THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
Congratulations to our two Judge-Elects: Marty McNeil and Rita Baez
CIRCUIT COURT — GROUP 5
Arthur LeMar "Marty" McNeil — 347,253
Monica Segura — 330,334
CIRCUIT COURT — GROUP 69
Rita Maria Baez — 396,930
Bonita Jones-Peabody — 282,831
BREAKING NEWS — GOVERNOR DESANTIS ANNOUNCES HIS LATEST APPOINTMENTS!
I know that all of my loyal readers have been sitting on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting the Captain's report on the identities of the FOUR newest judges in Miami-Dade County.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, the wait is finally over!
OR IS IT?
Last week, your faithful CAPTAIN JUSTICE reported that Governor DeSantis had ONCE AGAIN missed a constitutional deadline for appointing judges.
Remember that pesky little document called the Florida Constitution? The one the Governor took a solemn oath to support, protect, and defend?
Apparently, in Tallahassee, constitutional deadlines are merely suggestions.
On August 28, 2026, the Eleventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission certified its nominees for FOUR judicial vacancies in Miami-Dade County: one Circuit Court seat and three County Court seats.
The Florida Constitution gave the Governor 60 days to make those appointments.
DEADLINE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2026.
APPOINTMENTS MADE: ZERO.
But fear not, loyal readers!
I am THRILLED to report that Governor DeSantis has been VERY busy fulfilling his appointment responsibilities.
In fact, on Friday, October 30, 2026, just three days after the constitutional deadline expired, the Governor's Press Office unleashed a virtual avalanche of appointment announcements.
And because I know how eagerly you have been awaiting this news, your CAPTAIN JUSTICE is delighted to share ALL THIRTEEN announcements with you:
1. Governor appoints SIX to the Florida Historic Commission.
2. Governor appoints Alex Kelly to the Florida Defense Support Commission.
3. Governor appoints Doug Broxson to the Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc. Board of Directors.
4. Governor reappoints Dan Giordano to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
5. Governor appoints Thomas Frederick to the Florida Opportunity Fund Board of Directors.
6. Governor reappoints MaryLynn Magar to the State Board of Education.
7. Governor reappoints Rodolfo Pages to the Greater Miami Expressway Agency.
8. Governor appoints THREE to the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority.
9. Governor appoints Andrew Dulcey to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.
10. Governor appoints Patrick Rooney and Kelly Smallridge to the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.
11. Governor appoints TWO to the Board of Chiropractic Medicine.
12. Governor reappoints FOUR to the Board of Pharmacy.
And finally, ladies and gentlemen, the announcement you have ALL been waiting for ...
13. GOVERNOR DESANTIS APPOINTS SEVEN TO THE BOARD OF MEDICINE!
WOW!
Thirteen separate announcements. Boards. Commissions. Authorities. Reappointments. Appointments. You name it, the Governor was appointing it!
The Historic Commission? CHECK!
The Board of Pharmacy? CHECK!
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority? CHECK!
The Board of Medicine? SEVEN APPOINTMENTS! CHECK!
And the four Miami-Dade judicial vacancies, for which the Florida Constitution actually imposed a 60-day appointment deadline?
CRICKETS.
Not one Circuit Court judge.
Not one County Court judge.
Not one explanation.
Apparently, the Governor can find time to fill seats on virtually every board and commission in the Sunshine State.
Just not the four judicial seats for which his constitutional deadline expired one week ago today.
Perhaps someone in Tallahassee should explain to the Governor that the Florida Constitution does not contain an exception for busy press-release days.
So, alas, Miami-Dade County remains short ONE Circuit Court judge and THREE County Court judges.
And our self-proclaimed Rule of Law Governor remains past his constitutional deadline.
THE CAPTAIN'S CLOCK IS STILL TICKING.
ELECTION CENTRAL - GENERAL ELECTION 2026
Oh yeah, in case anyone forgot, TODAY IS ELECTION DAY!
And while the rest of the country focuses on the races for Governor, Congress, and other elected offices, your faithful CAPTAIN JUSTICE will be keeping a close eye on the TWO contested judicial races in Miami-Dade County.
By the time the polls close tonight, voters will have selected TWO new Circuit Court judges.
Here are the candidates, along with their percentages from the August 18 primary election:
CIRCUIT COURT — GROUP 5
Arthur LeMar "Marty" McNeil — 42.48%
Monica Segura — 35.92%
CIRCUIT COURT — GROUP 69
Rita Maria Baez — 37.13%
Bonita Jones-Peabody — 34.97%
And Miami-Dade voters have certainly been busy!
A whopping 544,163 VOTERS have already cast their ballots:
EARLY VOTING: 354,257
VOTE BY MAIL: 189,906
And that's BEFORE the first Election Day vote is counted!
Your CAPTAIN JUSTICE will be watching both judicial races closely and will report the results later tonight, after the polls close at 7:00 p.m.
Stay tuned!
Captain4Justice@gmail.com
Hey it’s a Popularity contest. Let’s all go to galas wear our best from Neiman Marcus and beg for support.
ReplyDeleteIn Miami-Dade for sure.
DeleteAnyone else vote no the retain Bronwyn Miller?
ReplyDeleteMiami Herald reporting:
ReplyDeleteJudge Bronwyn Miller will be retained. Scott appointed Miller to the 3DCA was appointed in 2018 by Scott. She was previously a county court and circuit court judge. Before getting on the bench, she worked as a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. Miller was embroiled in a controversy over text messages she sent to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle about the death penalty resentencing of Corey Smith, who murdered four people in Liberty City in the 1990s when he was a drug kingpin and gang leader. Miller, who prosecuted the case back in 2004 and 2005, sent Fernandez Rundle texts questioning her office’s handling of the case and denigrating the judge presiding over Smith’s resentencing. The Judicial Qualifications Commission found probable cause that Miller violated several judicial canons, saying the text messages “cast reasonable doubt on your capacity to act impartially as a judge” and “appear to be coercive
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com
Baez didn’t even campaign. Not single sign, no text messages, no poll workers. She basically just took a bubble bath for the last 3 months with a nice glass of wine and waited. That’s about how much Bonita is liked and respected amongst her colleagues.
ReplyDeleteI voted for Jones-Peabody because some lawyers I respect endorsed her. But she is 69 years old. That is really too old to be a judge.
DeleteI thought I was losing my mind.
DeleteI don’t know a single lawyer or judge who “respects” her. Especially after her “Col Sanders” defense where she said white judges are out of touch and if a defendants entire family shows up to court, they couldn’t possibly be guilty.
Deletepraise the heavens, Jones-Peabody will not be a judge…
DeleteAll Team Marty baby. And this is just the start. 3rd or Feds district and then 11th circuit and who knows after that? Talent will out rump.
ReplyDeleteTeam Gordo
ReplyDelete