SECURITY ID INFORMATION

BREAKING: Judge Dennis Murphy sentenced Eric Rivera, Jr.,  to fifty seven and a half years in prison. Rivera was the individual who fired the gun that killed Sean Taylor (Rivera was convicted of second degree murder, although the jury found it was without a firearm, the facts of the case are that Rivera shot and killed Taylor).  ASA Reid Rubin gets the win and deserves credit for shepherding this case through the system over the last several years. Well done Mr. Rubin. Well done indeed. We are sure the Taylor family is extremely grateful for your dedication and efforts. 

It's been busy day at the REGJB. 

BREAKING. Someone named "Bieber" who is apparently a person of some renown in the entertainment world, was arrested earlier today. He had his first appearance before Judge Farina, who is a Judge of some renown in Miami. Bond was set. The media is breathlessly analyzing the cosmic implications of all of this. 

A lawyer named "Roy Black" muddled his way through the hearing without too much trouble. 

Occasionally we take a break from our award winning witty repartee; the continued disparagement of  our robed readers, and the downright tarring and feathering of judicial candidates, to post something useful to our readers. 

Today is that day. 

If you've been walking around staring at your expired security ID without any idea what to do next, then this is for you. 


There is NOTHING more important in the lives of lawyers at the REGB than the ability to bypass the hour long lines outside of our humble courthouse. 
This is, of course, a lawyer-centric view. We imagine the judicial-centric view of what is important  might revolve more along the lines  of locating the local free lunch buffets or making that 3pm tee-time or mani-pedi appointment. (Our ability to hold in abeyance the cheap shots at judges isn't very good.)

Go get those IDs. Don't wait in line. Pass Go. Collect your fee. 
See You In Court. 

THERE'S NEVER A COP WHEN YOU NEED ONE

We witnessed an incident last week which has been on our minds.

Last Friday was a busy day at the REGJB. The lines out front that our favourite herald Scribe is forced to stand in along with the hoi polloi were compounded by the fact that the security screening machine in the back was broken.

There was a disturbance in the front of the building and an obviously agitated man who had already stood in line was sitting on the floor by the exit saying very loudly that he had already stood in line and was not going to do it again. It became clear that as he was leaving the building he reached the exit and perhaps stepped over the magic line and realized he needed to go back inside. Security, first in the form of a woman who could not speak the English language in any intelligible manner, barred him from re-entering. The man then- in the best traditions of those of us who lived in the sixties- staged his own sit-down and refused to move.

A larger security officer approached the man, and here’s where the system broke down.

There was no effort at communication. There was no effort at understanding this man’s frustration. There was just a threat and escalation in anger that was quickly heading towards violence.

For all we know the man staging the sit-in could have been violent or mentally ill. By our view, all it would have taken to defuse the situation is a half-way intelligent human being talking to this man for a few moments. Sympathizing with him and his plight, and perhaps agreeing to take him back through the security screening process quickly.

But our highly trained security specialists are not trained to do that. They are trained to threaten, threaten more, and then call for the police. And that’s where the system broke down. Because in our little courthouse where normally you can’t expectorate without hitting one of Miami’s finest, there were no brown or blue uniforms to be seen. The highly trained security officer used his radio, and then-we are not making this up- he put his radio down and appeared to call 911. In the Justice Building.

911: Do you have an emergency?

Security: Yes I need a police officer. A man will not leave our building.

911: Address please

Security: 1351 NW 12 th Street.

911: You're kidding right? You can't find a cop at the Justice Building?

As this was happening- an alert Metro Dade uniformed officer walked into the building. The highly trained security officer- who by the way was not being assisted by his fellow highly trained security officers- waved to the alert Metro Dade Officer- who by this time had reached the escalator. The officer- pleased to be recognized and wished a good day- responded with a big smile and wave and went on his way. All the time, the highly trained security officer was standing next to our 60’s protester- while dialing 911 for help.

If the man who was upset had been bent on causing havoc, he could have rampaged through four floors before any help would have arrived. It reminded us of the time we saw a man barge to the front of the line- go through the machine-which beeped- and then said “I’m late for court.”- and then walked into the building- while the highly trained security officer smiled at us and shrugged her shoulders and said something in Spanish.

Back to Friday: eventually a more alert Metro Dade Officer arrived and soon the front of the building was teaming with officers as if Rudy Giuliani had arrived and said he saw an airplane flying suspiciously.

The point is that we who enter the building on a regular basis know that the security people are overwhelmed. They are under trained- many do not understand English- and we are sure they are under paid.

What is it going to take to bring some order and professionalism to the security force at the REGJB?
How about tweaking the budget and employing an off-duty uniformed officer at each entrance from 8am to noon everyday to help supervise the security screening of the morning crowds?

Let’s be innovative. What does an off duty officer get? 20 bucks an hour? Sell some advertising. 80 dollars a day, $400.00 a week- and a large sign- ‘THE SECURITY AT THE BUILDING TODAY COURTESY OF THE TICKET TEAM. GOT A TRAFFIC TICKET? CALL THE LAWYERS WHO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE- 1800- WHATEVER.

It could work.

See You In Court dreaming of protests and sit-ins

PS The security screening machine is still broken at the back of the courthouse. Today when we entered the building at the rear we saw attorneys handing their briefcases to be screened. The cases were screened by the highly trained security officer glancing inside. This is a major breach of security. Someone dressed in a suit and tie with a briefcase can now bring a weapon into the building by posing as an attorney and coming in the back. Just something else to keep us awake at night.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA?

UPDATED with a response on child care from some of our robed readers!


Longtime and careful readers of the blog have been able to discern that from time to time we receive “tidbits” of information from interested parties, lawyers, even members of the fourth estate.

To borrow a literary reference, we like to think of them as The Rumpole Irregulars.

Word reaches us today from an Irregular, of this picture at the entrance to our fair building:


along with the concomitant policy of confiscating cameras.

What in the name of the Federal College of Cardinals are these people thinking?

Can’t you just see the scene as the highly trained security screeners scrutinize our clients:

First Security Screener: Code Red. Code Red. A Camera!
Second Security Screener: Que?
Third Security Screener: Where?
First Security Screener: Right there! The little girl, next to the man with the machete.

Third Security Screener: Swarm Swarm Swarm.
First Security Screener [to man with the machete] “Sir. Don’t panic. Just slowly walk away from the girl with the camera. We’re the professionals. Let us handle it..”


The point is, we let these petty bureaucrats draw up their own security rules, and what we are doing is allowing our fears to trample the Constitution.

It doesn’t seem like a big deal. And in the scheme of things, it probably isn’t.

But the whole point of our freedoms is built around the idea that we have the right, and the ability, to question authority, and to make those in power answer to us, not the other way around.

"Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither"


The comments section to yesterday’s post on child care contained several good comments for and against the idea.

We like our response, which we re-post here because…well, because we can.

You know, there are a hundred reasons not to do anything: lawsuits, injury, possible problems. But it is the enlightened soul that sees the solution, not the problem.

Or in the words of Ted Kennedy during the eulogy for his brother Bobby:"Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say, why not."

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So we say, stop telling us why we can't have child care, and start talking about how we're going to do it.
Thanks to Judge Young for his support of the idea.


Next time you're in court, instead of wondering who we are, look at all the parents with kids sprawled out on the floors of the hallways, and ask yourself whether there isn't a better way to do things.

See You In Court.

UPDATE: We checked the blog this morning and right on time was this response from Judge Blake, along with a response from Judge Schwartz:

Judge Blake (on his 2 week time schedule of checking the blog)* said:

Hi Rump,

As Larry Schwartz wrote, for the past several months we have had meetings with me, Sandy Lonergan, Sam Slom, Berdy Soto, Carroll Kelly, reps from the WCMA and attorney Jerry Kornreich here working on the creation of a child care place in the REGMJB. It is getting closer to being a reality--finishing up security and building issues (as well as funding).

The YWCA has one in the Family Court and there is a Court Care cocktail party on March 8th from 5:30-7:30 at Mellon Uniited Bank with a $50 donation from attorneys will be accepted at the door ($35 for law students and public interest lawyers). YOu may want to help publicize this. Thanks for your interest in this worthwhile project. It will be a reality. Stan Blake

Rumpole responds: Everyone should attend the fundraiser.Cocktails for a worthy cause: That's what we call legal research- and our civil friends can even find some client to bill for it!

*Some might be upset at our treatment of Judge Blake. But, as longtime and careful readers of the blog know, we can't-we just can't- pass up any opportunity to give our robed readers a gentle jab.

See You In Court, and maybe at the fundraiser.