THE END OF AN ERA & JUDGE JOHNSON INVESTITURE .....

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

THE END OF AN ERA ....... BUT FIRST

JUDGE CHARLES "CHARLIE" JOHNSON INVESTITURE

County Court Judge Charles "Charlie" Johnson, recently appointed to the Circuit Court bench by Governor Scott, will be formally sworn in at his INVESTITURE OF JUDGE CHARLES JOHNSON, on Friday, February 19, 2016 at 12:15 PM.  The Investiture takes place at the Civil Courthouse, located at 73 West Flagler Street, 6th Floor, in the Ceremonial Courtroom.

Guests are advised to arrive early if they want a seat inside the courtroom.  There is an overflow room with a video screen available on the same floor.

Congrats again for a well deserved accomplishment.

ROBBINS, TUNKEY, ROSS, AMSEL, RABEN, & WAXMAN .....

In the mid-1970s, Fred Robbins and Bill Tunkey were ASAs working for Richard Gerstein.  They left that office and joined Paul Pollack's firm.  Jeff Weiner soon joined them.  In 1977, Jeffrey Weiner, Fred Robbins, and Bill Tunkey created the law firm Weiner, Robbins, Tunkey.

Soon thereafter, Alan Ross left Kogan and Kogan to join the new firm.  In 1982, Bob Amsel signed on right out of law school. David Raben left the PD's office in 1983 and joined the growing firm. And Benjamin "Benji" Waxman rounded out the firm in the mid-80s. There were many other associates over the past four decades that worked at the one and only criminal defense law firm in the State of Florida. (Two names that come to mind that worked there over the years include Barry Wax and Mark Eiglarsh.  Who else worked there?).

The firm lasted 39 years, a lifetime in the legal community in this day and age.  Jeff Weiner left in 1992 and they renamed the firm Robbins, Tunkey, Ross, Amsel, Rabin & Waxman.  Finally, earlier this month, after 39 years, the immutable Robbins, Tunkey, et al decided to break up.

They were known as Florida's oldest and largest exclusively criminal defense law firm. They were the exception to the norm in criminal defense firms, where the average size is one.  While many criminal defense lawyers share space and overhead, their firms are kept separate because of the issue of conflict of interest.  Robbins, Tunkey bucked that norm and created a powerhouse law firm of seasoned attorneys who did nothing but criminal defense law, on a State and Federal level.   Nearly all were former ASAs or APDs and they were really good at their craft.

We can tell you that the dissolution was amicable.  According to Bob Amsel, "we had all come to a point in our careers where we were all in different places and this change seemed to make sense."  We understand that a new firm has been born at the familiar location on SW 3rd Avenue.  That new firm is called Ross, Amsel, Raben, Nascimento (Joseph).  Fred Robbins and Bill Tunkey are sharing space together in the same building, while Benji Waxman has moved his digs to a new location.

Good luck to the newly named firm and to all of the other attorneys who once made up "the largest exclusively criminal defense law firm in Florida".

ELECTION CENTRAL .......

In Election 2016 news, yet another attorney has filed to run in Group 34 of the Circuit Court.  Attorney Mark Blumstein, a member of The Florida Bar since 1996, has filed in a Group that now includes five candidates: Renee Gordon, Antonio Jimenez, Denis Martinez Martinez-Scanziani, Luis Perez-Medina, and Blumstein.

Mr. Blumstein went to Nova law, he speaks Italian and Spanish, and his practice covers just about all areas of the law, according to his web site, which states that "our firm practices extensively in litigation, contractual disputes, business torts, military affairs as well as many other practice areas."

To date, there all still four contested Circuit Court Groups, and David Young is still uncontested in an open seat.

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

WELCOME JUDGE CHARLES JOHNSON TO THE CIRCUIT COURT BENCH

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO OUR NEWEST CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE .....

CHARLES "CHARLIE" JOHNSON

Today, from a list of six finalists, Governor Scott announced the appointment of County Court Judge Charles Johnson to the Circuit Court.  "Charlie" started as an ASA here in Miami-Dade County and worked in that office from 1989-2010.  He was then appointed to the County Court bench where he has served for the past five years.  Judge Johnson replaces outgoing Circuit Court Judge Victoria Sigler.


The other finalists were: Judge Wendell Graham, Judge Lourdes Simon, Judge Jason Dimitris, Ayana Harris, and John Wylie

Congrats Charlie, WELL DONE.

With Labor Day Weekend comes the traditional end of summer.  Enjoy your long, hot, three day weekend.  You can find us at the pool sipping bloody mary's in the am and mojitos in the pm.  And we'll be listening to one of our favorite songs of all time, performed by Rod Stewart, as he wrote about a summer fling, (the first time he had sex so he says), that ended with his return to school in September.

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

Charlie Johnson has an opponent

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

BREAKING NEWS .... IT'S BACHMAN ..... NOT

REAL BREAKING NEWS - CHARLIE JOHNSON HAS AN OPPONENT ......

COUNTY COURT UPDATE:

Group 39:

Charles "Charlie" Kenneth Johnson (Incumbent)
vs.
Enrique Lazaro Yabor

This afternoon, attorney Enrique "Rick" Yabor filed to run against Judge Johnson. Mr. Yabor has been an attorney for 12 years. According to his website, he was an ASA and tried over 200 trials. He specializes in: Business Law & Litigation, Real Estate Litigation, Construction Contracts and Litigation, Bankruptcy, Family Law, Employment Litigation, and White-Collar Crimes. (www.yaborlaw.com ).

Judge Johnson was appointed to the bench as one of Governor Charlie Crist's last appointments in December of 2010 after serving as an ASA for 22 years. Judge Johnson has smacked down $140k of his own money as a loan to the campaign.

Group 27:

Ivonne Cuesta
vs.
Jacci Suzan Seskin

In late December, ASA Jacci Seskin filed to run against APD Ivonne Cuesta. Mrs. Seskin had a previous career as a RN for 25 years before attending law school. She has been an attorney for eight years. She apparently worked at both the Public Defender's Office and now, the State Attorney's Office. Mrs. Seskin, who is married to a doctor, plucked down $150k of her own money as a loan to the campaign.

Ms. Cuesta has only $7,000 in her bank account (of which $5,200 is a loan to her campaign).

Group 20

Michelle Alvarez Barakat
vs.
Fleur Jeannine Lobree
vs.
William Pena Wells

I have previously posted on this race.

Group 28

Tanya Brinkley
vs.
Nobody

Ms. Brinkley was up against attorney John Rodriguez until he switched to Group 33.

Group 33

John Rodriguez
vs.
Nobody

Filing deadline still four months away. No changes in Circuit Court races.


CAPTAIN OUT ..............