While many who wear black robes may disagree, judges aren't perfect. But they need to strive to be. The measure of a judge is not that they may make an (innocent-pun intended) mistake, but whether they are intelligent and honest enough to admit it and correct it.
Coming soon (maybe) (New Judge) bans defense attorneys from trials. Says they "just slow down the process."
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There's something about new judges that causes them to lose common sense.
Some new judges decide that by picking juries at 8pm and forcing attorneys to do opening statements at midnight will somehow give them a good reputation.
For many new judges there is something irresistible about banning people from their courtroom. They just love to do it.
And for those judges who love to ban people from their courtroom, children are their top targets. Why these judges are so offended by a child entering a courtroom is beyond us. But as sure as fall follows summer, some new judge will take the bench and start littering the doors of their courtroom with signs banning all sorts of people.
Of course, it's against the law. Florida courtrooms are open to all and can only be closed after following a specific procedure that requires, inter alia, notice to the media.
So it comes as no surprise that some new judge has done it again. This time, it's the denizen of 2-10.
Before we make a BIG BIG issue of this, we ask one of two things: either the judge explain to us via email why they feel they have the right to ban any particular class of people from a courtroom in the State of Florida and the United States of America? We promise to print the email unedited, including any curse words, if they send it.
Or they can make life easy and take the stupid signs down.
If anyone wants to take their children to any courtroom in the State of Florida and have them observe proceedings, they have an almost absolute right to do so. And of course, such a block-headed sign shows absolutely no understanding for the defendant who is a single parent of say a two month old infant and has no access to child care and has a notice to appear for an arraignment.
Why punish children? Why punish parents of children? And why, when we already live in a society where the president attacks the rights of news media to question public officials, does a judge turn a courtroom- a sacred place of liberty and justice- into a place of fear, where children are banned?
At least once a month we are approached by someone in a hallway who timidly asks us if they are allowed in a courtroom? We respond: "This is the United States of America- of course you can go into any courtroom you want."
Except now there is one judge who wants to make sure a child doesn't dare enter their little fiefdom.
So, do you really want to be known as a judge who bans children? A judge who builds a proverbial wall excluding the best, the most innocent, and most precious parts of our society from a hallowed place of justice?
Really Judge? You want to be known as the "child-banning" judge?
We see so many judges take time to welcome children into their courtroom and make them feel at home. Former Dade Circuit Judge Beth Bloom lined the walls of her courtroom with pictures children had drawn of what justice meant to them. No wonder Judge Bloom is now a federal judge. Perhaps you could speak to some of your colleagues, or a therapist, and identify where this anger (or fear) of a small child comes from?
Because the sign bespeaks of an authoritarian bent where the courtroom belongs to you and not the public. And we all know that is not true.
From Occupied America, where we love children, Fight the Power.
38 comments:
Absolutely disgusting. And this is what I meant by being available on a moments notice to do pro bono work. By noon tomorrow I will have a lawsuit prepared and a will be holding a press conference.
Good work Rumpole.
Put me down on the side of our kids.
So many judges arrange for tours of their courtrooms and the courthouse for classes. And this princess with a case of robeitis is working soooo hard that she can't be disturbed by the sight or sound of a sweet child?
Ridiculous!
You know nothing you supercilious jerk. Being a judge is real hard and only the real smartest and bestest of us all are judges and they work hard and have to concentrate. You didn't see Scalia's chambers in DC overrun with drooling brats and why should this judge be forced suffer the slings and arrows of tots playing with playdough and coloring with crayons? Not only should children be banned, but all judges should have an ARMED security force at the door, checking everyone, and calling "red alert code blue code blue swarm 2-10! swarm 2-10" whenever some binky-sucking, blanket toting kid tries to waddle into her courtroom. Sheesh! You're a clueless jerk
So much for Government in the Sunshine .
Lord forbid a Defendant's family get to see what happens to him/ her in open four.
Next thing you know defendants will be demanding a trial before sentencing
Judge Beth Bloom has lost her way on the federal bench. She rules for the government every single time. She was pretty independent as a state judge, but awful as a federal judge. She doesn't understand that she has a life appointment and can rule for the defense. She is known as the new Judge Lenard.
First, great segue Rumpole from Grieco to children. Second, if small children are appropriate for the courtroom, then why do I contribute to Court Care?
Who is in 2-10
Amazingly the signs were taken down this morning
There's free childcare on the 5th floor. Room 519. Use it. No excuse about not being able to afford a nanny when it's free. Don't bring your noisy and disrespectful children into the courtroom. A courtroom is hallowed place of justice. It should be treated like the professional work environment it is. Let's keep it that way.
10:47 pm sounds like a real " ladies man".
Kids, by and large, are not in court to learn about American jurisprudence. They are there because their mother, usually young black and single, is charged with a crime and they have no means for childcare.
Don’t say well, isn’t there a child care office in the building? Well I’ve seen the way this building is run and the empathy and humanity of those who run it and I wouldn’t leave my children anywhere In that building.
Unless the child is being loud And interrupting court, they should be allowed to sit and be present same as anybody else.
I am offended that the banish children sign is not printed in Creole, the third language of Miami. After all we pay gobs of money to have all the public paper published in English, Spanish, and Creole. Why didn't this fine jurist post the prohibition in the third language of Miami. Sacre bleu.
COURT ROOM 2-10 NEEDS TO BE REVAMPED.THE FEMALE OFFICER IS OUT OF CONTROL.SHE YELLS AND SCREEMS AT THE PUBLIC AND ATTORNEYS.SHE NEEDS TO BE REIGNED IN.VERY UNPROFESSIONAL COURT ROOM.
TO CLARIFY MY POST I WAS TALLING ABOUT THE FEMALE CORRECTIONAL OFFICEE
Thank you for your well-deserved compliment to Federal Judge Beth Bloom !!! DMD
Are you seriously saying that Judge Del Pino has turned "a courtroom- a sacred place of liberty and justice- into a place of fear, where children are banned?"
I've appeared in front of her for years. She has NEVER treated anyone in court with anything less than absolute dignity and respect. 2-10 is an amazing place for defendants, the family of defendants, victims and their families, court support staff, corrections, and attorneys. I don't think that people who even dislike Judge Del Pino would say that it is an unpleasant courtroom to be in or that she treats anyone disrespectfully. I can't remember one moment where she ever disrespected anyone in court. She's also great on the law and makes a serious effort to learn it or be corrected if she is wrong. I don't know what else you want in a judge.
As to your fetish with the sign, you end your article with FIGHT THE POWER and THIS is the battle that you choose to pick with the judges in our building? No comment on other judges' insane rulings, insane sentencing, and wonderful practices of drug testing every other black person who step into their courtrooms? None of these things happen in 2-10. You've been around this courthouse and know that these things happen, but say nothing about those judges? I don't remember you ever taking photos of those judges' doors, calling them out individually, getting on your high horse, and writing some articles then. Also, making a Trump comparison but saying that a female judge is block-headed and needs to see a therapist because she has a sign on her door explaining the same policy that many other male judges within the building have?
Respectfully, your article is foolish. I hope that the Judge doesn't respond to this because it doesn't deserve her response.
Let me make this simple for you. Judge Del Pino may be the greatest judge in Miami. She- like many other new judges (she's new to circuit) has fallen into a trap that many other judges do- banning people from courtrooms.
Your criticism is well written, so answer me this- if she is so great, why is she banning children?
Such signs have a chilling affect. They are blatantly illegal and completely anti-American and antithetical to the notion that justice if part of a government of the people, by the people and for the people.
So why is she banning children?
And where are the Pds in all of this staying silent?
RUMPOLE - how would the U. S. Marshals and the U. S. Supreme Court handle small infants in their courtroom? Would they remove a crying child?
why not just call defendants with small children out of turn and get rid of them fast. Problem solved
Does anyone know a Mr. Sid Farkas? He was in the bra business. Whereabouts unknown.
PDs do not get into fights like that his without a green light from the powers that be on the 5th floor.
The DJ will spin some kids records, pro bono
Why does Victoria Brennan still have a judge's email address? I am quite sure this is an ethical violation.
"hallowed place of justice" the REG is a dirty zoo. LOL
Rump - Jose “Pepe” Herrera getting the professional death penalty? Jay Weaver going to write about his fwb?
Judge del Pino is respectful, smart, hard working and efficient. I enjoy being in her courtroom. This post is a nasty smear on her which could have been handled in a much less ham-handed fashion. IE, if you were so outraged on behalf of the 6 year olds and infants from being deprived of seeing men in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs - then you could have made a polite call. But hey, congrats to you, you got to bellow from your soap box. Judge del Pino is a nice person, so even though she will look past your nasty comment, you probably did wound her a bit. She didn't deserve this.
Dj esq was an incompetent as a state attorney. The state atty did him a solid with this deal. They could have broken his spirit. I bet they were pissed at his press conference after he admitted guilt. He will be back in office soon and next time the charges will be a lot more serious. The bar won’t stand for this.
6:52- you show me where in the post a judge is named? If a judge is not named, this blog post will not show up if the name is googled. And I did that specifically because this judge is a good judge- but this isn't the first, or second, or third time we have taken a judge to task for BANNING people from a courtroom. It is blatantly illegal and this judge and all judges should know better. This is a sin that is inexcusable. Now it may shock you, but I cannot pick up the phone and say "hey, it's rumpole. take down the illegal sign."
This is not about children seeing men in orange jumpsuits. This is about an illegal and unconstitutional order banning people from a courtroom in the United States of America pure and simple. It's about a single parent's ability to take their 2 month old infant into court to appear for a status conference because she has no funds for a baby sitter and she doesn't feel comfortable leaving her baby at court care with strangers.
And finally, if we were wrong, the Judge could have left the signs up and/or written us an email to explain her policy, which we said we would print in full. That did not happen.
We stand by our post and how we wrote it and what we did and did not ( a name) include.
You didn't name the judge but you gave her courtroom number. It's the same thing. She committed no inexcusable sin as you claim. Lighten up Francis.
Hey 5:49 you're wrong. Any PD, after seeing the sign, could have gone into chambers and asked the judge to remove it. If this judge is as decent as some are saying then the sign would have been gone. You don't need the 5th floor for this type of stuff.
Rump, I have to agree with 652. As for your defense, you allowed the judge's name in a comment so now the post will show. Sorry, but there's really no need to embarrass her for this when a call would've done the trick.
Ironic to see a defense attorney who probably spends half his time criticizing prosecutors for being unduly harsh on people who do real harm to others using a sledgehammer to drive a thumb tack. But, it seems that many of the posters get some cheap thrill out of hammering people for little or no reason. I can believe how nasty this profession has become. I miss the days where we'd hammer each other in court and settle down for a cafecito and laughs in the Pickle Barrel.
BTDT
Judge Al Milan handles children well. He simply calls the defendant out of turn and gets them out of the courtroom very quickly. Not rocket science.
Defendants bringing the kids to play human shield is so lame
and so Many Judges buy it
RUMPOLE did you forget the NFL survivor pool this year?
4:49 is some illuminating insight into how the average ASA thinks
The Federal JNC has scheduled interviews for Federal District Judge as follows:
DAY ONE November 28, 2017
9:00 am Benjamin Greenberg
9:40 am Migna Sanchez-Llorens
10:20 am Rodney Smith
11:00 am John Thornton
11:40 am Marina Garcia Wood
12:15 – 1:00 pm LUNCH
1:00 pm Angel Cortinas
1:40 pm John Kastrenakes
2:20 pm Orlando Prescott
3:00 pm Melissa Visconti
3:40 pm Beatrice Butchko
4:20 pm Raag Singhal
5:00 pm Antonio Arzola
DAY TWO November 29, 2017
9:00 am Roy Altman
9:40 am Thomas Rebull
10:20 am Michael Sherwin
11:00 am Dina Keever-Agrama
11:40 am Daryl Trawick
12:15 – 1:00 pm LUNCH
1:00 pm William Roby
1:40 pm Peter Lopez
2:20 pm Jeffrey Colbath
3:00 pm David Haimes
3:40 pm Rodolfo Ruiz
4:20 pm Mark Klingensmith
5:00 pm Meenu Sasser
Are the interviews open to the public? If so where are they being held.
Really? You're criticizing the policy of not having children in the courtroom as denying access? Want your child in court while you're in shackles? Probably not. FYI, standard court policy. That's why child care was implemented. You're an idiot. I'm sure this won't be posted.
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