ATTORNEY GENERAL GRIFFIN BELL DEAD AT 90

UPDATE: TRESPASS AFTER WARNING: SENATE REFUSES TO SEAT BURRIS AS MEDIA CIRCUS LOOKS ON. CLICK HERE. 

Griffin Bell, who served as U.S. Attorney General from 1976-1979 in the Carter administration, and was the dean of Georgia lawyers, died Monday at age 90.   Judge Bell, who served on the old Fifth Circuit Court of appeals by virtue of an appointment from President John Kennedy was a man ahead of his times. He was an avowed anti-segregationist and upon appointment as Attorney General he restored the professionalism of the department, making decisions without regard to politics even when they did not sit well with the White House. 

Rumpole notes: You just don't meet that many people named Griffin these days.  And Gentlemen who are lawyers like Griffin Bell don't come around but once in a generation or so. 

Rumors abound of State Attorney layoffs due to budget cuts. We well know the SAO's propensity to deliver bad news around the holidays. They seem to, dare we say, revel in it. 

The Broward SAO believes "Attorney-Client Privilege" means lawyers get preferential access to the Broward County Jail. And only that. Listening to phone calls between a lawyer and his client is AOK by Mike Satz and company. Lucky for us, Judge Lebow disagreed. Read all about on the Broward Blog here. 

Did anyone else find it a bit strange that yesterday the Herald ran a front page local section article memorializing Stuart Mishkin when he died several months ago ? 

Stuart worked more than 30 years in the REGJB. Not us. We are well beyond 20 but we are working on an exit  strategy. You can bet on that. Hawaii here we come. 

TEN BEST MOVIES?

Some guy named Stanley Fish has posted in the Times here his list of the 10 best movies. Double Indemnity is on the list. No argument there. Ditto Raging Bull, Vertigo, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.  But the man lost all credibility when he included, we kid you not, Groundhog Day.    His Bio says that Fish is a Professor of Law at FIU in Miami.  That doesn't say much for the Law School. 

First of all Stanley, you don't have Casablanca on there. It's a perfect movie. And you left off The Godfather. And The Hustler. Really Stanley, stick to teaching torts. 

In our humble opinion, a great little movie, well done all around, humorous and yet touching on deep philosophical issues,  is Woody Allen's Crimes And Misdemeanors. It's worth another look if you haven't seen it in a while. 

Well, we survived Monday. See You In Court.