THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
SO, YOU WANT TO BE A CIRCUIT/COUNTY COURT JUDGE .....
The Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida is entering a busy stretch following the expansion of the bench in Miami-Dade County.
In 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 2508 into law, creating four additional County Court seats and three additional Circuit Court seats. Last year, the Governor filled two of the County Court seats and one Circuit Court seat. The JNC is now tasked with interviewing applicants for the remaining two County Court and two Circuit Court vacancies.
THE APPLICANT POOL .....
The JNC received 32 applications, divided as follows:
10 applicants for County Court only
11 applicants for both County and Circuit Court
11 applicants for Circuit Court only
The Commission will conduct interviews on March 13 and may nominate up to 12 candidates for County Court and 12 for Circuit Court.
A NOTABLE APPLICANT: ASA Shawn Abuhoff .....
One name that immediately stands out is Assistant State Attorney Shawn Abuhoff (and not because he is listed first). Abuhoff has applied for a seat on the County Court.
Many in the legal community will recall the high-profile disputes in 2024 and 2025 between the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and members of the criminal defense bar. Abuhoff was at the center of one such controversy in the case of State v. Pratt.
In that case, the defendant was charged with second-degree murder and represented by Assistant Public Defenders Natalie Ender and Lauren Dawson. During the proceedings, the Public Defender’s Office filed a motion seeking Abuhoff’s removal, alleging that he attempted to intimidate a key witness. Specifically, Ender claimed that Abuhoff and a police officer appeared near the home of witness Bridet Lampley and banged on the window of a car in which she was seated.
The presiding judge, Judge Wolfson, denied the motion.
Shortly thereafter, Abuhoff filed a motion seeking to disqualify Ender and Dawson, Abuhoff wrote in his complaint as to Ender and Dawson that “Their actions of tampering with a witness have made them witnesses themselves and created conflicts that this court can not ignore,” His office also publicly announced that both attorneys were under criminal investigation and that it was “in the process” of determining whether charges would be filed.*
Judge Wolfson denied that motion as well.
*No charges were ever filed against either Ender or Dawson.
FACDL-MIAMI ENTERS THE FRAY .....
The dispute drew the attention of the local chapter of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL-Miami), which alleged a broader pattern of prosecutorial misconduct.
FACDL cited several incidents, including the removal of ASA Michael Von Zamft from the case of State v. Corey Smith by Judge Wolfson. The organization also publicly commented on actions taken by the State Attorney’s Office in the murder prosecution of OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney and the related charges against her parents.
Regarding the Ender and Dawson matter, FACDL’s Board of Directors issued a statement asserting that the State Attorney’s Office “continues to engage in a pattern of unethical misconduct” in cases where defense attorneys have “done nothing more than uphold their constitutional obligation and duty to defend their client.” The Board further criticized what it described as the unjustified public accusation of criminal conduct against defense counsel and their investigator.
The controversy received coverage in the Miami Herald in July 2024, which you can find
The Miami Herald covered it in July of 2024 in two stories you can read here and here.
Here is a list of the 32 applicants:
COUNTY COURT ONLY
Yaneth Baez
Johanna Benedi
Madelin D’Arce**
Kimberly Hillery
Yvette Lavelle
Gustavo Losa
Marlin Muller
Jeffrey Pierce
Patricia Salman
COUNTY & CIRCUIT COURT
Yenly Dominguez
Christian Dunham
Aaron Feuer
Scott Janowitz
Jose Martinez
Andrew McGinley
Michelle Roth
Monica Segura
Alexander Shear
Annette Strauch
CIRCUIT COURT ONLY
(All are County Court Judges except for Mrs. Alvarez)
Rita Cuervo
Miesha Darrough
Elisabeth Espinosa
Christopher Green
Chiaka Ihekwaba
Alicia Garcia Priovolos
Jorge Perez Santiago
Stephanie Silver
Eleane Sosa-Bruzon
Michelle Urbistondo
**Destiny Goede Alvarez has been a member of The Florida Bar for five years (the minimum necessary to qualify to be a judge). She has two degrees from the University of Florida, she was President of Florida Blue Key, and she was inducted into their Hall of Fame. She is a member of the Federalist Society.
She was an Intern for Federal Magistrate Judge Amanda Arnold Sansone; spent a year working in the DeSantis Administration for the Department of Transportation; was an Associate at Gray Robinson for two years (is there any law firm more connected to the DeSantis Administration?!); and she is currently is a Partner at Goede, DeBoest, & Cross (the Goede is John Goede - her father we surmise)
Another interesting note: Attorney Madelin D’Arce, who applied for County Court, is also a Partner at Goede, DeBoest, & Cross
Captain4Justice@gmail.com
3 comments:
How did that FACDL binder of complaints play out?
What Natalie Ender and Lauren Dawson did in that case crosses the line from zealous advocacy to unethical harassment of opposing counsel. Filing a motion to DQ an ASA because they went to talk with an uncooperative witness whom the PDs thought had favorable testimony for their client is a frivolous and dangerous litigation tactic. In an ordered system of justice, no litigator should be allowed to move to DQ their adversary on baseless grounds in an attempt to gain a tactical advantage. Rumpole, you and your commenters’ slander of Abuhoff on this blog is not only unfair, but it’s downright malicious. He is an upstanding attorney and prosecutor who has tirelessly dedicated himself to public service for the last 10 years. Your commenters’ smears against him are without proof, merit, and substance. He would be a fantastic County Court Judge if the people of Miami Dade County are lucky enough to have DeSantis appoint him.
Someone is going to get shumied because of this. Re Abuhoff
the axiom that it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and a minute to lose it comes to mind.
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