is going to blast the office and hammer Gail based solely on the SC opinion and media reports I sure as hell wouldn't want him for my boss if I was still there.

It's hypocritical as hell to argue for due process every day of lives in court and hang someone out to dry the way he did (and the others are doing) to Gail.

BTDT

Anonymous said...

She broke the rules she knew were in place.

Where are we when the people who enforce the laws feel they don't apply to them, because they are doing God's work?

In a world of shit, that's where.

Ignore the constitution to get to evidence, turn the thumb screws to get a confession, make a few inappropriate remarks to convince the jury to vote for death. It is all ok in the name of justice.

Anonymous said...

BDTD - I know for a fact that Gail Levine lies in court. I find it odd and strange why you defend her so much if you have not seen her or have been in court with her in years. How do you know what she is like? She is a nasty individual and I honestly don't know how she can live with herself.

Anonymous said...

Maybe it is because the people posting have had cases with her that they are attacking her? Abe doesnt get treated that way, and i am sure he has battled more people that read this blog....i guess being on the same side as the fl sup ct aint too shabby.

Anonymous said...

Gail would indict on a grand theft if she could.

Anonymous said...

There is just something about being a woman senior trial attorney in that office that turns you into a cold, miserable bitch.

Anonymous said...

I don't know who "secret judge" is but i hope Gail has no cases in front of you because if she does you should recuse yourself as you have an obvious bias against her.
As for others who anoymously bash her, stop being hypocritical. Look how you may have treated her or acted unprofessionally in order to get what you wanted. In this one case she made a mistake, something that i am sure none of you hypocrits had ever done. BTW for those who don't know this is the first reversal of any kind for Gail and the last.

Anonymous said...

It is time for the ABA or some other agency to limit the number of law students ... the law schools will not self regulate as law students make too much money for their schools.

Anonymous said...

DS, we don't know if there were any bath salts or synthetic marijuana in Rudy Eugene. The labs can test for 17 of those synthetic drugs but there are 100's for which no test has been developed yet. Most likely, he was on a kind of bath salt for which the toxicology labs have not yet developed a test.

Anonymous said...

She didn't make a mistake. Rerepeatedly ignored the courts admonition and her ethical obligation.

Anonymous said...

There is no reason any agency will stop the flow of students to law schools and the practice of law. There is too much money to be made from CLEs. Bar dues, association dues, etc.

As long as people are willing to spend $50k a year on tuition, schools will find a place for them. Soon there will be unlimited space, as schools move toward online classes. You will be able to get an advanced degree from these schools without ever stepping on campus.

Anonymous said...

8:06..........I am not excusing what Gail did. I simply am saying that it seems much of the criticism is over the top and way too personal.

Gail's name has popped up on this blog at least a couple of times in the past. Each time, one or two have commented on her demeanor, but several have noted that she's a top notch attorney. I think it's ridiculous that people are piling on her based on what happened here. She's been a dedicated public service for decades and deserves better. She's never been reversed before, never been disciplined by the bar, never been disciplined by the office and never been disciplined by a court. So now she's a pariah because of one case? PLEASE.

BTDT

DS said...

Mon 7/16 125am
First go to sleep, its 1:25 in the morn.

Second I have INFO you dont. I said I REPRESENTED HIM.

I can say his behavior is consistent with a Mentall Illness.

The tox screen by the ME tested for synthecic mari and bath salts and came back nothing in his system.

But there are no tests the ME can do for the most common forms of psychosis consistent with HIS DIAGNOSIS.

A Psychotic Episode of Mental Illness completely explains his actions. Its That Simple.

Stop looking for drugs or voodoo or possession to explain this tragedy.

DS

Anonymous said...

Gail Levine has had many bar complaints against her - check the Florida Bar. There are some prosecutors who have had no complaints. Again, Gail Levine is a liar and is an unethical prosecutor. As you can see by the blog comments - I am not alone in this.

Anonymous said...

I don't know how Gail Levine sleeps at night.

Anonymous said...

She sleeps fine I'm sure. People who are that sure of themselves never lose a minute of sleep. Never being wrong makes for a good nights slumber.

Anonymous said...

Gail Levine got her husband hired at the State Attorney Office as a Supervisor and with one dilemma...he didn't have any experience. That didn't seem to matter as the ASAs were told to keep their mouth shut and he used the experience of a secretary to do most of his work. Secty was ok with that as long as she got a promotion out of it. Shameful. But Levine didn't count on an experienced forensic auditor getting hired in from New York to show her husband how the forensic accountant work gets done. It was beautiful to watch the auditor maneuver around him and shameful the treatment Levine tactics were tried against her. Thank goodness brass took care of the situation. There is a reason why Levine was never made a chief asst and never will be either...best thing Rundle ever done. As for that forensic auditor, she's on the rise and was quickly plucked by the feds.

Anonymous said...

I agree 100 %