JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG

WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL RICHARD E GERSTEIN JUSTICE BUILDING BLOG. THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO JUSTICE BUILDING RUMOR, HUMOR, AND A DISCUSSION ABOUT AND BETWEEN THE JUDGES, LAWYERS AND THE DEDICATED SUPPORT STAFF, CLERKS, COURT REPORTERS, AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO LABOR IN THE WORLD OF MIAMI'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE. POST YOUR COMMENTS, OR SEND RUMPOLE A PRIVATE EMAIL AT HOWARDROARK21@GMAIL.COM. Winner of the prestigious Cushing Left Anterior Descending Artery Award.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

2 4 TUESDAY

UPDATE: NO SALE! SALESMAN GUILTY AS CHARGED. Daily Pulp has the latest.

JUDGE SEFF AND HER CHALLENGER UPDATE BELOW.

UPDATE: THE JURY IS OUT AND DELIBERATING in the Fitzroy Salesman case. Courtroom observers noted that Judge Cohn gave the defense a victory when he agreed to instruct the jury that Salesman could not have been an agent of Miramar during the time he was suspended as a commissioner for his DUI arrest. Only in the wacky world of South Florida does catching a DUI pinch help you in your federal trial.

Closing arguments today in Ft. Lauderdale in USA v. Fitzroy Salesman. Salesman was a Miramar commissioner who allegedly took money from an undercover FBI agent flown in from Boston to play "the old man" as a developer looking to pay kickbacks to get Miramar construction projects. Attorney Jaime Benjamin, best known by most of us for representing adult clubs, is the lead defense attorney.


David Markus is back blogging after spring break.

The guys running the Broward Blog are apparently in Vegas.

SUPREME COURT WATCH:
While Supreme Court watchers wait for Stevens to retire, the Justice told reporter Robert Barnes of the Washington Post that he hoped that his earlier comment (to Jeffrey Toobin of the New Yorker) that he would decide on his plans for next year within thirty days “wasn’t being treated as a statute of limitations,” . Barnes went snooping around Steven's Ft. Lauderdale Condo for an inside scoop on when Steven's plans to announce his retirement.


CLIENT NEEDS A LAWYER:
If you've ever wanted to represent a Playboy Playmate (and what red blooded defense attorney hasn't?) Ms. February 1992 is in the West Palm Beach jail looking for counsel.


ALVAREZ V NEWMAN:

While we're not going to censor comments, we think it's time to put a lid on the nonsense regarding this race. Manny Alvarez is an experienced PD who would make a fine Judge. Judge Newman is an experienced Judge who by all accounts has done a fine job, although like every judge on the bench, he has his detractors.

Judge Seff has opposition from a lawyer barely 5 years in bar and nobody's talking about that race. (Update- someone posted a comment that Judge Seff's challenger has been a lawyer "almost 8 years". Wow! Did we blow it. Of course Judge Seff has been a lawyer 30 years, or more than three times the years her challenger has been a lawyer. Or put another way- Judge Seff had been a lawyer 21 years on the day her challenger was admitted to the Bar. )

Judge Adrien has opposition from two experienced lawyers (and counting) and nobody's taking about that race.

Move on.

See You In Court calculating the driving time between here and West Palm....

33 comments:

RFB said...

FIRST. AGAIN! I am da man.

Fake Freddy Moldovan said...

Come to the Clevelander this Friday night at 8 PM when the Mad Romanian himself, ALEX MICHAELS, formally announces his candidacy for judge. I cannot say whether or not it will be county or circuit, or who Alex will be running against. Suggested donation for tickets is $25. For more information go to www.stopdeesbullsheeeet.com.

Anonymous said...

The judicial races in Miami so far are pathetic.

1. Why does Milt Hirsch not have an opponent???

2. Is De La O going to be given a free ride against Kopco--nice person, but she is like the longshot horse that never wins.

3. Floria Seff has one opponent-come on! Her attitude alone should get her at least another 2.

4. William Johnson is still sitting over on 27th Ave with the hope no one files against him....if he goes unopposed no one on this blog should complain about any judge ever again!!!!!!!!

5. Rodney Smith still unopposed...got the gig by Crist even though he was on a list with much more qualified candidates. Should be accountable to the voters.

Miami does not have to be like Broward this year where almost every sitting judge is being challenged, but damn kids lets do better than this!!!!!!!! This is just f'in sad!!!!!!!!!!!

Just Cause said...

It's cause everyone agrees that Adrien is a terrible judge.

It's cause everyone agrees Seff should have a shot at a full term and some puppy name grabber shouldn't knock her out.

It's cause people differ about exactly how bad a judge Ed Newman is that results in postings about it.

Comcast Wins Big Against The Feds said...

Breaking News:

WASHINGTON – A federal appeals court has ruled that the Federal Communications Commission lacks the authority to require broadband providers to give equal treatment to all Internet traffic flowing over their networks.

Tuesday's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a big victory for Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable company. It had challenged the FCC's authority to impose so called "net neutrality" obligations.

It marks a serious setback for the FCC, which needs authority to regulate the Internet in order to push ahead with key parts of its massive national broadband plan.

Anonymous said...

This post was insensitive to gay guys. We would not be all excited to represent a bunny pro bono or any other kind of bono.

Chippendale dancer, yes. Bunny, no.

Please be more sensitive next time.

Anonymous said...

Dr Rumpole you need better election coverage on here!!

Anonymous said...

Rumpole, you wrote that: "Judge Seff has opposition from a lawyer barely 5 years in bar and nobody's talking about that race."

I checked the opponent's profile in the Florida Bar's website and saw that on April 26, 2010 she'll have 8 years in the Bar.

Michaelle Gonzalez Paulson
Member in Good Standing

Eligible to practice in Florida



ID Number: - 556556
Address: Michaelle Gonzalez Paulson, P A
1200 NW 78th Ave Ste 105
Miami, Florida 331261816
United States
Phone: 786.4641986
Fax: 786.4641987
E-Mail: mgplaw@bellsouth.net


County: Miami-Dade
Circuit: 11
Admitted: 04/26/2002




Sections: Family Law

10-Year Discipline History None



Law School: St. Thomas University School of Law
Graduation Year: 2001
Degree: Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor


Firm: Michaelle Gonzalez Paulson, P.A.
Firm Size: One
Occupation: Private Law Practice
Practice Areas: Bankruptcy
Child and Family
Civil Litigation
Debtor and Creditor
Family
Immigration and Nationality
Marital and Family
Mediation
Wills, Trusts and Estates
Languages: Spanish


Federal Courts: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
Florida Southern District Bankruptcy Court
State Courts: Florida

Anonymous said...

10:10:00 am

1. Draft Richard Hersch to run against Milt Hirsch, as the April Fool's Day poster joked and it will make for a very interesting race..

4. William Johnson is a good judge and should not get opposition.

5. Rodney Smith turned out to be a good judge who understands the issues in misdemeanors and traffic much better than the county judges in the 5th and 6th floor of the REG Bldg. He should be taken out of Hialeah and given a division at REGB.

Grey Tesh said...

Saw the booking blotter photo of the former playmate. My how oxys and time can change you.

Although I could theoretically walk (I still don't, I drive) to the Palm Beach county jail from my office, I'm not sure she's worth the trip.

Definitely 19 years ago, but not now.
Grey

Anonymous said...

I do not care how long Flora Seff has been a lawyer, she is not nice and we are sick and tired of judges being anything other than nice, respectful, courteous, kind, careful and proper.

She reminds me of McWhorter. She was not nice either and remember what happened to her.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole admit it you stopped the discussion because you are a Newman fan ..........and don't want to indirectly help another foreigner become a judge...... so you cut off the debate..........I guess you didn't want the facts to come out ...........a little undemocratic don't you think?

Anonymous said...

3:24 --- Just because someone is a "good" judge does not mean they should not have to earn their seat like any other elected official. A county or circuit judgeship should never belong to anyone-it is an honor to hold the seat. It is the entitlement attitude that has kept so many crap judges on the bench.

There are going to be a lot of April 30th hop ins. I can not believe that the Miami judicial races are going to remain this mellow.

If nothing else, will another gerber baby St Thomas 4th tier toilet graduate hop into the Hirsch race so that the judgeship is at least quasi earned???

As far as Johnson goes--will anyone with 5 years in run?

As far as Seff, she needs a better opponent than the one in there now.

Rodney Smith may be up to snuff on traffic law, but that does not mean he should run unopposed.

Come on people-this makes the 08 judicial races look tame.

Where are all the intellectual heavyweights like Cueto this time around???

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

3:24 pm

That was my post about Richard Hersch filing against Milt Hirsch. And it was completely true when I posted it.

Cap Out .....

Anonymous said...

Judy Kreeger submits resignation to Governor before qualifying for her seat has accurred. Query, doe that mean the governor can fill it by appointment and kapco and De la O get screwed?????

Anonymous said...

Years practicing: irrelevant.

Practicing "door" law poorly: relevant.

The Straw Buyer said...

@4:33, no worries, I'll give it a go!

Rumpole said...

5:36 PM
I've posted every comment about the Newman -Alvarez race that didn't violate a rule- and quite frankly most of the offensive comments that I didn't publish were about Manny Alvarez.

But what about this blog makes you think it's Democratic? I own it and can damn well do what I please. I attempt to run it in what might be considered a "fair" or democratic fashion because most people seem to enjoy that and to some extent I want readers .

Anonymous said...

To 6:20 the answer sir is that the seat gets filled by appointment .....

Anonymous said...

seat filled by appointment? de la O, oh!!!oh!!!!!

One Who Knows said...

Both Judge Peter Sylvestre Adrien Camacho and Alexander Michaels are rumoured to be on Obama's short list for the next U.S. Supreme Court opening.

Anonymous said...

Seff is a vindictive person. I tried a serious murder case against her years ago. I won. she has not talked to me since. therefore although I think she cerainly has enought knowledge to be a Kounty Kourt judge, I will not back her. Former prosecuters take it personally when they lose. Eddie O is the exception.

Anonymous said...

Michaelle Gonzalez Paulson has pretty medicocre credentials based on everything on her website....undergrad FIU-- Law School St Thomas--Now there is an intellectual heavyweight!!!!

She is so out of her league against Flora Seff!! Look for this one to be a last minute jumper to another race--watch!! Maybe she is resting on her hyphenated last name to be a county judge--- You are out of your league against Flora Seff!!!!

Anonymous said...

Did we mention that Seff's opponent has been a lawyer at least 7 years, almost 8?

(I'm sorry come on, judicial temperament has got to count for something. I'll take 5 years on the nose of courtesy over 30 years of nastiness, thank you.)

Anonymous said...

Kreeger resigned too early, which now allows the gov to appoint a replacement for the seat. That means kopco and de la o have no race. De la o has a shit load of mulah and no race. Bad news for milt.

Rumor is that Kreeger is trying to take back her resignation.

Anonymous said...

"I think these guys really thought they could win the thing. I know Benjamin was telling people around town he was going to "walk" Salesman. Not a chance."

PULP rules!

Anonymous said...

The reason there are no really impressive attorneys putting their names in to sit on the bench is because the legislature is cutting their pay (again), limiting their benefits, messing with their retirement, and they haven't had a pay raise in 2 years.

I used to think that one day becoming a judge would be something to strive for, an achievement to attain. Now, I know that I make more money than the judges who I looked up to as a baby lawyer and I have half the experience of them. Why would anyone want the job - other than to serve the community which I think is why the good ones stay (and a few of the candidates are running / applying).

The others are looking for a title or a "cushy" job. I have news for them, if they want to be respectable jurists, there will be nothing "cushy" about it. If they want to be the ones people joke about, well, that's another story.

We are fast approaching the days when we get - and retain - judges like Soto, Blake, Emas and Thornton. We will instead be inundated with others that shall remain nameless. (If you can't say something nice...)

While a great number of the others are good, sadly, those 4 may be the last truly admirable jurists Miami has. Wake up Tallahassee.

Anonymous said...

flora seff just got a new supporter:

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2010/01/enlisttodaydarth.jpg

Anonymous said...

Hard to go entrapment without Defendant testifying. Probably
would have lost either way but jury needs to hear from the source how exactly they were entrapped.
I know both lawyers have good reps all around so I think Salesman probably doomed himself.

fake george costanza said...

Who's responsible for Astroturf? The jews!

Anonymous said...

I agree with 12:15. Seff has always been nasty, arrogant, self-righeous and vindictive. Things have not changed since taking the bench.

She has campaigned against sitting judges and payback is a bitch, ain't it. I'm sure she beleives she is superior to those judges and does not deserve opposition, but they did.

She deserves everything that is happening to her. Losing her seat would be well earned.

The real question is: how did she ever get out of committee? They did not like her. They probably never thought she would actually get the appointment.

She should be looking forward to sharing retirement with Sylvestre Adrien. They can hang out together and talk about what great jurists they were. I am looking forward to the Retirment Ceremony in December. Should be a hoot. (LOL - and I will be with so many others)

Anonymous said...

This is a general comment to many of you posting on this blog. You are so critical of your fellow peers, yet many of you can't even spell properly.

Anonymous said...

A little respect should be given to Michaelle Gonzalez Paulson, our future county court judge. It would be an honor to go before someone who is dedicated and committed to making a difference.