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.

Friday, May 02, 2014

2014 CIRCUIT COURT RACES

Here are your Circuit Court Judge races for 2014:

Group 16: Tom Cobitz vs. Stephen Milian. 

Group 26: Christian Carrazana v. Judge Rodney Smith. 

Group 27: Mary Gomez vs. Al Milian vs. Joesph Perkins. 

Group 58: Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts vs. Martin Zilber. 

Group 67: (The shocker) Judge Fleur Lobree vs. Mavel Ruiz. 

Group 70: Veronica Diaz vs. Renier Diaz de la Portilla de elect-me-because-of-my name-por-favor. 

Judges Lobree and Smith  are the only incumbent judges in circuit court with opposition. 

Rumpole says
Politics isn't for wimps. Judge Lobree has a seat worth about a million bucks in salary, benefits, and pension. The only time she has faced voters in Dade County she was beaten. Badly. She may be a good judge. She may be very well qualified for the job. But as long as we elect judges, the Fleur Lobree's of the world will be low hanging fruit and will continue to draw opposition until they can successfully defend their seat. For every Lobree who might not deserve opposition, there is a Peter Adrian, who thankfully, was beaten and is no longer wearing robes and terrorizing defendants and lawyers. We don't like the election system, but we don't like the alternative to it. 

JUDGE GISELE POLLOCK ARRESTED FOR DUI
Troubled Broward Judge Gisele Pollock may have hit rock bottom with her DUI arrest yesterday. And it is not just a simple DUI. There was an accident and injuries. 
The JAA blog has the sad details and the links. 
Judge Pollock is the daughter of the late Justice Building legend Paul Pollock, so we have always had a fond spot for her. We hope she gets the help she needs. 


Enjoy another spring  weekend. 

HR. 

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

So no opposition for Smith? I really hope not. A real gentleman on the bench even if he often sides with the State. No reason to run against him except that he's black and perceived to have no money and no influence.

ScottAfrica

Rumpole said...

No , My bad. I missed that race. Smith unfortunately has opposition I updated the blog. Sorry. Bad eyesight= age.

Miami LoveS MIGNA said...

Miami Loves Migna
Migna loves Miami

oh Rumpole the news is plenty

Miami loves Migna
Migna loves Miami
she'll be on the bench until 2020

MC Waste Services, Inc said...

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2014/05/02/student-accused-of-changing-grades-arrested/ from the school house to the jail house. 20k bond with house arrest. wth is wrong with our schools to send this kid to jail. awful.

Anonymous said...


Rumpole, are you going to blame your age for forgetting the two county court races too. Both Jackie Schwartz and some judge named Nuria both got challenged.

Stick to what you are good at and let your Captain handle the elections.

DBR

Rumpole said...

What does the title of the post say?

C I R C U I T C O U R T R A C E S 2014

Not "County Court Races 2014"
but CIRCUIT court races 2014.

Put your glasses on...and then erase the tab on your favorites because I would prefer if you never read the blog again.
Moron.

FACDL Listserve Leaker said...

Race.

Ethnicity.

Dollars.

This -- and ONLY this -- is how our judges find their way to the bench.

It's damned shame.

And you know it in your hearts.

Anonymous said...



BAM. Rump nails DBR. Can't believe Lobree got hit again. She better hope that the Third DCA has room for her. That's the only way she can remain on the bench. No elections there.

Anonymous said...

De La Portilla for Circuit Judge? Come on... That's gotta be a joke
Reynier is an idiot. It's amazing he even passed the Bar. He worked at one law firm (because his brother improperly used his influence) and was quickly fired because he's lazy, dumb and arrogant. That must be why Izzy Reyes is backing him... Birds of a feather! So shameful...

W. Clermont said...

My heart definitely goes out to Lobree, she is diligent, works very hard on the bench, and is very up on the law (as is to be expected). I don't think she deserved opposition.

Anonymous said...

It's a shame more judges were not challenged and those that were by the likes of not too worthy replacements. The bench has really taken a turn for the worse. The likes of Migna for another 6 years is daunting. For someone who ran twice for the job she appears to hate when she was in family and from the rumors now criminal. It's a shame they get to keep their seats for another six years when they don't deserve it.

Anonymous said...

Mavel Ruiz made a good political decision.She will be a Good Judge

DS said...

Mavel Ruiz has lots of experience in court in the Justice Bldg.
She has common sense, a rare quality.
She would be a fine Judge

Vote against the pro state judges said...

I SHALL vote for ANYONE that runs against a pro state judge. Spare me the "Judge Smith is a gentleman" or the "Lobree is a good judge" crap. If you're not a fair and neutral judge, then I don't want you on the bench and I will vote for your opposition. You are no longer an ASA, you are now a judge. If you can't be neutral then you need to go.

Anonymous said...

"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." Eccesiates 9:11(King James Bible).

Four hundred years ago the translators of the Bible saw the Miami bench elections of 2014 coming and gave us the quintessential sentiment to understand that we have to stand back and watch as the bench slouches ever more resolutely toward mediocrity and eventually irrelevance.

LasT NIGHT AT REN said...

Last night at Ren the judiciary descended en mass and soon the champagne was flowing the music thumping and the judges who didn't get opposition were partying like it was 1999.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for Lobree who doesn't deserve this. She is a target because of her name as Barakat knew when she picked her off. Don't feel the same about Smith, who's an insurance company shill. And for every really bad judge on the bench, you can find 100 or more prominent endorsements.

Anonymous said...

The recent reference to Justice Building legand Paul Pollack cause me to be reminded about some of the other colorful characters that roamed the halls in the early 70s and 80s. Who could forget, Norman Haft, Rex Ryland, Phil Carlton,Bobby Haggard,Ralph Ferguson,Carnation Tom Duff, Jerry Mosca,Gino Negretti,Al(the magacian)Goodman,Charly Snowden,and colorful judges like Sepe, Lady Ellen Huttoe(the toe)

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


Judge Ellen "Maximum" Morphonious.

Who once said to a defendant, during sentencing, "take a good look at my cams PAL, cause there the only ones you're going to see for a very long time.

And once told a rape victim who was able to shoot and hit her attacker in the groin. "Nice shot"

Check out her obit from the LA Times

http://articles.latimes.com/2002/dec/26/local/me-ellen26

Cap Out .....

Anonymous said...

Tilingus, tilingus, tomorrow is Sunday. The Cat is getting hmarried to John Pirindingus. Whoever posts first, will swallow a turd the size of St. Simon's tower.

Anonymous said...

I dont have anything against Lobree, she is kind of like what you would expect a career ASA to be, pro State. Ruiz has plenty of experience and a latin name. Good luck Judge Lobree you will need it.

Anonymous said...

Judge Lobree is not qualified to sit in criminal circuit court. she has no idea what she is doing, and simply defers to the state . mavel would be 1000 times better

Anonymous said...

McGinnis, the Kleins, Deehl,

Anonymous said...

I'll take Maveil anytime over Lobree. Mavel is sreet and courtroom smart and has common sense.

Rumpole said...

Gino Negretti. We called him the Cuban rocket after he was blown clear from his car and survived a car bomb assassination by the cartel.

Anonymous said...

Sandy Karlan was one of the finest judges on the bench - unfortunately she is not running. However, there is a reasonable and positive alternative - Veronica Diaz. Ms. Diaz is qualified and unscathed. She isn't running for office because: a. nobody will hire her; b. didn't get fired from her only real lawyer job; c. didn't suggest banning Michelle Obama from our public schools; d. doesn't have multiple campaign violations, bad check charges, and $161,000 in debt. Don't believe me, just google DLP.
Every single lawyer in Miami-Dade County should vote for Veronica Diaz and against Renier DLP. If DLP gets elected, he'll end up like Sepe, Davis, et al - indicted and behind bars.

Anonymous said...

More bad judges on the way: Zilber or Rodriguez-Font? How about neither! Diaz v. Diaz-Renier, a School Board Hack? Give me a break! Please! We need the best and the brightest! Not the bottom feeders! Rumpole, what can we do?!

Anonymous said...

Yes Carrazana running against judge Smith. If Carrazana wins the election get ready for someone who is a snob and with a horrible attitude. He will be nothing but a terror in the bench.

MC Waste Services, Inc said...

Negretti was almost killed by the ex-husband in a divorce case client and not the cartel.

Anonymous said...

Too bad Glick didn't receive a challenger.

Anonymous said...

Negretti took a former Miami cop to the cleaners in divorce court and he bombed Negretti's car. The ex-cop was eventually caught, tried and acquitted, and, to top it offf, re-married the ex-wife!

Anonymous said...

9:51 p.m. must be Veronica Diaz herself, Tomas/Raquelita Regalado or Armando/Maritza Gutierrez.

Anonymous said...

9:51pm could any any Bar member who goes to court and is horrified at the thought of a politico who's never practiced law, has a track history of corruption and wouldn't know how to spell non-partisan getting elected because his brother is a Senator.
If DLP gets on the Circuit bench we are all screwed.

Anonymous said...

How much experience does Veronica Diaz really have? She has been a city bureaucrat for years; no litigation experience to speak of, and some shady folks financing most of her campaign. See her report, and see below.

http://www.floridabar.org/DIVCOM/PI/PINewsSummary.nsf/FV/4B7EE218F16D6E0185257A69004DF833