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.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

JUDICIAL ELECTIONS 2022

 

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

"Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates" ......

It was reported in The Guardian this week that Israeli archaeologists have unearthed two dozen Dead Sea scroll fragments from a remote cave in the Judean Desert. The biblical scroll bits of parchment were found after teams rappelled down an 80 metre cliff and scoured The Cave of Horror. It is believed that the scrolls have been there since approximately AD132. The scrolls found were Greek translations of the books of Zachariah and Nahum. One fragment read:

“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to one another, render true and perfect justice in your gates” Powerful words that could be hung over every bench in every courtroom in our own Gerstein Justice Building.

ELECTION CENTRAL - JUDICIAL ELECTIONS 2022

One year from now, candidates will be qualifying to run for Circuit and County Court Judge in Miami-Dade County.  But, after having already received no less than a dozen invites to campaign fundraisers within just the past couple of weeks, we thought we would share the list of Incumbent Judges and likely races.

CIRCUIT COURT

A total of 23 Incumbents:

William Altfield - has communicated with me that he intends to file for re-election

Barbara Areces - intends to file for re-election

Ramiro Areces - FILED for re-election

Jennifer Bailey - FILED 

Gina Beovides - has not responded to my requests so we have no idea of her intentions

Scott Bernstein - intends to file for re-election

Mark Blumstein - intends to file for re-election

Samantha Ruiz Cohen - FILED

Laura Shearon Cruz - intends to file for re-election

Marcia Del Rey - we have no idea of her intentions

Christina DiRaimondo - FILED 

Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos - intends to file for re-election

Milton Hirsch - FILED

Zachary James - FILED

Lody Jean - FILED

Thomas Rebull - FILED

Oscar Rodriguez-Fonts - we have no idea of his intentions

George Sarduy - intends to file for re-election

Nushin Sayfie - FILED

Bertila Soto - intends to file for re-election

William Thomas - we have no idea of his intentions

Robert Watson - FILED

David Young - intends to file for re-election


COUNTY COURT

A total of 15 Incumbents:

Cristina Rivera Correa - we have no idea of her intentions

Miesha Darrough - intends to file for re-election

Elisabeth Espinosa - intends to file for re-election

Carlos Gamez - we have no idea of his intentions

Michaelle Gonzalez-Paulson - intends to file for re-election

Ayana Harris - we have no idea of her intentions

Chiaka Ihekwaba - intends to file for re-election

Scott Janowitz - intends to file for re-election

Carroll Kelly - FILED

Jeffrey Kolokoff - intends to file for re-election

Linda Diaz - we have no idea of her intentions

Julie Nelson - FILED

Fred Seraphin - we have no idea of his intentions

Diana Vizcaino - we have no idea of her intentions

JUDGE Edward Newman, we believe, is retiring, and an attorney has already filed to run in his Group 7 seat. That attorney is Marcus Bach Armas. He has been a member of the The Florida Bar for 12 years and he is listed as corporate counsel for the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium. (https://bacharmas.com/).

So, loyal readers, which incumbent Judges deserve to face opposition in the next election?

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Marcus Bach Armas is the son of former County Court Judge Mercedes Bach, now retired.

Anonymous said...

Do judges have to respond to your requests? Defense lawyers don’t contribute to campaigns...biggest whiners on the planet.

Anonymous said...

Little R. Areces was appointed by the governor based on apparent political ties of his parents. He has no experience in litigation and has zero experience in jury trials. Gamez was similarly appointed based on his wife's influence as she is with Holland and Knight. He was a disaster as an assistant city attorney and sat second chair. He was reprimanded by two separate judges for his amateurish conduct in two trials. Both deserve a qualified opponent, but in Miami-Dade both will probably continue their undistinguished careers to collect a paycheck they could not obtain in private practice. Although it has to be said, they are both better than Aponte which is a low bar.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...

CRIME OF THE CENTURY .......

Is there anything sacred anymore:

https://www.insider.com/assistant-principal-teen-daughter-charged-with-rigging-homecoming-queen-vote-2021-3

Anonymous said...

Here's all that matters with regard to judges:

what are their positions on which court proceedings ought to return to in-person only?

Far as Im concerned, the only reason a lawyer should ever darken the floors of REG again is to begin a trial, a PVH, or to take a plea with a client in custody (who should also be brought in-person) or one whose fingerprints need to be taken.

Important motions, dispositive motions, perhaps should be optional.

Everything else should be online-only.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


8:44 AM:

Of course not. And by not doing so, a prospective candidate might just decide to jump into a race because the sitting judge is undecided, waffling, etc. If you are a sitting judge and you know you are going to file, it would seem like the best strategy would be to let everyone know that fact. Most of the sitting judges did exactly that.

Cap

Anonymous said...

Deserves opposition: Hirsch, Rebull.

Anonymous said...

R. Areces = everything a defendant could hope for in a judge. Willing to listen, fair minded, courteous.

Anonymous said...

Watson

Anonymous said...

Do you mean Tómas Rebull?

Anonymous said...

Agreed. Reads everything beforehand and rules based on the law. Very fair and very smart.

Anonymous said...

Areces has been a pleasant surprise. Gámez an unpleasant one. Bach sounds like another silver spoon joke.

Anonymous said...

All incumbents with Hispanic names = no opposition. Those who don't are shaking in their robes.

Anonymous said...

Ramiro Areces is humble, has a big heart, is respectful towards the lawyers, tries to be very fair, will undercut the State and, most importantly, desires to learn. He's been a good judge with a potential to become a great one. What's not to like about him? If you are condemning him, it must be the condemner and not Areces since he is such gentleman. He's a diamond in the rough

Anonymous said...

Areces is outstanding

Anonymous said...

Altfield has been poor. He shows up on time but has openly sided with the state on most issues and has been terrible on bonds. A huge disappointment.

Anonymous said...

Uncle Milty is getting burnt out. He is rude to probate litigants and inaccessible. His shtick is not aging well. He makes me want to be struthious.

Anonymous said...

Agreed. I don’t know him well (barely, at all) but I am his colleague and I see a future de la O there.

Anonymous said...

Bye bye blumstein! There’s no hiding from your criminal law opponents by shifting to the civil side. Maybe you’ll just resign and help us all.