The Juice Blog has one here:
Pick a judge...any judge....
County Court Judge Lee Seidman? Has four challengers, including Judge Dale Cohen's wife- Mardi Lee Cohen. (Judge Dale Cohen himself has a JQC complaint for forcing a Public Defender to cross examine his wife in a recusal motion before him, which he denied. Confused? Join the club.)
So what is Judge Seidman planing to do? Challenge Circuit Judge Susan Leebow, who already has one challenger.
And just to make sure you're really confused, Judge Lee Seidman's wife-Laura Seidman- is running against Judge Lisa Porter.
So there you have it, As The Courthouse Spins, staring the Cohens (Dale and Mardi) the Seidmans (Lee and Laura) along with Susan Leebow, and a cast of characters running for Lee Seidman's seat.
You know, it occurs to us that in Dade- the Scolas (Judges Jackie and Bob) and Schwartzs (Judges Larry and Caryn ) all managed to run or get appointed without challenging any of their fellow judges and causing the type of madcap disarray North Of The Border is famous for.
ACHOO? Is the rumor of a Dade SAO and Dade PD "sick out" to protest non-existent pay raises along with the bill in Tallahassee that will require ASAs and PDs to pay for their own health insurance, true? Stay tuned....and take your vitamins.
If there's anyone interested about the folks running against Seidman right now, you've got:
ReplyDeleteNathaniel "Nate" Klitsberg, 10 year attorney, former PD and current civil litigation attorney:
www.NATE4JUDGE.com
Frantz Jahra McLawrence, 7 year attorney and sole criminal law practicioner.
www.McLawrence4Judge.com
and Mardi Ann Levey Cohen, former ASA and current criminal defense attorney, wife of Dale Cohen, and accused participant in his Canon violations (and 2 time failed judicial candidate).
I'd post her website but she doesn't have one yet.
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
ReplyDeleteChallenging a Sitting Judge ...???
This little tidbit caught my eye the other day.
A judge in Duval County is facing a rare election challenge that her opponent said was motivated by discussions with prosecutors and police about her fairness.
Paul Daragjati, the police union's lawyer, has notified the state Division of Elections that he is running against Circuit Judge Linda McCallum, who has been on the bench since 1994. It's the first time a sitting judge in Jacksonville has been challenged in 10 years.
In Broward, this year, over a dozen sitting Judges are being challenged. In Dade, unlike previous years, the current count is two sitting judges (Adrien, Seff) that have challengers.
Cap Out ....
I have spent a goodly amount of time in Broward lately and I must say that everyone walks around looking like a doe in the headlights. The judges have the look of combat veterans of WW II (shell shocked). I think part of it is the deflation of the arrogance of past years where once on the bench, always on the bench.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that alliances within the legal community toward certain judges are surfacing and being played out. Most of the challenges are not haphazard, but part of a concerted effort to change the judicial culture. Unlike here where challenges are not designed by anything except who Bob Levy thinks he can unseat, whether deserved or not. Fortunately so far this year both of the judges being challenged deserve what is happening to them.
As a side note, Seidman is an unethical, sef-engrandizing ass. Always was, always will be. But his move is not without precedent. Who remembers when Judge Murray Meyerson filed against Judge Nancy Pollack? I do.
Lee Jay is one of the absolute worst judges ever. Susan is liked and repected by the legal community.
ReplyDeleteIf he runs agains her, he is toast.
Remember when Judge Murray Myerson gave up his slot to run against another judge? Not good politics!
It wasn't a PD that Judge Dale Cohen forced to cross examine his wife, which lead to the JQC complaint. It was private attorney Steve Melnick.
ReplyDeleteHow is Johnny No Slope doing this days?
ReplyDeleteYou mean the guy who once said
ReplyDelete"If the slope is in doubt
the breath must go out!" ??
That guy?
Yeah- that's the guy.
ReplyDeleteJohnny No Slope.
What ever happened to him?
No charges against Roethlisberger.
ReplyDeleteGood work Q
He's now known as "the 007 of DUIs" with a license to kill the intoxilyzer 8000.
ReplyDeleteThe "sickout" is happening.
ReplyDeleteHow has Mark Panunzio managed to keep his ticket if he plead guilty and was adjudicated guilty of a felony.
ReplyDeleteI saw him roaming the courthouse halls today.
If you run the Bar web thing, it says suspended but, also in good standing. Strange.
Just wondered.
Did anyone else see the Q with a front row seat in AMEN corner at the Masters with a big smile and a hat in which his website was clearly visible? He was in most CBS shots at the 13th on Saturday and Sunday and there he was again, albeit in a less prominent spot on the 18th for the final paring.
ReplyDeleteDon't mess with the 007 of DUIs . He'll ruin your day in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteRumple
ReplyDeleteI have heard zip about any walk-out. We are public employees and such a work action is Illegal. Worse, it accomplishes nothing except bad press and bad legislative blood.
Only if ALL STATE EMPLOYEES did this would the legislature notice, even then the Republicans would just do a Reagan/Flight Controllers , fire everyone and hire out of work people and reduce unemployment from 10% to 9.8% (lol).
ALSO, Let us not forget the clients who will not be freed cause we are not there.
I remember the Teacher Walk-out in '67,I was there at the Marine Stadium, with my parents. We will win nothing by such a work stopage, What we need to do is lobby Tally better and smarter.
DS
As someone with family and friends in Broward whom I care about, I can't tell you how pleased I am that Let 'em Go Lebow has opposition. Can't wait to donate.
ReplyDeleteBTDT
Paul Daragjati was admitted to the Bar in 2004, graduated from law school in 2003. FYI.
ReplyDelete