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, October 03, 2019

JUDICIAL COMINGS AND GOINGS AND THE RARE COUNTY SWITCH

Judges are nomadic at times. Shuffling across the legal landscape, JAs and bailiffs in tow, their battered duffle bags slung over their robed shoulders, filled with ceremonial gavels and recognition plaques from places like the "North Dade Nail Salon Association" and the Australian-American Doral Bar Association.  

With that in mind, criminal law practitioners need to know where to go to appear before their favoutire and newly minted circuit court judges. 
Altruists that we are, we provide you, courtesy of the REGJB CJ,  with the latest comings and goings:



Judge Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos took over Div 2 (Fine) on 9/23/19 and will move from courtroom 6-2/ chambers 602 to courtroom 2-7/chambers 217 on November 4th.

Judge Laura Cruz will take over Div 6 (Multack) on 10/21/19 and will be in courtroom 2-10/ chambers 229. 

Judge Bill Altfield will take over Div 20 (Diaz) on 11/4/19 and will be in courtroom 6-2/ chambers 602. 

Judge Gina Beovides will take over Div 15/Walsh on 11/4/19 and will be in courtroom 2-2/ chambers 204-205.

Judge Renatha Frances will be leaving Bonds. Judge Mindy Glazer will be returning.  Exact date TBA. 

Speaking of Judge Frances, she pulled off the rare county-switch, in which the Judge moves to a different county. To pull this off, the Judge has to resign AND get the governor to re-appoint her to a circuit spot in a new county. We are sorry to see Judge Frances go. By all accounts she was and is a rising star and was doing a great job. 

BLOG TRIVIA- In our vast institutional knowledge of the REGJB, we can recall only one other Judge pulling off the rare County-Switch. Name the Judge and where she (hint hint) went. 

While we are at it, name the former chief judge who resigned from the bench, took a sabbatical, returned, and was reappointed and rose to be CJ of the circuit. 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Farina

Anonymous said...

Easy. Joe Farina. Moved to California. Actually drove Weisman’s 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo out there.

Decided to come back to Florida. Reappointed as Judge.

Put 11,463 miles on poor Weisman’s prize car. Lost much value. No worries. Weisman co-counseled a Possession of Marijuana and Resisting w/o Violence case. Then bought a 1994 Jaguar. British Racing Green.

That’s the truth.

the trialmaster said...

Lauren Brody? former county attorney in Miami, now a judge in Naples. Not sure if she was a County Court Judge in Miami. I tried a case in front her in Naples and she was a very good trial judge, and pleasant to all.

Anonymous said...

That would be County Judge Lauren Miller, who resigned and moved to Collier County. There she re-married and now Judge Lauren Brodie is a Circuit Judge.

Rumpole said...

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER.
Circuit Judge Lauren Levy Miller left the bench in Miami for love. She moved to Collier County and wrangled a reappointment. She is a great judge.

And it was former CJ Joe Farina who left and returned refreshed and invigorated.

Anonymous said...

Rumpole, did Judge Frances have to resign before being appointed in Palm Beach? Couldn't she apply, wait for confirmation of the appointment, and then resign? That's what county judges do when they are appointed to the circuit bench. There is of course a requirement that a county judge resign if s/he decides to run in an election for circuit judge, but I thought the rule was different for appointments.

Anonymous said...

Give the trialmaster credit on this old trivia answer.

Anonymous said...

Terri Ann Miller?

Anonymous said...

Rumpole, what about County Court Judge Terry Ann Miller? She was a county court judge in Miami in 90s. Then became county court judge in Broward.

Anonymous said...

Judge Terri Ann Miller left Dade and moved to Broward. Ran and lost and ran again and won.

Anonymous said...

I remember that Jaguar. It was a ‘93. From the Collection and Joe DeMaria. It was a controversial purchase. Who in their right mind would get British Racing Green with Gold trim and fancy rims. In my opinion, it’s just asking for trouble.

Do you still have it in your collection Mr. W? It was a catchy personalized license plate though.

Anonymous said...

Kudos to Miami lawyers Saam Zenenganah, Tara Kawas and Chris DeCoste for their work in the Dan Markel murder trial ongoing in Tallahassee. Ive been watching, when I can, on YouTube.

They are facing what seems like impossible facts, including a flipped co-D who implicates both defendants directly.

All defendants are from Miami -- hispanic, talking about Latin Kings and Ferraris and selling coke and South Beach restaurants and breast augmentation. In other words, everything people in Tallahassee think and hate about Miami.

Can't imagine the jury will have much sympathy for these defendants. I hope the state gives them a good enough offer, either just before conviction or after, to flip on the uncharged Adelson family. It's impossible to become acquainted with the allegations and not believe there is enough evidence to believe the family, including the ex-wife and Florida Bar member, did not originate the hit on Professor Markel.

Happy for Saam, Tara and Chris, but rooting for the state on this one. Unfathomable evil led to this fellow lawyer and law prof getting executed.

Anonymous said...

The return of Judge Glazer to Bond court is excellent news. She is bright, controls the docket, is strong, and has good judgment. Tough, but fair, with a good sense of humor and amazing memory. It is excellent to see that she is willing to take the job again and survived the rapid pace in probate court for this last period. Looking forward to crossing swords again.

Anonymous said...

http://www.therobingroom.com/florida/Judge.aspx?id=2223