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, June 14, 2019

LICENSE AND REGISTRATION PLEASE

Thursday June 12, 2019, a date that will live in infamy for traffic lawyers in Miami-Dade County, came the decision, irrevocable and final, that driver histories cannot be displayed to private attorneys on the in-court Spirit system.  (**Gasp!**). 

"Sir! Step away from the terminal. Stop reviewing your client's traffic history. Put the cell phone down. Put the ipad down. Put your brief case down. Take the Apple watch off. Put the starbucks latte down and raise your hands in the air and slowly turn around and walk away from the terminal."

And now, the email from Judge Slom that broke the tragic news. A copy of this email has been preserved in the Justice Building court archives for historians: 

Dear Ms. Estlund:
For distribution to all lawyers immediately.
Thank you.

To all privately retained attorneys who handle traffic matters:

Effective this morning, to our surprise, DHSMV stopped permitting driver histories to be displayed to privately retained  lawyers on the in-court Spirit system.

Per the DHSMV attachment below, (since private attorneys no longer have access through SPIRIT in court to view driver histories,) there are several options available for attorneys who wish to purchase their client’s driver histories:

·        Mail a request to Tallahassee, allowing 2-4 weeks of processing time, using the following form: https://www/flhsmv.gov/pdf/forms/90511.pdf
·        Purchase the transcript from a third party vendor, which will charge an additional fee for this service. A list of providers can be found at:
·        The website https://www.add123.com (autodirect.com), driver histories can be purchased, once an account is set-up. This website seems to be more affordable.

Please know that this policy implemented by DHSMV was their decision alone and we had no idea that they were going to take this action on today’s date. We understood that at some point this might occur but we had no idea DHSMV was going to take such measures without stuffiest notification of the implementation date.

I truly regret any inconvenience this may have caused.

Thank you.

Judge Sam Slom
Administrative Judge, County Court Criminal Division 


Of course this tragedy gives rise to the lyrics from the famous song:
"Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology 
Don't know much about the French I took
Don't know much about a science book
But I do know that I don't fear-it
If I could see your traffic history in court on Spirit, 
what a wonderful world this would be..."

Sam Cooke, Don't know much about history. 

12 comments:

Donald J Trump said...

GET ME THE Q

Love the Q said...

Come work for the Q. Among the other amenities is your own private access to state criminal traffic records. Every Q lawyer has it on their specially designed Q-Pads. Add in Taco-Tuesdays, a fleet of Peletons in the offices, meditation rooms, a Tesla super charger in the parking lot, discounted Uber rides, Office wide lunch catering including Meatless Monday Impossible Burger bars, Brick Over Pizzas are streaming all day on Fridays and the famous Taco-Tuesdays. Massages. Hand churned ice-cream. A starbucks barista whipping up all your caffeinated favorites from 7 am to 7 pm, and door to courthouse service in a top-line Expedition when you are in trial.

Competitive pay. Sky high bonuses.

Best law firm to work for award, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019.

Anonymous said...

Jack Denaro does not care about the DL changes.

Anonymous said...

Shumie vs the Q was a big deal several years ago. How did it settle out?

Like Godzilla vs Mothra.

Anonymous said...

Help me Real Fake Former Judge ...

The Ralph Lauren Purple Label Navy Blue Blazer with brushed metal buttons. Not bright gold buttons.

Still a valid fashion choice? Can you wear it with Jeans?

Please help.

Anonymous said...

So the judge and prosecutors can see a traffic record but the defense cannot? How does that withstand constitutional scrutiny?

Anonymous said...

Jack Denaro will be in traffic court soon defending his, housekeeper, cousin, friend, stock broker etc.

I saw Roy Black in ticket court once... yup... his housekeeper got a ticket.

Dear Mr./Ms. 4:52pm, have you EVER handled a ticket? If so, shut up.

BTW, normally, I don't do tickets expect with it's the traffic stop for a felony case.

Anonymous said...

The state usually gives a copy to the defense. no biggie. its not classified information.

Thank God I dont do much traffic.

Anonymous said...

7:23 pm----I do not handle traffic tickets for a fee of $69. I have handled and walked a defendant on a Manslaughter, Vehicle homicide with a reading of over .30 blood. And my fee was in the 6 figures, probably 169k. So continue to dwell as a bottom feeder at the Justice Building. I wish you well at the bottom of the barrel.

Anonymous said...

Can't we all just get along ???

Seth Sklarey said...

Traffic court judges and hearing officers are not allowed to view a defendant's traffic record prior to conviction, but it is readily accessable to them during pretrial. If the same person subsequently presides at trial then the defendant is prejudiced.
And why do they have these ridiculous time wasting pre-trial traffic hearings anyway?

Anonymous said...

4:20 p.m., two questions:

At what time do they call the Shumie at Q's office?

Do they also order fromthe catering division at The Ren (a venue)?