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, April 26, 2024

ELECTION 2024 - HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES, AND YOUR WINNERS .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK HAS CLOSED .....

HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES ... AND YOUR UNCONTESTED WINNERS .....*

CIRCUIT COURT

Group 8 (Judge David Miller retiring)

Jason Bloch v. Bonita Jones-Peabody

Group 29 (Judge Pedro Echarte retiring)

Heloiza Correa v. Cristobal David Padron

Group 49

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Marie Mato who wins election in her first bid to wear the judicial robe without drawing an opponent; (do we call that a “Milt Hirsch”).

TRIVIA QUESTION: Name the last Circuit Court Judge to win election in their first attempt without opposition.

The following 21 judges were re-elected without opposition:

GROUP 2 Ariana Fajardo Orshan
GROUP 13 Jose L Fernandez
GROUP 14 Vivianne del Rio
GROUP 15 Maria Elena Verde
GROUP 24 Mindy S. Glazer
GROUP 25     Yery Marrero
GROUP 31 Carlos Lopez
GROUP 36 Lisa Sharon Walsh
GROUP 42 Miguel M. de la O
GROUP 43 Ellen Sue Venzer
GROUP 47 Maria de Jesus Santovenia
GROUP 53 Jason Emilios Dimitris
GROUP 54 Antonio "Tony" Arzola
GROUP 56 Javier A Enriquez
GROUP 58 Diana Vizcaino
GROUP 61 Christine Bandin
GROUP 66 Lourdes Simon
GROUP 68 Victoria del Pino
GROUP 71 Charlie Johnson
GROUP 78 Valerie R. Manno Schurr
GROUP 80 Marisa Tinkler Mendez


COUNTY COURT

Group 29 (Judge Myriam Lehr retiring)

Christopher Benjamin v. Alina Salcines Restrepo v Scott Janowitz*

*Janowitz originally filed in this Group in June of 2023. He redesignated to Circuit Court Group 25 on April 24th challenging an incumbent Judge and he stayed in that Group for exactly one day. On April 25th, he notified the State Elections Department that he was once again re-designating back into County Court Group 29.

Group 31

Judge Christopher Green v. Rita Maria Baez 

Group 4 (Judge Robin Faber retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Michelle Marie Urbistondo who wins a seat on the bench in her first attempt without facing opposition.

Group 12 (Judge Steve Leifman retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Mariano Corcilli who also wins a seat on the bench in his first attempt without facing opposition.

The following 15 judges were re-elected without opposition:

Group 01 Patricia Marino-Pedraza
Group 02 Kristy M. Nunez 
Group 06 Jorge Perez Santiago
Group 10 Diana Gonzalez-Whyte 
Group 14 Gloria Gonzalez-Meyer 
Group 18 Betsy Alvarez-Zane
Group 21 Jacqueline Michelle Woodward 
Group 22 Linda Singer Stein
Group 26 Maria De Fatima Ortiz 
Group 32 Lizzet Martinez 
Group 33 Eleane Sosa-Bruzon 
Group 37 Yara Lorenzo Klukas 
Group 40 Michael George Barket 
Group 41 Larry King 
Group 43 Milena Abreu

Both State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Public Defender Carlos Martinez win election without facing an opponent.

It is going to be a long, hot summer, as the nine candidates trek from a Homestead breakfast, to a lunch in Hialeah, and then a dinner in Aventura, night after night after night, attending one judicial forum after another.

*According to the State Division of Elections and the Miami-Dade County Division of Elections.

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

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you CAPTAIN & Rump. Your investigative reporting and the reach of your blog is making some unqualified, undeserving candidates think twice about running.

Anonymous said...

Shumie on J. Shame shame shame.

Anonymous said...

Heck yeah Kathy won. She’s the best elected prosecutor in America. Kudos to you Kathy.

Anonymous said...

Trying to file against KFR now. Where do I go?

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...



I can't remember the last time that three new judges were elected in the same election cycle without facing any opposition.

That says a lot about Judge-Elect Marie Mato in Circuit and Judges-Elect Michelle Marie Urbistondo and Mariano Corcilli in County.

I know Marie and Mariano and they are both quite deserving and well qualified. I do not know Ms. Urbistondo. Maybe someone can chime in on this thread and let us know something about her.

I am wondering why none faced opposition though. Is it the pay scale? Their salary will be around $197,000 for Mato and $186,00 for the two County Court Judges. Is it simply not wanting to go through a contested election and maybe choosing instead to go the route of the JNC and a DeSantis appointment?

What say you?

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


NORTH OF THE BORDER

IN BROWEIRD .....

There are three Circuit Court contested races:

Incumbent Carol Lisa-Phillips v. Christina Grace Arguelles

Incumbent Jessica Marra v. Andres Chaves Sanz

Incumbent Stephanie Moon v. Johnny Weekes

Now that's even more shocking, in Broward, seeing three Incumbent judges draw opponents.

In County Court, there are 5 contested races:

Incumbent Katie McHugh v. Scott Shapiro
(McHugh won election in 2012 and was then unopposed in 2018). Something is off for her to draw an opponent. Anyone know anything

Alex Arreaza v. Woody Clermont v. Samuel Stark

Kathleen Angione v. Joseph Zager

Corey Friedman v. Tamar Hamilton

Emilio Benitez v. Lauren Peffer

Cap Out .....



Anonymous said...

I can't imagine anything less appealing than going through the election process and having anonymous a$$holes run my name through the mud because they don't like that I had the temerity to throw my hat in the ring against a candidate that they deem to be untouchable.

Rumpole's really horrible and uncalled for bashing of Janowitz is Exhibit A in why good people don't run for judge.

CAPTAIN JUSTICE said...


REALLY NORTH OF THE BORDER

In Palm Beach County:

There are zero contested elections in Circuit Court as all 12 incumbents were re-elected.

It is a ridiculously crowded field for State Attorney as 8 candidates qualified including:

Alexcia Cox
Adam Farkas
Forrest Freedman
Gregg S. Lerman
Rolando Silva
Sam Stern
Craig Williams

I would have to guess that Gregg Lerman would be considered the early favorite.

Two are in the contest for Public Defender:

Daniel Eisinger v. Adam Frankel

Cap Out .......

Anonymous said...

Well done, Marie Mato. Very Deserving.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if you defended Mitchell, Hubner, Quinan, Abuhoff, or Hoague from their unfair bashing from FACDL and friends?

Anonymous said...

Probably that the job sucks and unless you have a real need for ego stroking you can both make more money and have a more enjoyable life as a lawyer.

Anonymous said...

What I don't get is why it's verboten to run against a sitting judge? Isn't that what elections are about? Isn't that what this country is about? It's not a guaranteed position. Grow up! Shame on all of you!

Anonymous said...

Baez putting in against Green. He’s doing a great job. Former PD with over 20 years civil experience. Run against someone unqualified, you had plenty to choose from.

Anonymous said...

What I find funny is that it used to be verboten to file against incumbents in Broward, and it now feels that this has switched to Dade. I wonder why?

Anonymous said...

Wasn't it Delancy that was the last judge elected without opponent?

Anonymous said...

Jail

Anonymous said...


Prosecutors seek to jail Miami mom for posting news stories about cop who shot son

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article288058730.html#storylink=mainstage_lead

Anonymous said...

Who is this 10 year associate of an Orlando Law Firm running against Carol/Lisa Phillips?

Anonymous said...

I think the point is that there are some very fine judges who should be handling cases instead of going on the chicken circuit all summer because some bottom feeder who can’t make a living on private practice hyphenates his/her last name and runs for the seat.

Anonymous said...

Casolas pizza party for Kathy’s victory! Sometimes you just win by default.

Anonymous said...

Really? That's what elections are all about. Unless you're in the Trump cult.

Anonymous said...

Posting is Stalking? What does the statue say?

Anonymous said...

Better call Saul

Anonymous said...

SAO holds no mercy

Anonymous said...

It’s not stalking, it’s social awareness.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes no one shows up and you just win.

Anonymous said...

Hey Captain. Why don't you write about the back story on the Broward Judge Carol Lisa-Phillips race? it's quite interesting.

Anonymous said...

Do tell!

Anonymous said...

Five pos

Anonymous said...

The “back story “ is now front page news in the Sun Sentinel. A husband /wife attorney couple from Orlando had a huge verdict reversed by Carol-Lisa. So to get even they told their daughter, who’s never been to FTL except maybe on Spring Break, to run against Carol-Lisa. You can be sure that all the big guns in Broward will be going not only after this young lawyer but will make it very unpleasant for the parents to practice down in Lauderdale