OFF TO THE RACES

Rumpole handicaps the 3rd DCA race:

An anonymous post yesterday said these lawyers/Judges were the front runners for a seat on the bench at the 3rd DCA that will open when Judge Fletcher retires.

MICHAEL HANZMAN
The front runner you never heard of. Civil lawyer. Class Action specialist. Made a ton of dough from some class action cases. Appears to be a big Republican donor.

JONATHAN COLBY
Former Judge. Also big in Republican circles. Very successful civil lawyer.

The Judges:

ISRAEL REYES
Seemed to have the connections in the last administration. Really wants this spot.

JOSE RODRIGUEZ
What have you done for me lately?

MARIA KORVICK
Ditto.

SCOTT SILVERMAN
Dark horse. Loves his appellate appointments. Works hard at it. Not a political candidate, but if the Governor is looking to make an appointment strictly on merits, he could get it.

CHRISTINA SHUMINER
Rumpole says she's the favorite among the Judicial candidates. Has both the political connections and the smarts to wow the governor. Wow'ed the last administration in her interview for her circuit slot.


Rumpole sez: Hanzman or Shuminer.

Note: We have no idea if these people have been nominated. But if they have been, this is how we see the "race".


FEDERAL BLOG BROUHAHA

Everyone's favourite federal blogger- David O Markus- whose blog can be viewed by clicking on the link on this page- got himself and his blog into a spot of hot water the other day, by publishing the well researched rumor that Federal Judge Highsmith was retiring. Julie Kay from the Daily Business Review jumped on the bandwagon and wrote an article and before you can say "contempt" Chief Judge Zloch was issuing denials.

Actually, everyone apparently had a good laugh about the whole episode, and the mere fact Mr. Markus was seen sweeping the floor of Judge Zloch's courtroom the other day had nothing to do with Mr. Markus's ill advised venture into the land of rumor and innuendo.

Leave that stuff to us we say. As Muhammad Ali used to say- "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see" and last we checked there was no known address for US Marshalls to appear at to take us into custody.

Mr. Markus writes a great blog. But we think he is better off writing about the legislative histories of Federal Statutes and cheering on Judge Cooke in the Padilla case. In either event, it was nice to see that Rumpole isn't the only Florida legal blogger who needs counsel every now and then.


See You In Court.

PS. A little clerk whispered in our ear that this blog is all the rage among certain Judges at the 3rd DCA. Said they get a big chuckle out of it.

PSS. Speaking of Mr. Markus, we hear that he has welcomed former State and Federal PD hot-shot Bill Barzee into his office. Mr. Barzee's sister is the renowned Judge Mary Barzee who was kind enough to email us an invitation to Bill's going away party- which we also hear was well attended by Judges from State court and a few high powered members of the Federal College Of Cardinals. Mr. Markus appears to be building quite a little legal empire. This bears watching.