HAPPY 8TH ANNIVERSARY TO US

It was a Wednesday, November 8, 2005, and we were a bit bored at work. We didn't wake up intending to become part of the local legal culture, but then when do you really know when a life changing event is about to happen? 

Here's how it all began, 2513 posts, eight years  ago:

Welcome to the Justice Building Blog.

My Name is Horace Rumpole.

We seek comments, rumors, and stories on any and all Miami Justice Building habituates, Judges, Prosecutors, Attorneys, and defendants. While we (the royal we) will not be libelous, and we will not pick on those not able to defend themselves [ insert your favorite judge here] , we love a good story about a Judge or lawyer putting his or her foot in their mouth. A juicy rumor that is not too harmful will also be posted.

Actually in retrospect, not too bad. We managed some humor, to set out what we intended to do, and got in the first of what would be thousands of shots at our favourite target: those who wear the black robe. 

In eight years a lot has changed. We're a bit older, but really just more experienced. Eight years was a good twenty trials or more ago. There weren't Ipads back then, and cell phones weren't that smart, and E-filing was still a dream in Federal Court (and it still is in Miami-Dade County.) Judges and prosecutors and defense attorneys have come and  gone. So have a few very dear friends like Manny Crespo, Rob Pinero, and Sy Gaer. I think the blog came of age the day Judge Crespo passed away. He was the first sitting judge to die while we were blogging and people gathered electronically to share memories before and after the funeral. It's one of the posts we remember most.  Our darkest hour occurred during that horrible week that Judge Pinero lay mortally stricken; we announced his tragic passing too soon. And in that mistake we learned a lesson: we 're not journalists; we run a blog and there is a world of difference. When we walk in that courtroom on the sixth floor and see those pictures of Judge Crespo (hung by Judge Pinero) and then Judge Pinero, we can't help but think of how fleeting life is, and how, as we do our jobs and live our lives, we are just leaving footprints in the sand, by the ocean, quickly washed away.

Even though we run a blog we've also come to learn that we have earned your trust. And trust is a precious thing. We heard one lawyer once tell a young colleague that it took him 25 years to earn his reputation in the REGJB and he never forgot he was always two minutes away from ruining it every time he spoke in court. 

It's been a privilege to be part of your day. And while we acknowledge that we are closer to the end of our career as a lawyer and a blogger than the beginning, we're not done yet. Miami is a fascinating place. We have great lawyers handling challenging cases.  And it's fun to be a part of that. 

And ever the eternal optimist, we arise every day reminding ourself that at any moment some amazingly stupid comment will come from the mouth of one of our judges and we will be there to trumpet the moment. (You didn't think we were going to end without taking a shot at our favourite targets did you?)

So whomever gets the REGJB Judge on their jury panel, write in and tell us how it went. 

See You In Court.