POINT ONE: What a nice exchange over the holiday weekend, as readers posted their favourite 1970's songs. Now we enter the long hot summer months, when no one feels like trying cases and everyone eyes a cabin in North Carolina as a getaway.
Lawyers and Judges running for election or re-election face the challenges of raising money and capturing the attention of the voting public for an election date in August. That seems like a difficult challenge. On the other hand, if the election was moved to November, then the candidates would have the problem of getting their message out during a crowded election cycle.
POINT TWO: We note that there is significant criticism with the response of the local police to the school shooting in Texas last week. The NY Times has an Op Ed by the FBI Agent who created the Active Shooter response team, criticizing the local police's response. The police waited outside for the better part of an hour. Sort of defeats the argument that the way to stop mass shootings is to arm more people.
And even worse, as America mourned the death of innocent children, there were another ELEVEN mass shootings over the holiday weekend. Welcome to the United States in 2022. It's a dangerous place to live.
POINT THREE$$: If there is a new bounce in the step of your favourite circuit or county judge, maybe it's because they are planning a myriad of ways to spend a new raise coming their way. Circuit Judges (motto: "The motion to suppress is respectfully denied" ) are going from 160 to 182, while County Court Judges (Motto: "Misdemeanors Matter!") will be going from 151 to 172. You can buy a lot of crypto for that cash, or a new Tesla, or a vacay in Italy, or why not all three??
The new raise is on the Governor's desk, and as much as it pains us to say it, our robed readers (most of them anyway) deserve it and we hope Governor "There is no such thing as Covid" signs the raise.
As former Judge Harvey Shenberg said as he stuffed fifty thousand dollars in cash in his pants while being recorded in Operation Court Broom "It's hard to send a kid to college on a judge's salary." And he was right. He just went about it the wrong way.
Harvey was a crook. Just like Richard Nixon.
ReplyDeleteReprinted with Permission from The Captain. April 29, 2022:
ReplyDelete“As an added bonus to getting re-elected, your Circuit and County Court judges are expecting a very nice bump in their salaries come July 1. That presumes that Governor DeSantis does not issue a line item veto on the amounts recommended in the Budget bill.
Under the new budget, effective July 1, a circuit court judge’s salary would increase from $165,509 to $182,060, and a county court judge’s salary would rise from $156,377 to $172,015.”
Cap Out …..
ReplyDeleteReprinted with Permission from THE CAPTAIN:
April 29, 2022
As an added bonus to getting re-elected, your Circuit and County Court judges are expecting a very nice bump in their salaries come July 1. That presumes that Governor DeSantis does not issue a line item veto on the amounts recommended in the Budget bill.
Under the new budget, effective July 1, a circuit court judge’s salary would increase from $165,509 to $182,060, and a county court judge’s salary would rise from $156,377 to $172,015.
Cap Out ……
When is Echarte up for election. Been hearing he can be abusive to lawyers and litigants.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteTo 1:36 PM
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
Judge Pedro Echarte turns 70 years old this year.
His current term ends in 2024 so he would be up for
re-election in 2024. He will be 72 years old at that time.
I think it is safe to say that Judge Echarte will either
serve out his term (it technically ends on January 3, 2025)
or he could retire early and give the Governor a chance to
name his replacement.
I have known Judge Echarte for a very long time.
I have also appeared before him. Admittedly he can
be a bit ornery at times.
Cap Out ……
Nobody is as "ornery" as Ellen Venzer. Not even Pedro.
ReplyDeleteShe's funny smart cute and cool. Get a grip.
DeleteEcharte is an obnoxious, arrogant, pompous ass. He was never a good trial lawyer. I have seen him many times in motion calendars being unnecessarily rude and nasty to counsel. He even takes issue on agreed orders that are submitted to him. He lacks any judicial temperment. His trial conduct is also lacking the way he treats jurors. The only Judge I can recall who was worse was Rosemary Jones. She was just not a smart person, while Pedro is bright but his personality is terrible.
ReplyDeleteJust a heads up. SAO had a Covid outbreak again. This time in Domestic Violence. Shutting down in person hearings for at least this week.
ReplyDeleteJudge Venzer is the modern version of Judge Ward. If a man, she would be called only "tough." That is all that she is, and she is a good judge.
ReplyDeleteWhat does a magistrate make in Miami-Dade ?
ReplyDelete3:06: I disagree completely about Judge Echarte. I think he is an excellent judge. He doesn't suffer fools, he doesn't put up with nonsense, and he holds people's feet to the fire. If you are prepared and serious about what you're doing, you won't have a problem with Judge Echarte
ReplyDeleteI don't agree. He is always rude unless of course.......
DeletePedro will serve out his term. He has "Black Robe fever" very badly. An arrogant ass.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100%
DeleteEcharte is arrogant, conceited and a bully, except to a few of his 'teacher's pets'.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if Judge Pedro Echarte is or has a personal relationship with Atty. Ricardo Corona? I am asking because I've seen Ricky M. Corona ask and congratulations Judge Echarte in court about his son legal accomplishments and other matters that only someone close to Judge Echarte and his family will know. I want to make it very clear that I AM NOT accusing either Corona or Echarte of anything I'm merely trying to find out what is going on here.
DeleteFor More on Ricardo ‘’Little Ricky’’ Corona and his Daddy, Ricardo Corona, Esq. look at:
ReplyDeleteJorge Silva Esq. et Al v. Ricardo Corona, Esq, Ricardo M. Corona, Esq. et Al filed in Miami Dade County, FL. If the allegations against the Coronas are in fact true, then I am sure many people in this community will feel vindicated, this is from what I hear.
CASE NO. 2023-025886-CA-01
JORGE E. SILVA ESQ., CARLOSCE. SILVA ESQ., and SILVA & SILVA ,P.A. PLAINTIFFS
VS.
RICARDO Are. CORONA, ESQ., RICARDO M. CORONA, ESQ. ‘’Little Ricky” and Corona Law Firm, P.A.
AND THE JUDGE ASSIGNED TO THIS CASE IS: Pedro Echarte, Jr. Ummmm
I ask everyone to read the complaint and make your own opinions. I ask again and for good reason, is Judge Pedro Echarte’s son, Pedro Echarte married to Ricardo Corona’s cousin? If you guys know please let me know.
I have been in practice for over 40 years. I knew Pedro when he was a PD well before he became a Judge. I have been in front of him for many hearings, and have tried a few cases before him. Without a doubt he is the rudest, most arrogant, obnoxious, ill tempered person who ever put on a black robe. He goes out of his way to adjust or reject agreed orders that are submitted to him. He likes to pick on younger lawyers who get intimidated by his agonize. He lacks judicial temperament and has an outsized ego. He was never a good trial lawyer and once he leaves the bench Miami will be much better to be rid of this pompous ass.
ReplyDelete