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, December 15, 2017

SO YOU WANT TO BE A US DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

Senator Kennedy: Ever tried a case?
Matthew Peterson (nominated to the US District Court for DC): No
SK: Any trial state or federal? 
MP: Nope
SK: ever argued a motion ?
MP: No
SK : In state court or federal court? 
MP: Nope
SK: Do you know what a motion in limine?
MP: Hmmm...no

SK: Ever read the federal rules of evidence?
MP: Law school...

Think we're kidding on this Trump nomination to the  US district court?









There was a time when the best and brightest were nominated to US District Courts. 
Judges like Judge Ed Davis and William Hoevler and Stanley Marcus and Jack Weinstein in the EDNY and Chief Judge Beryl Howell of the DC District and, closer to home, Judges Federico Moreno, Bob Scola, Beth Bloom, Marcia Cooke and Kathleen Williams to name a few. 

But they aren't Trump judges. They took the bench with experience. Can you imagine appearing before Judge Moreno at one of his legendary calendar calls where he tosses lawyers intellectually aside as if they were a mere bag of shells not knowing what a motion in limine is, or having never argued any motion in court? 

Matthew Peterson sitting on the same bench as Chief Judge Beryl Howell? Having the same title as legendary Judge Jack Weinstein? 

It makes us sick. 

From Occupied America, Fight the Power of stupid judicial appointments of unqualified judges. 



24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like an SNL skit. Seriously. Very scary.

BTDT

Anonymous said...

I heard Mcann Erickson is hiring...watch the exodus at the State and Pds in the New Year!!!

Millennial Me said...

Stunned is not the word...
Sad. Worried for the future of the judiciary.

So...Holiday plans?
A weekend cruise to nowhere....Offer to go to Acapulco, but we live in Miami and already have a beach so....pass

Skiing at Sun Valley, Idaho! Now there's an idea.
Until then there's the new Star Wars movie, more holiday parties than I can possibly keep track of and some new craft beer places to hit.

Things could be worse for a struggling young lawyer, si?

Anonymous said...

Hey Rumpole,
What's the Chancellor of the Exchequer do?
What's an Exchequer?
Why does it need a Chancellor?

Anonymous said...

Rumpole, readers, friends, lawyers...

Can anyone give me a real good recipe for an Old Fashioned?

Anonymous said...

As an ASA, I do like the idea of another prosecutor sharing his or her comments on what is a very obviously defense-skewed blog....but can it be someone else? She's not funny and her comments sound like she's trying too hard to be witty. I want a better representative for our office. Rumpole, you could easily find a more experienced and interesting ASA to bring on board, try recruiting a little.

Anonymous said...

Judicial nominees? Sounds just like something Spencer Eig would say.

Anonymous said...

This was pathetic! A motion in limine - doesn’t know what it is? Are you fawkin kidding me? WTF????

Anonymous said...

Muddle maraschino cherry, orange peel, and sugar cube in lowball glass. Add 2 ounces bourbon or rye (rye is better), few dashes of bitters. Serve over cubed ice or ice sphere if you have one.

Rumpole said...

8:22 PM_ a year ago I asked, I almost begged (I never beg) I pleaded for help for the blog. I had a very demanding trial schedule, which has only gotten worse. So, I am again asking, if you want to contribute to the blog, email me and we can discuss it.
MM is the only person who has expressed interest in contributing, and while she has her drawbacks, she follows my rules and doesn't use the blog for personal gain or personal vendettas and doesn't attack anyone by name and her posts add a different perspective to this.

And as for the comment that the blog is defensive oriented, both MM and myself criticized the closing for the defense and praised the thoroughly professional job Reid did. And I said justice was done. How is that defense oriented?

Anonymous said...

I am disappointed with the comments. Come on readers - can't you see the obvious. The same orange clown that derides "so called" judges blithely nominates a comically unqualified Matthew Peterson I'd bet Peterson's sole qualification for a life time position is unflagging loyalty to T Rump. So much for an independent judiciary. Danger. You, who practice before judges may chuckle at first, but then you ought to be outraged.

Anonymous said...

Just wiretap the HQ of the President-Elect from the opposing party on your way out of office. Just stack an investigatory team full of law enforcement bureaucrats who text each other about creating an "insurance policy" against the President-Elect holding office, despite an electoral victory. And now just ignore the 4th Amendment as you obtain privileged documents among the President-Elect's transition team.

Great precedent for America. If Harris or Booker or Warren or some other Dem wins the office in 2020, I eagerly look forward to partisan, weaponized Fed Law Enforcement from here on out. Trump can wiretap Warren's HQ, Trump's DOJ or FBI can seek out an "insurance policy" to get her impeached, and fuck the 4th Amendment, just review all emails and communications, even though with attorneys. Call for impeachment from the first month. Protest the inauguration. Spend millions investigating.

Then, do the same in 2024 and here on out. Also, make sure the outgoing president continues campaigning against the sitting president, continues meeting with foreign leaders and collecting paychecks for "speeches", and continues "resisting" the current administration.

America's future looks so bright! Thanks Dems!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Dems????
Really ???
Wow, you are confused 5:23
The Misguided lunatic Rethuglicans opposed President Obama from Day One
McConnell said his one purpose was to make him a one-term President
They fought him on everything even to that last Supreme Court Appointment
It was STOLEN !
The republicans are totally responsible for this mess.
You got it wrong, backwards, upside down, and inside out
You reap what you sow

Anonymous said...

Long time reader and former state public defender. I agree with you.

Anonymous said...

5:23 WTF?!

Anonymous said...

How about BTDT starts blogging ?

Anonymous said...

I think 8:22 just volunteered why don't you give us your first post as a try out in the comments. If not, then stop whining

Anonymous said...

This is all a lot of nonsense. I am having a dream. I am a US Senator in a mythical confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominees. Here are my questions:
To Robert Jackson:
Q: Mr. Jackson, where did you go to law school?
A: I didn't.
To: Robert Jackson, William Rehnquist, Earl Warren, Felix Frankfurter, Arthur Goldberg,
William Douglas, and John Harlan, Sr.
Q: All you folks will be sitting on the highest court in the land which writes opinions interpreting federal law. Have any of you ever written an appellate decision in your life?
A; No.

BTDT said...

I'm game Rump. Even created an account, lol.

BTDT

Anonymous said...

A number of years ago, I sat with a judicial nominee and Bob Graham's then AA. During the course of lunch, he turned to the nominee and said the following: You may think that there is an amount of smoke too great to fit up the ass of a United States Senator. But, the fact is that no one has been able to find that limit.' He then proceeded to tell the candidate how to answer particularly stupid questions.
The performance of that man last week was sad, but he was responsive. I suspect that someone that has spent as much time as an agency judge could come up to speed, but frankly, the only slot for someone who is completely ignorant of the ropes is to be an appellate judge. Maybe he should try there first.

Anonymous said...

Give BTDT a try at least until captain justice comes out of his slumber

Anonymous said...

to 6:25. You are correct. He was responsive and candid. We know how many completely unqualified people are on the bench - fueled by ambition alone. Checks and balances served its purpose in this instance, however.

Anonymous said...

How many trials or depos or motions did Janet Reno have? ZERO

Anonymous said...

And that is pretty close to what Kathy had when she took over.