Rumpole gets the last word here on the putative candidacy of Daniel Espinosa, Esq.
Putting aside the sob story about how this is his "dream" and Mr. Espinosa begs the clerk to "allow me to go through with it", lets have a brief discussion about the writing skills of a man who wants to be called Judge, and have the power and ability to write orders that will cause millions of dollars to be won or lost, or cause a person to live or die.
"Knowingly, I enclosed a check for ... please advise at once so that I may appropriate issue a check from my campaign account once it is opened."
Hmm... so that I may appropriate issue a check. Can one "inappropriate" issue a check? Well, yes. If the check is twenty cents less than the amount due.
The verb is "issue" and the adverb, modifying the verb is "appropriately" not "appropriate". Adverbs describe the action. They may modify it as well. "I ate slowly". "The judge incorrectly decided the motion."
What Mr. Judge Is My Dream wanted to write was "so I can issue the check from the appropriate account for the correct amount" or "so I can have the check appropriately issued", although this sentence is still on shaky ground.
And what's the deal with "Knowingly?" Can one "unknowingly" enclose a check? Probably not, but one can improperly issue a check, and for the wrong amount to boot. The inclusion of "knowingly" is nothing more than an example of someone who has poor writing skills trying to write like he thinks a lawyer writes.
"...I am pleading with you to please accept my check, or in the alternative to allow the twenty cents (or a new check) to be issued."
Query: How does one issue twenty cents?
Answer: You are the United States Treasury and you are authorized by Congress to issue a new coin for twenty cents (the ol' "double dime").
So what was Mr. Beg, borrow and plead asking for? Well, he wanted the clerk to accept a check for a filing fee for an incorrect amount. FAIL. Or allow him to issue a new check, outside the deadline for the correct amount. FAIL. Or, somehow, allow a twenty cent piece of some sort to be issued by some individual or duly authorized agency that would cover the shortfall.
Why are we being picayune?
BECAUSE HE WANTS TO BE A JUDGE. He isn't applying for a license to sell ice cream. He isn't applying for a license to run the El Chapo Cafe, (where being several months late is no problemo). His wants to be a judge. It is his dream. It is his family's dream. He is saying, by running, that he is amongst the best and brightest of the entire legal profession of our county.
And yet he cannot even write a coherent letter convincing the clerk to accept his incorrect filing fee.
If he was a judge and had to run on a statute of limitations issue, how would he rule?
By virtue of his letter writing skills that would earn a D minus in our legal writing class, good riddance. The citizens of Miami-Dade County are saved from dealing with yet another completely unqualified lawyer who wants to be a judge.
(Any news on Judge Jackie Schwartz? )
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
UPDATED:
Thank you to the alert commenter for pointing out that challenger Daniel Espinosa has not been officially qualified to run against Judge Rosa Rodriguez. Mr. Espinosa turned over his check to the Dept. of State on Thursday, in the amount of $5,843.00. Only problem is that the filing fee is $5,843.20. By virtue of the check being 20 cents short, he may be out of luck.
FURTHER UPDATE:
There are actually two checks on file with the Department. The first one dated April 28, 2016 is for the correct amount but issued from the account of Espinosa Law Group. The second one dated May 5th, is twenty cents short and issued from the account of Daniel "Danny" Espinosa Campaign Account.
FINAL UPDATE:
The Florida Dept. of State has removed Espinosa's name from Group 30. Congrats to Judge Rosa Rodriguez who dodged two bullets this week. First when Jorge Lopez filed against her; only to withdraw. Then when Espinosa filed against her, only to pay with a law office check at first, and then replace that check with a campaign account check that was 20 cents short of the filing fee.
That decision was worth at least $876,480 to Rodriguez; the salary she will earn over the next six years.
SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE A SIGN,
BLOCKIN' OUT THE SCENERY, BREAKIN' MY MIND .....
And there's going to be lots of them, scattered all over Miami-Dade County this summer as, at deadline, there are no less then ten contested judicial races.
While ten contested races sounds like a high number, it's not. In 2006, there were 16 contested races; in 2012 there were 12 contests; and in 2008 there were also 10. Anyone remember the likes of Shirlyon McWhorter, Stephen Millan, Michael Samuels, Migna Sanchez Llorens, Bonnie Rippingile, Josie Velis, Gina Mendez, and Jose Sanchez-Gronlier. Those were just some of the losers in 2006.
Here are your contested judicial races:
CIRCUIT COURT
Circuit Group 9 - Incumbent Jason Bloch v. Marcia Del Rey
Circuit Group 30 - Incumbent Rosa Rodriguez v. Daniel Espinosa
Circuit Group 34 - Mark Blumstein v. Renee Gordon v. Denise Martinez-Scanziani v. Luis Perez-Medina. (Judge Gill Freeman retiring).
Circuit Group 52 - Rosy Aponte v. Carol "Jodie" Breece v. Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts. (Judge Michael Genden retiring).
Circuit Group 66 - Incumbent Robert Luck v. Yolly Roberson
Circuit Group 74 - Incumbent George "Jorge" Sarduy v. Elena Ortega-Tauler
COUNTY COURT
County Group 5 - Incumbent Fred Seraphin v. Milena Abreu
County Group 7 - Incumbent Ed Newman v. Lizzett Martinez
County Group 15 - Ruben Yury Alcoba v. Linda Luce (Judge Judith Rubenstein retiring).
County Group 35 - Incumbent Wendell Graham v. Antonio "Tony" Jimenez
ELECTED WITHOUT OPPOSITION .....
Congratulations to the following 17 Judges/former Judge who have been elected to a six year term with an annual salary of $146,080 (Circuit Court) and $138,020 (County Court):
CIRCUIT
John Schlesinger
Rodolfo "Rudy" Ruiz
Scott Bernstein
Bertila Soto
John Thornton
Jennifer Bailey
Barbara Areces
David Young* (former Judge)
William Thomas
Milt Hirsch
Samantha Ruiz Cohen
Nushin Sayfie
Monica Gordo
COUNTY
Michaelle Gonzalez-Paulson
Carroll Kelly
Diana Vizcaino
Laura Anne Stuzin
FERNANDEZ RUNDLE & MARTINEZ BOTH REELECTED
Also elected without opposition were State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Public Defender Carlos Martinez. For Carlos, who was first elected in 2008, this is his third term. For Kathy, who is 66 years young, this is her seventh term. She took over for Janet Reno in 1993 when President Clinton names Reno as Attorney General. She was then elected in 1994 and reelected six more times. Is this her final term? What do you think?
NORTH OF THE BORDER
One note about the happenings in Broweird. Our longtime colleague, ASA Abbe Rifkin, has qualified to run in Group 15 against three other candidates, including Incumbent Judge Matthew Destry.
We hope everyone enjoyed their Cinco de Mayo yesterday. Have a great weekend and we leave you with one of our favourite songs of our youth; (well more like Stan Blake's youth):
CAPTAIN OUT .....
Captain4Justice@gmail.com
51 comments:
I'm hearing that Espinosa's check was 20 cents short and that he therefore did not qualify against Rodriguez. True?
Going un-mentioned in your post: Carlos and Kathy both get another term.
They both seem relatively sincere and competent and no one can say their offices arent getting the work done.
However, a larger question presents itself as far as Im concerned: How much money should PDs and ASAs make?
I don't think anyone would expect becoming a PD or ASA would be a path to riches. However, I think if asked most taxpayers they would expect that the lawyers (with the debt that comes along with a JD in the 2000s) who are tasked with running the criminal justice system we all depend on should be middle class. They should be able to afford to buy two or three bedroom homes in the city where they work. They should be able to afford to send their kids to the same schools as the children of other professionals.
Of course, this is rhetorical, because PDs and ASAs in Miami start in the 40,000s and after ten or fifteen years might be paid as high as the 60s. This is decidedly not enough to live a middle class lifestyle in Miami, FL.
Carlos and Kathy, whether personally to blame for this, must ultimately be the ones responsible. So let's hold them responsible.
I know more about the PDO than the SAO, so I will focus there. Do you *want* a PDs office that only pays its trial attorneys 40 or 50k? Because what this means is that you will get very good young lawyers who will only stay 2 years. As a tax payer and citizen do you want your PDO to invest in such lawyers only to constantly lose them? MIght not it be cheaper to actually pay them enough to stay? How would any other business treat its employees as an asset?
And those PDs who stick around longer -- they will naturally be the spouses of wealthier people or come from families of wealth. Again, is this the PDO you want? Cause it's the PDO you have.
How does the Miami PDO and SAO compare nationally, in terms of attorney salary, cost of living in city, and case load? Id love Carlos or Kathy to tell us. Give us a chart listing comparable cities.
What's more, when talking about long term economic planning at the PDO and SAO... what happens when the baby-boom currently on top retires? Are there enough attorneys in the pipeline, having been at the office 10-15 years, to take over leadership? It seems like there are a lot of 20+ year attorneys and a lot of >5 year attorneys. Have Carlos and Kathy planned for this transition by paying the middle attorneys enough to keep them around?
True
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
YES, IT IS TRUE. The Elections Department has not yet actually officially qualified Espinosa because he wrote a check to them for $5,843.00 - while the correct filing fee is $5,843.20.
So, it does appear that Judge Rosa Rodriguez may be able to avoid campaigning this summer, based on Daniel Espinosa's twenty cent error.
Cap Out ....
Daniel Espinosa's check was 20 cents short. Honestly I would have voted for him, because Rosa Rodriguez is just so awful. But. If you cannot correctly write a check to run on time, I do not think you should be a Circuit Judge. That race would have been a Trump v. Clinton anyway. Pick the lesser of two evils.
God works in mysterious ways. Great for Rosa and for me..I get my contribution back.
the first one with the correct amount apparently is not from a proper campaign account signed by a campaign treasurer.
Trivia Question:
Who did KFR beat in 1994 when she won her first term as the elected State Attorney?
Cap Out .....
Murray Kleinberg!!!!
If Espinosa can't file his paperwork with the proper amount he as no business being a Circuit Court Judge. What a fool.
Luck has opposition? What rotten...well, you know.
From the desk of the Honorable Mr. Justice Milton Hirsch
Hmmm...what to write, what to say?
Lawyer Abraham Lincoln, when walking down the street in Springfield, Illinois, one spring afternoon, was heard to say about a local Judge...."he's an honest fellow. He takes equal bribes from both sides...."
No...does't have panache..
Herodotus once wrote... No, I'm going to use that at my luncheon chat with the Greek Legal Society.
Hmmm...."Judge Learned Hand wrote in dissent in Smith v. China, that the only thing that separates amoral natives from a a civilized society...nah"
Yogi Bera was once reputed to say....nope.
Huh. What to say...what to write in this sweet moment of victory?
Rumpole, whereas me being the party of the first part, and whereas the clerk's office in Tallahassee being knowst amongst us as the party of the second part, and me has heretofore having had a dream to being a judge, and by virtue of the issuance to the partiest of the second part of a knowing check unknonigist twenty cents short, and there being children which the party of the first part hath done told that this party would knowingly and in fact beist a judge it being my dream and not wanting to deprive me of this dream, let it be knownst amongst those who would be ist judges that I do heretofore declare that I have and will duly authorize a check to be issued, or two coins, dimes in nature, to pay recompenst to the clerk's office to there and then bring my application for my dream job into fullest compliance knowingly so.
Dan The Man with a Plan to be a judge.
Too freaking funny.
You would think someone who had worked so long and hard to fulfill his "dream" to be a judge would be a little more prepared to initiate the process. Still no campaign account the week before filing date??? No clue what kind of check to use?
If you were in any county other than Miami-Dade would you call a non-hispanic name a bad name to run for election. No you would not. So just because we are in Miami why do you encourage opposition based on a name and not the quality of a Judge. You again perpetuate the myth that a good name can beat a bad name and simply it is not true. History teaches that the candidates targeted based only on name almost always lose!
Picayune? Pardon my French but the better term is "jerk."
You sound like the annoying, goody-too-shoes (let me include a parenthetical acknowledging the possible misspelling of that term, lest you jump all over me, too) 2L that was my LRW professor's assistant.
The guy was heaving a Hail Mary to the DOS in an attempt to correct a mistake. This is a reflection of his competence as an attorney? Really? Come on! After all the posts that you've written over the years pleading for reason and reasonableness in our profession you're going to pass judgment on his fitness as an attorney or judge based on a couple of grammatical miscues in a hastily prepared letter?
What happened is both fortunate for Judge Rodriguez and unfortunate for Danny Espinosa.
You've gone to great pains to extend every possible benefit of the doubt to a veteran prosecutor who was charged with DUI with children in the car, yet Espinosa (or his treasurer) omits two dimes from a check and you crucify him. The guy is a human being, and a decent one at that. He made a mistake. Move on!
Maybe this brief "contested" race will remind Judge Kelly that it's not a lifetime appointment. I hope the flurry of phone calls that were initiated on her behalf will not have been in vain. The machinations of judicial elections are just shameful and quite frankly I'm ashamed to be a resident of Miami-Dade County.
paperwork is 2 words? And the letterhead, word or word perfect?
Thanks to Rumpole for aptly pointing out that Danny "I have a dream" Espinosa seems so grammatically and arithmeticaly challenged that he should either have a different dream or wake up and face the realities of life. It is not only an issue of 20 cents. Dream Espinosa was incapable of doing the basic research necessary to determine that he needed a campaign account, tax id and treasurer. That does not bode well for the citizens of Miami Dade county. Perhaps he should reconsider his dreams and like many spoiled young men dream of being an astronaut, because he is clearly out in space. It is a sad day when such an inept, uneducated and unqualified person seeks a position that can and does effect thousands of lives. Rosa Rodrigiez graduated from Yale law school, Espinosa appears to have obtained his law license from a gum all machine.
10:23 there is a world of difference between an ASA who makes a personal mistake OUTSIDE OF WORK and in fact did the right thing and resigned, and a lawyer who holds himself out as the best and brightest and wants my cases in his grammatically challenged hands. The fact that everything was on the line for him and it was a stressful event makes his letter even more significant. Practicing law and being a judge is not all about cashing cheques and writing leisurely letters and motions (or as Mr. I have a dream would write "leisure motions").
Finally, lets examine his total inability to read a statute. The law on qualifying is clear. You need to write a cheque for the correct amount from a CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT and have it delivered BEFORE THE DEADLINE. The law is full of such requirements, and if he can't interpret a law when his own future is at stake, what gives us any confidence he can interpret a law for litigants when a person's life or financial future is on the line?
Espinosa goes to court the same way he tried to run--half baked!! No wonder he lost a trial in front of Judge Rosa.
I saw Espinosa in court once. He was unprepared, late, and totally disorganized. It seems like his campaign was run the same way.
I am less concerned about his ability to write a coherent and grammatical letter, a letter I understand was written hurriedly in a moment of panic, than I am with the lack of preparation and foresight that put him in a position that he had to write a letter hurriedly and in a panic. I'm sorry, but this guy is nowhere near ready to be a judge.
Danny Espinosa's problems are far greater than being 20 cents short, though the 20 cent issue reflects are carelessness and lack of attention to detail that is troubling, especially for a person who supposedly wishes to become a judge.
Firstly, Mr. Espinosa waited until the eleventh hour to file against Circuit Judge Rosa Rodriguez. If becoming a judge is really one's "dream", why would one wait until close to the end of the filing period to file the papers to try to land that "dream" job?
Secondly, Mr. Espinosa filed in violation of the rules on the first go around, indicating that he failed to read, or worse, failed to understand, the very simple requirements necessary to properly file to run for a seat on the circuit court bench.
Thirdly, Mr. Espinosa gets a second bite of the judgeship apple, "knowingly" files a second time and still manages to screw up the process by tendering a check for the wrong amount. His latest debacle is followed up by a poorly written letter that can best be described as "sad and pathetic".
Fourthly, Mr. Espinosa throws his accountant (campaign treasurer) under the bus when he should acknowledge that the buck stops with him. In truth, he should be thanking his accountant for the careless error since Mr. Espinosa had zero chance of unseating a seasoned incumbent circuit court judge. As such, the error ended up saving him lots of time and money that Mr. Espinosa should be directing to a more worthy endeavor. I don't know any lawyers that handle multi-million dollar cases that would want a very young and inexperienced litigator presiding over their important cases.
Lastly, one has to wonder why Mr. Espinosa would target Judge Rodriguez, who happens to be one of the most respected judges on the bench. Judge Rodriguez is smart, hard working, fair, and when necessary, tough on lawyers who are unprofessional, unprepared or who are disingenuous before the court. Mr. Espinosa should focus on becoming a quality lawyer first, before embarking on his dream of becoming a judge.
It's a shame this blog didn't exist during the Elian Gonzalez saga.
Dear 2:29,
Hi Judge Rodriguez,
How are you!
Watching Judge Luck hustle old Cuban ladies for votes on 8th Street is priceless. Check his campaign FB page. He's not a jerk. He just rules and then explains why legally he is right and you are wrong. Get over it. He's actually a super nice guy one on one and he treats his staff very well. Unlike a bunch of sitting judges.
Amen!
The most important qualities for a judge are common sense and understanding followed by intellectual capacity, education and experience.
I have pondered what we would have experienced had Sy Gaer or Henry Carr or Paul Pollack mounted the bench.
I used to watch with amusement as Arthur Rothenberg commenced each traffic court with a discourse on the Magna Carta and the Assizes of Clarendon, but I appreciate a jurist who recognizes Atticus Finch or a quote from Shakespeare, Learned Hand or Kennesaw Mountain Landis.
Judges should understand the law, people, and the fact we are all flawed humans.
Lawyers and Judges should always be prepared and do their homework.
You know what they call the guy who got the lowest passing grade in law school and the lowest passing grade on the Bar exam? A lawyer.
3:37: yes he is. i saw him repeatedly treat his clerks, ja and the corrections officers, and the pd's and asa's in division like they were second rate. he treated jeffrey the clerk who handles back-up calendars like yesterday's garbage. he was arrogant to clients and condescending to other judges. he seemed like a kid who was once bullied a lot, who now bullies others because he wears a robe. just awful. oh, and i agree with the earlier post about the state of his audit when he left. judge walsh is trying to undo the damage.
237 you nail it in your comment but I think that blaming Kathy and Carlos for this is misguided and misses the real villains which are the GOP ruled legislature and Gov Scott. They have treated all public employees like shit, freezing their pay for seven years with no raises and then cutting their pay with the Pension grab of 3%.
People like Rick Scott and GOP think that public service is just something that you do for a few years before getting a "real job" where you can make lots of money. they care not one whit about the level of public service provided by the PDO or the SAO. With crime rates at record lows and most of the crime being committed in poorer areas they could care less about how the justice system works day to day. all they want to be able to do is say that they have cut taxes year after year to put it on a palm card when they run for the next office.
It amazes me that a judge who got elected using money from an unreported loan from a rich boyfriend, knowingly filed false campaign contribution reports, lied to the JQC, sold her soul in the Elian case and is reelected unopposed because her opponent makes a stupid mistake has the chutzpah to write what she did at 2:29. We all know you are classless, a defense attorney in robes and not anywhere near the quality Yale usually produces. Just take the gift you were given, and keep your thoughts to yourself. Hopefully in 6 years you will do us all a favor and retire.
"Brother, can you spare a dime (or two)" - Daniel "Danny" Espinosa
Brother can you spare a dime. Funniest comment in years....
When you read all of the dirt, gossip, criticism, below the belt jabs, classless barbs and other demeaning issues about these judges during the election process then it becomes pretty clear why these tribunals wear robes...it's to hide the very ugly underbelly associated with pursuing the job.
The Tampa Bay Times writing on whether Trump can win Florida, used a quote from Mac Stipanovich, one that only Rumpole could really appreciate:
J.M. "Mac" Stipanovich, who helped elect Republican Govs. Bob Martinez, Bush and Charlie Crist, last week wrote a column urging Republicans not to vote for Trump.
"Politically, by intent or instinct, he is a neo-fascist — a nativist, an ultranationalist, a racist, a misogynist, an anti-intellectual, a demagogue and a palingenetic (sorry) authoritarian to whom clings the odor of the political violence he encourages. . . . A drop of a few percentage points in the Republican vote for Trump will be enough, which is why the pressure to conform, to toe the party line, will be enormous. We cannot depend on our elected leaders to lead us. They, for the most part, will fold like cheap lawn chairs, cowed by fear and fueled by ambition," Stipanovich wrote.
It's "let's" not "lets."
You should probably proofread your own stuff before making fun of others.
Hey, "Mac,"
Sounds like everybody else in your party. You want the government sitting in when a lady talks to her doctor, and you have the balls to call Donald "authoritarian." Please.
6:26 I hear you, but that doesnt change the fact that these are Carlos's and Kathy's offices. They are captains of these ships. It is part of their job (maybe the most important part?) to go up to Tallahassee to convince the pols that 40k may get you your pick of a lot of new JDs desperate for a job, but it doesnt keep an office staffed with good lawyers long enough to ensure good stewardship over the long haul.
In 5-10 years the PDO and SAO will have their heads cut off with retirement (sooner with the PDs).
No one seems to be talking about this, mostly because those who have a place at the table will not be affected. Theyre retiring with pensions, more power to them.
But there is a bubble waiting to pop here.
This is incredibly sad. I have known Danny Espinosa for about 11 years. Danny has overcome adversity that few can ever overcome. He is a man integrity and works harder than anyone I know. He actually represented my family in a case that no lawyer would take on contingency. He took it to trial and won. I'm not going to lie: I love Danny because he fears nobody when he knows he's doing the right thing. He represents people who cannot afford an attorney and also represents disabled people around the nation. For people to comment on his intellect and capacity as a lawyer or a judge based on twenty cents that was overlooked says more about the intellect of the lawyers writing these ridiculous comments. And I have no issue putting my name on this blog unlike all of these ANNONYMOUS cowards writing garbage and hiding behind a computer screen.
Dear 3:29. Wrong. Try again.
Dear 6:37,
I never have been a judge and have no interest in becoming a judge. I'm in private practice (for a lot longer than 6 years) and wrote the 2:29 post based on information readily available to anyone wanting to learn the facts. So, nope, I'm not Judge Rodriguez. You should get your facts straight before you try to disparage an incumbent judge or pretend that you know the author of a blog post. Are you getting your "facts" from the same person who gave Mr. Espinosa advice on when and how to begin his judicial campaign? That might explain a lot.
This "How are you!" post is funny, not only because I'm not Judge Rodriguez, but because it appears that the same person who wrote Mr. Espinosa's letter may have written this post since he/she ended a question with an exclamation point. Grammar: the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you're shit.
I've known Danny for almost twenty years and, thus, feel compelled to point out a few things concerning the nonsense I've read on this site. First, Danny is an incredible father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He also is a very good lawyer that has tried numerous cases to verdict in both State and Federal court--and won. Second, I find it comical that some have used the twenty-cent snafu to impugn Danny's competence as a lawyer. I guess we have to add infallibility to the long list of attributes one must possess before aspiring to be a judge. Third, and incredibly, many have suggested that Danny had no business running against Rosa Rodriguez, a judge that has absolutely no business on the bench. 7:21, either you're an unschooled layman that has never seen Rosa Rodriguez in court or you simply have a political agenda because I can't imagine that you earned a JD; witnessed Rosa Rodriguez on the bench; and did not walk away (from what should have been an appalling experience) scratching your head wondering how such an animal could have been admitted to Yale. That Rosa Rodriguez has connections is no secret: that's how she's been able to stay on the bench so long despite being indicted by the State Attorney's Office for intentional misrepresentation, among other things, and being suspended from her judgeship for four months or so while also being sanctioned by the JQC. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she called her contacts in the Division of Elections to ensure the threat of Danny running against her was taken care of. In short, Danny would have made a fine judge, although we will have to suffer another term with Rosa Rodriguez.
P.S. Judge Rodriguez, that was a funny post at 2:29. Come now, no one feels like that about you; who are you trying to kid?
Then 2:29/5:12 you are Gabriel Bach.
Judge Rodriguez is lucky Danny Espinosa's camp fell 20 cents short. He would have undoubtedly beat her head-to-head and taken her off the bench. She's as corrupt as they come.
Agreed. I'd bet on it.
EIGHT YEARS OF CARLOS MARTINEZ-last week was the swearing-in ceremony of Carlos Martinez to the Public Defender Office of the 11th Judicial District. For those of us who may have missed the recent milestones in that office, let us mention that with Rory Stein (and others of his generation) leaving, it is the passing of the Bennett Brummer era.
From all accounts, things have gotten heavily bureaucratized there since then. The pit lawyers are constantly expected to crank up the numbers (of interviews, depositions, investigations, trials) at the expense of quality of representation.
The new guard after Stein left is unproven, but Stein's replacement in particular "is no Stein." Lawyers complain he brings no specific talent for the job and employs his wife, who reports to him!
The personnel gap after Stein's retirement seems to be filled by an amalgam of sycophants and statisticians hell bent on keeping up their numbers for recognition and survival in a brutal, stressful environment. Most people there say it is harder to get regular pay raises as they have instituted a "meritocracy" which invariably rewards the sycophants and statisticians. Most dedicated lawyers leave the office in disgust after two to three years.
The jewel of the office continues to be the appellate division. They appear to have kept up litigation standards despite the current environment.
The few of us who know the genesis of Mr. Martinez's incumbency hardly expected much more than the current state of affairs. What we did not anticipate was the legal community's inability to come up with an alternative to Mr. Martinez after eight years of the most brutal bureaucratization of an important local institution.
Will someone please step up to the plate? The young lawyers who labor there deserve better.
If the public knew the real Daniel Espinosa, Esq., they would shudder or shiver from the truth.
"A Fool" is grossly understated
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