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, October 09, 2020

ELECTION UPDATE

It's campaign season and it is time we weigh in on the issues. 

 We have an election with vast consequences. People are examining the two candidates. The two candidates are getting out the vote. The results- and we are not being dramatic- will transform the Miami Dade Court system for decades to come. 

Biden v. Trump? Nah.....

Sayfie v. Bernstein for the job of Chief Judge.  This is the barnburner we are watching and you should be too. 

Phone calls are being made. Who is zooming who? Judges are lining up. The dominoes are starting to fall into place. If Judge Sayfie is elevated from chief of the Criminal division then who will replace her? (Hint- he's an administrative Judge who's name is vowel. And you should respond "O really?"). 

We know Judge Nushin Sayfie better because we have had more contact with her in the criminal division. She would be an excellent choice. We have no doubt she would do a great job. 

On the civil side, Sayfie's formidable opponent is Scott Bernstein. Fact: There are more civil judges than criminal judges, so if Sayfie is gonna pull this thing off she needs to fish in Bernstein's waters. And that will not be easy. Judge Bernstein is a dedicated Judge. His immersion into children's issues during his service in the family court was admirable. He is also very well respected.  

The choice will be a tough one. 

So we say this: Dear Judges Bernstein and Sayfie- the Blog is YOURS. Write us something and we promise to post it on the front page WITHOUT ANY EDITS AND- as tough as this will be- without any snarky comments. The floor is yours. Do with it what you wish. 

What do you want to do? How are you different from your opponent? Where do you see the Court System in 2025 and 2030? How has Covid permanently altered how courts do business? What's your plan to get Rumpole back trying cases? There are several prosecutors who need a good thumping. These would be great topics. But if you have a recipe for Brisket that you want to share, or a comment on the Dolphins O line, write whatever you wish. But write us. It would be a good thing for both of you. And do not under estimate the power of lawyers speaking to their favourite Judges on your behalf. Our guess is that this is close because more than likely most of your colleagues value and admire you both.  The decision will be tough. 

Judge Soto is term limited and the election is sometime in February. 

We await the candidates' missives. 

(We can imagine the phone call "Hello Scott? It's Nushin. Are you going to write into that crackpot? I think we should agree, either we both do, or we both don't.....blah blah blah.").



8 comments:

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

Judge Scott Bernstein is still in the Family Division of our Circuit Court. He is the Administrative Judge of that Division and, by all accounts, he has done an excellent job. Both candidates are well qualified and it should be a close vote given the respect that both judges have among their brethren. It is true that only 42 of our 123 judges represent the Circuit Criminal and County Criminal Divisions.

Either way, we will be well represented.

Looking forward to the betting line and who Rumpole will be placing his money on as we get closer to the vote.

Cap Out .......

Anonymous said...

You must be kidding. Neither judge is going to put anything about this election in the blog.

Anonymous said...

Bernstein is steady but Sayfie has been heroic. The problem is that you take your best judge out of the courtroom. I don’t really notice the Chief judge but Sayfie not only runs the judges in criminal but also moves the system in a practical and efficient direction. Sayfie doesn’t just administrate, she works and she does it in good cheer. During the initial stages of the shutdown she was everywhere and the fact that we have a functioning system at all is because she forced the 21st century into it, practically over night. Then, she’s still the busiest, wisest and most efficient presiding over calendars. She seems to be in court everyday. She deserves to be chief and Dela O is a superstar but Sayfie moving out the justice building will be a huge loss for us.

Anonymous said...

Bernstein and his husband are both disasters with huge egos. Neither has or could try a jury trial as an attorney or get a job in private practice.

Anonymous said...

Bernstein has done a great job in Family, he has created pilot projects that have created greater access for the parties. That being said, no one can match the heavy lifting Sayfie has done in Criminal. Family, like civil, was able to transition and function with some sort of normalcy via Zoom. Yes, I know, that civil has jury trial issues just like criminal, but the challenges with dealing with all the same jury issues but adding the department of corrections in the mix, Sayfie has risen to the occasion and surpassed any other candidate or potential candidate for Chief. At least Bernstein has done his time in criminal during his tenure as judge so he would have a clue as to the issues we have if he were to be chosen by his brethren to replace Soto.

Phil R said...

Lucky I do not have a vote. Judge Sayfie is superb in criminal. She is the chief admin judge and takes very difficult cases including two large death penalties case I have before her.

Many years ago I tried a criminal case before Judge Bernstein. He was great. On top of all the issues and gave my client a great trial. I think 11:12's comment is way off base. If you have specific experience you should say it. Just trashing people without reason is classless.

Anonymous said...

Both are fine people and both would be great as chief judge.

Now about some of the new female judges at MJB... Not good. Maybe Luise KMart can come back and teach a class about getting stuff done from the bench while being smart, respectful, courteous and fair?

Ding, dong, the wicked witch of drug court left the building. What a relief! I wonder if she's at Publix today ordering employees to pee in the cup???

Anonymous said...

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