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.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

WHAT DAVID OVALLE MISSED WHILE IN FEDERAL COURT

(the following is a dramatization and has not been approved by the FDA and is not intended to diagnosis any medical conditions.) 

Here's a brief wrap up of the daily events at the REGJB this week that David Ovalle missed while over at the college of cardinals in federal court, sipping black coffee in a clean and sterile glass enclosed monolith of convictions and prison sentences:

-Alex Michaels and  Michael Von Zamft were seen peacefully having lunch together until Alex mistakenly squirted a packet of ketchup on MVZ, causing a ruckus that had to be broken up by two bailiffs, one of them a middle aged woman. 

-Judge Will Thomas denied all continuances for all cases set in his division, even in cases where defendants hadn't been arrested yet. For more and real Judge Thomas rumors, see below. *

-Judge Milt Hirsch issued a forty page ruling criticizing Marbury v. Madison and Pennoyer v. Neff, written entirely in iambic pentameter, fully footnoted in Sandskrit, with citations only to the Iliad and the third federalist paper. 

-Judge Brennan granted a bond, but quickly realized what she had done and reversed herself. 

-Judge Rodriguez-Chomat stayed awake during a voir dire. 

-A symposium entitled "Representing Broward Judges charged with DUI and other crimes" was held in courtroom 4-1 over lunch on Tuesday for 2 CLE credits and was well attended by lawyers looking to expand their practices. 

-The escalator between five and six briefly started working before an emergency response team of Miami Dade Building technicians swarmed in and jammed it up with gum and paper clips. 

It's our humble courthouse, and we love it. 

Now to some real news and rumors: 
Just what was being discussed at this high-level judicial pow-wow convened by Judge Thomas with several other Judges in attendance where Thomas wanted the other Judges to continue a slew of cases? Rumor has it that whatever his ultimate goal was, at least one judge refused to play nice and did not agree to continue her cases. Thomas is scheduled to rotate to civil in the coming new year (As Jack Nicholson as the Joker said "wait until they get a load of me") and he was trying to close out or try some monster case, but alas the best laid plans of mice and men.....





See You In Court. 

No truth to the rumor that tickets will be sold to his first motion calendar in civil, but still, there won't be a better show around as civil lawyers get "the treatment"


26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ahhh... the old Rumpole from days yonder...slashing and burning and skewering fat cow judges and making fun of everyone and everything. Welcome back.

Anonymous said...

Rump,

Is there a list of judges who are moving over to civil?

Anonymous said...

Everywhere you go you see signs for Cobitz and Mavel Ruiz. All the chatter in the cafes on calle Ocho is about them. Big momentum.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget Judge Thomas has been in the civil division before. "The treatment" as you put it, doesn't quite fly with the civil bar and is probably the main reason the Judge is not now sitting on the District Court.

Anonymous said...

This post makes me want to walk over to that gorgeous Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse on Miami Avenue and have lunch in their amazing cafeteria. Maybe I'll wave to U.S.D.J. Gayles while I'm there having an espresso.

FACDL Listserve Leaker said...

As Frank Furillo said to Joyce Davenport, when the sultry APD wondered aloud to her police captain lover why it seemed to her that things were getting worse:

"There's a theory about that: Things are getting worse."

Consider today's story in the DBR about the corrupting effect of Big Money in judicial elections. (This is really nothing terribly new. Recent elections have seen donations from, for example, up-state phosphate mining interests -- you know they REALLY care about a quality Miami judiciary. But $151K+ to a single candidate from, essentially, a single company?)


Consider the nasty mailer sent out by Veronica Diaz ("Little Miss Ultra," as one blogger has dubbed her) about Baby DdlP -- bad enough that I may actually have to vote for the guy -- who so far as can be determined has never practiced law for a single minute.

Consider the promoted posts on Facebook by several candidates, who don't seem entirely clear on what constitutes a paid political announcement.

It IS getting worse.

And you know it your hearts.

Anonymous said...

Thomas has been in civil, and in my experience, at least, he was prepared, punctual and respectful and expected the same. I never had a problem with him.

Anonymous said...

Steve Millan and Tony Soto
http://lawyers.justia.com/lawyer/anthony-soto-1412585
you never see them together...just sayin

Robert Kuntz said...

I had a hearing before Judge Thomas very early in his first posting to civil court. (Maybe his second or third hearing day.) We were on motion calendar on an issue that, frankly, might have been better heard at a special set. I said my piece, opposing counsel said his, and Judge Thomas said something you wish you heard a lot more from judges: "This is a new issue for me. I'm not sure I completely understand your positions. I'd like to hear more about it. Can you stay to the end of calendar and explain in more depth?"

We both could, we both did. Judge Thomas asked good questions, listened carefully and then ruled reasonably. Further hearings in that case showed him to be punctual, attentive, polite and willing to rule. I don't know how you can ask for much more than that.

Anecdotes are only worth what they're worth, I realize. And maybe you denizens of RGJB saw something else. But based on my limited experience before him, I'll be content to have him back at 73 West Flagler.

Anonymous said...

Thomas has been in civil before.

Anonymous said...

Joyce davenport was a babe, no doubt

Anonymous said...

OK Rump. make me some money: I'm long on Celg and short on BOA. Your thoughts?

Rumpole said...

I've probably made more money in Bio-techs then any other stock. I like not love Celgene, but a technical analysis would show a buy signal above 90 and the stock currently trades in the 89-90 range, so I would stay long and sell into the rally above 95-100 depending on your entry point.

I also LOVE BOA. It's been beaten up enough, just got unofficial approval for a .05 per share dividend, and you can buy the old BOA bailout warrants redeemable in 2018 for about 13.50 a share. If you think the stock will appreciate 5% a year, and more if rates rise in January, you can get in for 13.50 and out in a few years at 20-30 or more if it rallies.

Anonymous said...

OLD RGB regulars Tony Marin and Reemberto Diaz going to civil.

Anonymous said...

Pizzi ACQUITTED. All counts.

Rumpole said...

Agreed. Joyce Davenport every red blooded american male law student's fantasy. (If those are your inclinations or preferences and if not that's ok too. It's all good. Got to get out of this ....)

Eyeonshumie said...

Know for a good fact shumie is long on the market. Across the board.

MC Waste Services, Inc said...

the treatment stayed in state court for a reason

Anonymous said...

buddy-

let me explain to u how to make money in this market. if you have three million liquid you purchase 1 building worth 10mm, with apartments which cost about 60k per door with a cap rate of 7. leverage 70 percent cmbs debt at 4.4 no recourse for 10 years.

MC Waste Services, Inc said...

cap rate of 7 is for dummys, this market is for cap rates at 20 minimum

Anonymous said...

Rump- Please advise how one would go about buying the BOA bailout warrants. I love that idea, and have a online trading account. What is the ticker symbol/is there an information source you could recommend on this strategy?

Anonymous said...

Can talking about football possibly be more boring than a bunch of wannabes talking about the stock market?

Anonymous said...

Hey garbage man-

Find me at 20 percent cap rate on a 10mm dollar building and you can promote my deals and make the waterfall. With my structure you make 12 percent returns for 10 years. You are a shitbird.

Anonymous said...

At as for you 4:31- open your ears. I'm rich by your standards. Trust in that.

Anonymous said...

Happy to have Judge Thomas back in civil. Judge knows how to move his docket and try a case.

Anonymous said...

"Shitbird" ???

I'm disappointed. Next thing you know we'll see the term "Dumb Head" being hurled.

Oh the humanity...