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.

Monday, September 16, 2019

CHANGE OF SEASON / CHANGE OF JUDGES

You can't tell the players without a scorecard. 
And you don't know about the new Judges unless you read The Blog. 
(You know what's cool? Over the years we have become "The Blog" No further discussion needed. It's sort of nice. We like it and we rarely like anything.)

Apparently Judge Fine couldn't get out of criminal court quick enough. That's too bad. We heard great things about him. But not every civil litigator who dons the black robes  is cut out for the rough and tumble of the REGJB. Where have you gone Judge Murphy? Our courthouse turns its lonely eyes to you. 

From the Chief Judge of Criminal Court:

Good afternoon,



On Monday, June (Rumpole says the chief means September)  23rd, newly appointed Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos  will be taking over for Judge Fine in division 2.  For now the division will remain in courtroom 6-2.  I will be sitting with her through the transition as well as Judges Tunis & Tinkler-Mendez.



As soon as the other changes are finalized I will let you know.  We will be getting Judges Altfield, Beovides and Cruz as well. We will be losing Judges Diaz, Multack & Walsh. These changes will not occur until mid-October or later. 

No offense intended to the others, but Judge Walsh is an absolute gem. Why does she want to/have to go?  You know how a judge is deemed great these days? When she is so fair and her legal background is so diverse and she has so much experience that she cannot get an appointment to the 3rd DCA because of the aforementioned qualities. That's how you know you want to be before a judge. Got some black-wearin-card-carryin-federalist society- hack whose name is being whispered for the the 3rd? RUN as fast as you can from the umpire who swears they only call balls and strikes because you're in for an unpleasant experience. 

Only because we cannot pass up the opportunity to razz the chief (and because she punches back harder)...
Shouldn't the sentence in the email read : "The division will remain in courtroom 6-2 for now.  I will be sitting with her through the transition. So will Judges Tunis & Tinkler-Mendez." 
Otherwise you could make an argument that the Chief will be sitting with Judges Fernandez-Karavestos as well as sitting with Judges Tunis and Tink. We're sure they would enjoy the company, but that's not the point. 



16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fine did the best he could but failed to grasp complex criminal concepts and acted like he could not wait to get off the criminal bench-Walsh is fine although moody at times-the true loss is Judge Diaz-she has grown into one of our best felony judges who has compassion when the situation calls and is not afraid to grant a motion to dismiss or suppress or give a Court plea-she will be dearly missed.

Anonymous said...

I’ve practiced in our courthouse on a near-daily basis for over 30 years. I once had a case with Judge Multack when he was a Broward ASA. The guy is a gem!

Anonymous said...

If merit was the test, Judge Walsh would have been appointed to the Third a long time ago.
But the test is loyalty to the Federalist Society, and the Governor just turned back an
entire slate for the Third JNC for insufficient loyalty. So the JNC will be filled with
hard-right appointees, and merit will be a matter of luck.

Anonymous said...

Awful news as to Walsh, Diaz, and Multack. No big loss as to Fine.

Anonymous said...

Could not agree more with 9:27 pm. Of all the judges mentioned Multack has the best disposition-not condescending- not a hand holder- intelligent.

Anonymous said...

Judges Trawick, Walsh, and Rebull are going to populate a newly-created, permanent appellate panel for appeals from County Court. The reason is that most judges do not want to hear appeals and it has become a problem. I also assume that once these guys get assigned, if they die, they go straight to PIP heaven. What a waste of fine talent!

Anonymous said...

Judge Fine?

The very best Judges are: Zilber, Venzer, Hanzman and Mary Anne McKenzie.

Anonymous said...

Multack to civil? That's a shame.

Anonymous said...

9:51:00 AM, where do you leave N. Joseph Durant, John Tanksley, Rosemary Usher Jones and Dick C. P. Lantz?

Anonymous said...

Exactly who is taking over for who?

No list... names of who is taking a particular division. PLEEEEZZZEEE.

Anonymous said...

Very best besides Mary Anne consider Rosemary Jones (the house of usher), James Earnest, Marty Greenbaum,Brennan,and Harold Featherstone. Do not forget "Slippery Sid Weaver as well. What ever happened to Flora Seff after her defeat?

Anonymous said...

The whiners on this blog are all talk. How many years have you been bitching about Glick? She's up for re-election without any opponent. She is going to get automatically reelected. No one on here has the guts to run against her....you just want to bitch and moan.

Anonymous said...

Flora Seff is working as counsel for the Miami-Dade Fire Department.

Anonymous said...

Thats quite a downfall for a former major crimes prosecutor and Judge. She was never very friendly either as a prosecutor or Kounty Kourt Judge.

Anonymous said...

11:40 am, Flora Seff would be getting county attorney's office salary and benefits, so its no so bad.

Anonymous said...

I have a client who is a firefighter. He got a DUI. Flora deals with employee issues. Flora isn't liked by the rank and file. She's famous for being fast to fire anyone,if she can. Former Judge McWhoter is worse. She's at FIU. I'm not sure what she's doing. She too was not nice to anyone. When I walk into Judge Alvarez-Zane's courtroom, I think how much nicer it is there now. She's kind and courteous.