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Wednesday, April 02, 2014

PRO BONO


Your Miami Marlins are 2-0.  


We have reprinted a few of the best comments about recently retired ASA Phil Maniatty:



 Steve Kramer said...
I first became acquainted with Phil when we were roommates at the UM Law School dorm in 1974. I was the New Yorker and Phil from Burlington, Vt. Two very different people who have been friends for 40 years. I won't bore you with the many stories that Phil loves to tell, but you should know that Phil is the same small town, unassuming, and pleasant guy he was all those years ago. He became one of the most effective and diligent prosecutors I have ever encountered, yet never losing his smile and common sense.
Enjoy your retirement my friend. You've earned it

 Anonymous said...
Phil was a great division chief. He was a great teacher and supervisor.

As the writer states, he was from a simpler time.

When I was assigned to his division he took all of us to the old Marine Bar for a couple of beers and a game or two of pool. Hell, once he even took the division to lunch at Joe's.

We had espirit de corps. There isn't too much of that anymore.

Phils's a gentleman.

DOUBLE SECRET PROBATION:
Everyone knows that a condition of probation is that you cannot possess or carry a firearm. Unless you are also a law enforcement officer. Then you can carry your gun, even when you report to your PO:

Judge Ed Newman today allowed MDPD Ofc, Larry Laverde, on probation for reckless driving & leaving accident scene, to carry firearm for work
The herald article is here. Nice job by Arnie Trevilla getting the breakdown for his client. 

Pro Bono:
To: Members of the Southern District of Florida Bar
From: Chief Judge Federico A. Moreno
Re: Call for Assistance -- Pro Bono Panel

I am very pleased to announce that our District is embarking in a new direction that hopefully will result in more unrepresented litigants obtaining counsel than ever before. And we need your help!
You may have heard of the Courts decision last month to discontinue operations of the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP). In recent times the expenses of operating a program like the VLP simply have become disproportionately high when compared to the number of pro se cases it could service. Because the program was funded from funds collected through a portion of attorney admission fees from members of our Bar and pro hac vice fees, my colleagues and I felt a special responsibility to insure that those monies would be used as wisely as possible.
The decision to disband the VLP was not taken lightly, but rather after exploring various alternatives. In the end, our Judges determined that it would be a better use of resources for us to take a more active role in seeking out counsel for pro se litigants. This will permit much of the money used to fund the VLPs efforts to be shifted toward expense reimbursement for volunteer attorneys.
This is where each of you comes in. I urge all members of the Southern District to join us in a renewed commitment to assist the unrepresented in this District. How can you help? There are a number of ways, the easiest of which is to simply take a case! Pro Bono Opportunities can be found at the Courts websitewww.flsd.uscourts.gov and are regularly distributed by way of electronic email blast. In addition, I urge each of you to register via the website to be included in a Pro Bono Panel list of those attorneys have an interest in assisting with worthy cases in the future or who are in a position to help locate other attorneys, such as associates in their law firm, who may take cases. There is no commitment from registering, but rather this will simply help us build a database of first contacts when the need arises.
I would like to take this opportunity to especially thank those who have volunteered in the past through the VLP, and particularly its Director Randy Berg, for their important service to the Court. I am sure that their spirit of public service will carry on as we move forward with this new endeavor. My colleagues and I look forward to seeing each of you in Court.

Federico A. Moreno
Chief United States District Judge




12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Arnie Trevilla ('Noldo) is a great guy and a talented lawyer and has an excellent sense of humor -- Ive been a fan since he used to fight with the State in jail division--he's gotten a lot of perspective since then and uses it well

Uh oh said...

http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/Opinions/3D13-1294.pdf

Anonymous said...

He used the word nigga before it was cool. F Chris Baisden! RIP Martin!

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


Huh?

Anonymous said...

"The Romanian Mumble" will live on in immortality as a result of today's Third DCA opinion.

Anonymous said...

Shepherd and Wells should be embarrassed and ashamed. Instead of following they law, they went with their person feelings on the matter to affirm the contempt conviction for the mumbling. Lagoa's well reasoned concur/dissent shows what the appellate could should have done: legally analyze the actions of the trial court and come to the legally sound decision. But that is commonplace in the Third. Disregard the law to get to their desired result.

Anonymous said...

Court: 'Romanian Mumble' Means Contempt for Miami Lawyer

http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/id=1202649400917/Court%3A-%27Romanian-Mumble%27-Means-Contempt-for-Miami-Lawyer#ixzz2xlKILsF9



http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/id=1202649400917&kw=Court%3A%20%27Romanian%20Mumble%27%20Means%20Contempt%20for%20Miami%20Lawyer?et=editorial&bu=Daily%20Business%20Review&cn=20140402&src=EMC-Email&pt=Afternoon%20Update

Anonymous said...

11:27 has a great sense of history. I miss the old days - we need a public defender not a public pretender.

Anonymous said...

11:27 got me googling. Had no idea of that part of the back story.

Anonymous said...

Agree with 2:01 pm - the third more and more disregards the law in favor of a result consistent with the panel's vacilating predilictions.

the triralmaster said...

Michaels is a disgrace to the defense bar. I do not know how any client could ever hire such a buffoon. He should have received more time than 2 days.

Anonymous said...

So sorry if I'm in the incorrect posting area. My intent is for the first time ever, to post a comment, regarding Phil Maniatty.

I preface my comments by saying I have not logged on or followed this blog (with respect,) since outrageous pleadings were written and THEN post herein, in 2007. I still remember ludicrous comments about me conducting myself as a 'windmill,' leaving court to call others judges. Of course all of those specious comments lacked credibility, though I admit I used to compete as a gymnast, mainly on floor ex and the balance beam. I likewise admit that when I competed years ago, 'windmill' was never a recognized Jr. or Olympic move worth performance points!

Having said that, when I was told an article was being written in honor of Phil Maniatty, I decided it was time to step forward, and actually write this blog.

Phil is a gentlemen to the core. We met when we were both "A" attorneys & adversaries in front of Judge Arthur Snyder. While we dealt with and litigated many difficult cases butting proverbial heads, he was a respected opponent and maintained a sense of decorum and unfailing politeness throughout.

He was the first "A" ASA I opposed prior to being elevated to Major Crimes as an Assistant Public Defender. When he won trials, he did so by being no-nonsense, presenting the facts and allowing the evidence speak for itself.

Many years later, as a Circuit Court Judge, I saw his gentlemanly approach serve him well; he acted as though he was above histrionics and allowed the evidence to speak for itself. A few weeks ago he tried his last case as an ASA. What I heard about the case and his conduct, comported with his exhibited legal behavior and professionalism over the last decades.

Phil, I wish you well. You can and should be proud of your exemplary behavior as an Assistant State Attoney and fellow member of the Florida bar. From my heart, I wish you only the best.

With regards,

Dava xo

(Judge Dava J. Tunis)