HILL STREET COURT BLUES

BROWARD COURT HILL STREET BLUES

EPISODE II- THE “HIGH” COURT

[Longtime and careful readers of the blog will remember the Pilot Episode, which debuted on this Blog on February 9, 2007.]

[ A DARK SCREEN WITH WHITE LETTERING]
ROLL CALL 7:02 AM

FADE TO A CROWDED ROOM WITH A BALDING DISTINGUISHED MAN AT A PODIUM. HE IS SERGEANT ESTERHAUS, AND HE RUNS THE ROLL CALL MEETING. HE IS ADDRESSING A GROUP OF 20-30 JUDGES WHO HAVE CROWDED INTO THE ROOM. SOME ARE SIPPING COFFEE, EATING BAGELS AND DOUGHNUTS. A FEW SERIOUS ONES HAVE NOTEBOOKS OPEN.
A FEW IGNORE THE PROCEEDINGS AND CHAT AMONG THEMSELVES.

THERE IS A BLACKBOARD WITH SOME WRITING BEHIND THE SERGEANT:
A FEW NOTES CAN BE SEEN OVER HIS SHOULDER INCLUDING
“Dade sucks”…."minimum mandatories rule!".... “remember…bonds can be raised as well as lowered” and “guidelines are for sissies”

SGT ESTERHAUS: People…people settle down.

Item 9: There were three not guilty verdicts last week. [The room becomes immediately silent and the Judges become very attentive. Esterhaus notices the change and likes it]

SGT: That’s better. Our Chief “DR” wants you all to know that he understands that mistakes happen. [Esterhaus pauses two beats] Just don’t let it happen again. [There is some scattered applause as Esterhaus smiles, and the Judges all relax].

Sgt. Item 10. I have a note here from a Court TV reporter. Whoever stole her notebook and purse from the woman’s lavatory on six during the hearing on Anna Nicole Smith, she would like it back, no questions asked. [There is some low level chatter and several names are called out: “Dale-give it back.” ; "Larry took it"; and “I didn’t know Paul could read” are heard over the din.]

Sgt. Item 11. As you all may have heard, one of our own was taken down over the weekend. Judge Larry Korda was arrested as he communed with nature as it were in Goldman Park on Saturday, for possessing and apparently enjoying a rolled cigarette alleged to contain cannabis sativa.

[There is wide spread hooting and hollering.]

Hold it down people. We can expect a deluge of comments from attorneys and the media, including comments about “the High Court”, and Larry getting the “munchies”, not to mention the off-hand comments about “cronic” and the “good shit”.

You will all recall that because of Korda’s comments last year about a battered woman not speaking English, the Chief required all of us to attend sensitivity training.

[we hear in the background “couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”, and “how do you say pot in Spanish?”- "Ganja!!" someone replies.]

So in his time of need, the Chief asks all of you to step up and help your colleague. He wants names of all attorneys making smart remarks.
You know the drill about how to handle them.

Sgt: Item last- in connection with Judge Korda, we can expect the Governor to appoint a Judge from out of town to handle this matter. This is no current truth to the rumor the Judge will be from our friends down south in Dade County.

[There are whistles and hoots in the background. “What a buncha woosies” someone yells. "Dade? Is that in America?" and "No Habla ingles in Dade."]

Sgt: However, and I say this off the record- whomever gets appointed might need a friendly reminder that love him or hate him, Korda is one of our own. As such, the out of town Judge needs to be reminded that we have a long memory here on the Hill, and there will come a time when someone from this county gets appointed to handle a case in their county. It might be appropriate to mention that unless they want to see a colleague of theirs slammed, now would be the time to consider granting that motion to suppress. You know how it’s done.
A friendly chat at the coffee pot is all that’s needed.

Sgt. That’s it. We have the blood drive next week, a refresher by the Chief on imposing contempt during trial, the annual roast of the Judge who had the most not guilty verdicts last year, and the famous and much loved Dade Dartboard.
[There are cheers in the room].

Order your dartboard with the picture of your least favorite Dade Defense Attorney. Proceeds go to the window replacement fund.
[All the Judges get up to leave and some make it to the door]

Sgt. Hey…hey HEY. [Everyone stops.]
Lets get some guilty verdicts out there.

ROLL OPENING THEME SONG.