IT'S ELECTION DAY

UPDDATE: And your new chief judge is......

GONNA MAKE MIAMI COURTS GREAT AGAIN! 

 

(somehow this seems apropos) 

 Before we begin, do not miss DOM's post on Judge McAliley defending AUSA Michael Thakur- a MAGA victim of retribution against a superb prosecutor who was fired for doing his job. The post is here.  Bad shit is happening every day now and before they shut down David and us, the word needs to get out. And make no mistake they will come after legal bloggers who do not toe their racist, xenophobic, authoritarian line.   

 It's election day ? 

Yup it's election day as your favourite judge trudges downtown to vote for Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. 

And if you are out of the loop you have missed some of the most vicious, backstabbing, palace- intrigue-type campaigning of any recent election. 

The incumbent is Nushin Sayfie who very competently guided our courts through the Covid Crisis and has done a very good job. She is our choice for Chief Judge. She has earned another term.  

Her "Make Miami Courts Great Again"  MMCGA  (phonertically MM CAG-GA - like the sound your cat makes when throwing up) opponent is Ariana Fajardo-Orshan who left the bench to work for you-know-who as US Attorney and then returned to the bench and has pretty much been showing up anywhere and everywhere any judge has been. A judge is mowing their lawn? There is Fajardo saying "Hey let me do that for you, and then I'll hop inside and do those dishes and fold the laundry and while I'm here let's get out the ladder and I'll clear those pesky leaves from your gutters..."

But there is more than A vs B. 

There is X and Y. 

People do not think we know this. But we know more than they think we do. 

Before Judge Sayfie became chief Judge, a Judge, call him X, wanted to challenge Judge Soto. A deal of sorts was struck. "One more term, and then I'll support you."   Come the next election Judge X did not get the support he was promised, and Judge Sayfie was elected. 

Politics makes strange bedfellows, and the strangest of all is when they wear robes. 

So although their political views don't come close to matching. X and their Spouse Y are actively campaigning for the MMCGA candidate. 

Votes will be counted tonight. 

Depending on who wins can we expect a slew of executive orders if the MMCGA candidate wins? 

"Effective immediately defense attorneys will not be allowed to mention the term reasonable doubt to a jury";

"Effective immediately all defendants who look like they might be an illegal immigrant shall have their bond immediately revoked:

"Effective immediately the local rules are amended to allow the prosecution to file a motion for new trial on all not guilty verdicts" 

"Effective immediately the picture of President Trump SHALL be displayed in all courtrooms, all hallways of all courts, and in the chambers of all judges."

What we can be sure of is this- there is a lot of vote counting going on. And if your favourite judge all of the sudden loses their chambers and has to work in the corner of the El Gordo Cafe, you will know they supported the loser.