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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

YOUR TWO NEW FEDERAL JUDGES

UPDATED: A little REGJB/Blog/Fed trivia:
Name the last federal court judge in the southern district to have originally started his/her career as a county court judge.

The Federal JNC (Motto "the really really good JNC") has nominated four individuals for two open Federal Judge positions in the Southern District of Florida. And the surprising news is that all four nominees are State Court Judges. The nominees are:

Beth Bloom
Darrin Gayles
Peter Lopez
John Thornton

All REGJB criminal court judges or alumni. 

Once nominated, the two judges can look forward to a complete FBI investigation, an appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and then becoming a political football, kicked back and forth between the Republicans and Democrats while their careers twist in political limbo. Some nominees become part of political deals and are approved, while other nominees become the line in the sand drawn by a senator out to prove a point. 

To Judges Thornton, Gayles, Bloom and Lopez:

The Good News: You've been nominated to be a federal judge. 
The Bad News: You've been nominated to be a federal judge. 
Sincerely, your favourite blogger. 

See You In Court. 


47 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gayles and Thornton would be the best.

Blooming feds said...

Gimme a B
Gimme a L
Gimme an O O M

what does that spell???

YOUR NEXT FEDERAL JUDGE

Anonymous said...

Thornton and. Bloom will get it

Anonymous said...

Bloom?
County Court judge, Right?

Anonymous said...

Great choices, good luck to all.

MC Waste Services, Inc said...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Law-Office-of-Arnold-Trevilla/116874925049417?hc_location=stream EVEN ARNIE JUMPED IN ON THE BLIND BAND WAGON

Anonymous said...

Anybody but Bloom............we don't need another egomaniac on the Federal bench.

Unknown said...

Justice Building Blog is used for legal services like court reporting firm and court reporters.

Anonymous said...

Egomaniac? I don't see it. I have appeared before her many times. She is smart, fair, courteous, well-prepared. I think she would be an excellent federal judge, although I personally would hate to lose her from the state bench.

Anonymous said...

the way Rubio is acting..who knows if anyone will make it??

Anonymous said...

LOPEZ ALL THE WAY.

Ever heard a bad thing about him?

Anonymous said...

There is no doubt John Thornton will make a superb Federal Judge. But the committee missed the mark in passing on another wonderfully qualified candidate this time around. Quite a shame.

Anonymous said...

Doesn't the commitee know Miami loves Migna?and that migna loves Miami? How'd they not choose her?

Secret Judge said...

A poster asked "Why not Migna?" The truth is she is not particularly well-regarded by her colleagues or by influential members of the bar. That may explain her non-appearance on the list. She was however, near the top of the list in terms of political influence. Fortunately, this particular JNC considers other qualities.

Anonymous said...

Bloom is very professional but she is a republican. She should wait until the republicans take back the white house. Thorton and gales would be my picks by far. Lopez has no federal court expierence. Bloom has none either.

Anonymous said...

Do you think Bloom realizes yet that she is a useful idiot, having been inserted to keep Rosenberg and Barzee from further diminishing Thornton's chances? Man, Fred has his bag boys on that JNC.

Anonymous said...

The committee may be dissapointed again, like last time...stay tuned.

Not sure how a black liberal president appoints a republican, old-ish white guy with a non latin name, to the bench in miami.

Anonymous said...

I hated to lose Bloom from the county bench.
Hope she gets it.

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed that they passed up on Trawick. Money is on Lopez & Thornton

South Florida Lawyers said...

I don't get the criticism on DOM's blog -- this is a good list!

Anonymous said...

It's a Beth Bloom world and we're all just living in it.

Anonymous said...

10:50 am but still, why not Migna?

Anonymous said...

Bloom baby Bloom, disco inferno.

nonlawyer said...

re, ‘And the surprising news is that all four nominees are State Court Judges.’

As a nonlawyer, I see this as a disaster. State court judges should never be allowed on the federal bench. Federal court is too often the last place for redress of a grievance that the state courts cannot or will not honestly adjudicate. Even a well-intentioned former state court judge cannot overcome the corrupting power and influence of the Florida Bar, and its 100,000 members, and independently exercise what the Constitution calls in Article III "the judicial power of the United States".

Some may disagree, but lawyers should not be permitted to become judges either, not in state court and not in federal court. The two professions, lawyer and judge, are very different and require different training and temperament. Lawyers zealously advocate for clients under the adversarial system of law. Judges are supposed to be neutral arbitrators. However former lawyers cannot be neutral judges, due to the Lawyer-Judge bias in the American legal system, which is also the title of a book by Benjamin Barton. http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/113916/

"Virtually all American judges are former lawyers, a shared background that results in the lawyer-judge bias. This book argues that these lawyer-judges instinctively favor the legal profession in their decisions and that this bias has far-reaching and deleterious effects on American law."

http://truthonthemarket.com/2011/02/21/a-nation-of-lawyers-and-judges/

http://overlawyered.com/2010/11/forthcoming-the-lawyer-judge-bias-in-the-american-legal-system/

http://www.cato.org/blog/tax-lawyers-tax-complexity-broader-problem-self-serving-legal-profession

http://washingtonexaminer.com/sunday-reflection-does-america-have-a-lawyer-problem-or-a-law-problem/article/39034

Anonymous said...

If history is any guide, Obama will likely nominate Gayles or Bloom or Lopez. He likes to nominate minorities and women. 10:52 may be correct, but you can only bring a cow to water, you can't make him drink it. (Or however that saying goes.)

Anonymous said...

presidents have crossed party lines..
bush appointed Judge Graham..so there is precedent..Peter Lopez is good man...who is last hispanic...who has the most money..that's my bet!! man with the gold rules

Anonymous said...

either Mattie Belle Davis or Fred Moreno. I take Moreno.

Anonymous said...

Altonaga

Anonymous said...

NEW FEDERAL JUDGES .... Where are the great legal minds like HANZMAN and GREER -- Why are these brilliant, potentially superb Federal jurists not already on the bench in the Southern District? The Federal bench is quickly being downgraded to become just a mediocre "mommy court". Honestly folks, the JNC should be embarrassed to just go along with who the Chief Judge wants so he can have his lunch and golf buddies as colleagues. Guys like Hanzman and Greer are academic studs. They would quickly rise to the top of the judiciary. Why do we in our district strive for mediocrity? Let's get some brilliant minds on the bench already. What do you think?

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

Judge Fred Moreno is famous for having never had to run for public office and holding down the jobs of

County Court Judge (1986 - Graham)

Circuit Court Judge (1987 - Martinez)

Federal District Judge - (1990 - GHW Bush)

Then, Judge Cecelia Altonaga did the same thing.

County Court Judge (1996 - Chiles)

Circuit Court Judge (1999-Jeb Bush)

Federal District Judge (2003-GW Bush)

CAPTAIN OUT ....
captain4justice@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Captain: What about Judge Joan Lenard? I know she started out as a county court judge.

Rumpole said...

So the correct answer is Judge Altonaga. It was a bit tricky because Moreno was the obvious answer, but I asked for the LAST judge to start at county court and be confirmed as a district judge.

Anonymous said...

629 pm

I think you are a total putz.

Anonymous said...

Just saw two pds run the old speedy trial by a mile sham over on a new judge and new asa. When it works it's a thing of beauty.

Anonymous said...

Well congratulations to Peter Lopez. He finally got that monkey (her last name is Greer) of his back. I would like to think he will get the nomination, but, honestly, does anybody think the list could be better set up for Thornton? Other than Gayles, age is not an impediment for him. Bloom is in her 50's as is Lopez. John is almost, if not, 60, but the difference is not an issue.

Clearly a lot of thought went into making sure Thornton gets the nod, and deservedly so.

Anonymous said...

Go Beth--just go.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


The Captain Reports:

Joan Lenard did also run the same route having served as County Judge and then Circuit Judge before being appointed to the federal bench.

She did it before Moreno & Altonaga.

Cap Out ...

Shumie Time said...

This is Radio Shumdog, is there anybody alive out there?

Anonymous said...

didn't Ungaro go straight from County to the Federal Bench?

Anonymous said...

Radio Shumdog,
I just want to hear some rhythym.

Anonymous said...

Who will be the next County to Circuit to Federal judge???

Rumpole said...

No. I'm old enough to have tried cases before Ungaro in circuit in the REGJB.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


4:05 pm

Judge Ungaro never served on the County Court. She was a Circuit Court Judge for five years before moving on to Federal bench.

Cap Out ....

Anonymous said...

Thornton's time has passed. He's over 60 years old, an insurmountable barrier.

Anonymous said...

It's a pity that C. P. Rubiera, A. Leo Adderley, Morton Perry and Milton Starkman are not on the list.

Anonymous said...

Although likely illegal and probably ethically questionable,I would like to see a spread similar to the fantasy football posts on who will get the appointment. I'm imagining a betting board on the second floor of 73W in the alcove next to the ladies room. I think someone should be shouting out the Judges' incoming betting pool with nicknames like "Likely Lopez!" and "Betting on Bloom!"

Otherwise, I think they are all excellent jurists, but my gut tells me "Gavel Tappin' Thornton" has been the target all along. My money is on him.