JUDGE PATRICIA MARINO PEDRAZA SUES TO GET OPPONENT KICKED OFF BALLOT

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL .....  COUNTY COURT ... PATRICIA MARINO PEDRAZA FILES LAWSUIT ASKING COURT TO KICK CHALLENGER OFF BALLOT (from the DBR).

http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/PubArticleDBR.jsp?id=1202556158151&thepage=1

The DBR reports today that Rodolfo Pedraza, husband of County Court Judge Patricia "Marina" (the DBR spelled her name incorrectly) Pedraza, has filed a lawsuit against challenger (and Miami-Dade ASA) Frank Hernandez attempting to get him removed from the ballot this August.

For the Plaintiff: None other than Michael Catalano

For the Defense: JC Planas

The Judge:  Looks like the case was originally assigned to Judge Ellen Leesfield.  There is a Recusal listed on the Docket Sheet and it may have been reassigned to Judge Victoria Platzer.?

The issue: Whether Hernandez filed a complete and accurate financial disclosure form required of all judicial candidates.

According to Catalano:

Hernandez did not include his home mortgage as a liability when he filed the disclosure form.  County records show that there are two mortgages totaling $250,000 on Hernandez's home.

According to Planas:   

Candidate Hernandez and his wife, Jodi, are listed on the warranty deed on the home, and both signed the mortgages. But Hernandez isn't on the mortgage note and therefore didn't have to list the mortgages as liabilities.  Planas called the lawsuit "frivolous" and has filed a Motion to Dismiss set to be heard this Friday.

Pedraza's attorney, Michael Catalano, has also demanded that Hernandez turn over copies of his bank statement on the day he filed the disclosure form.  The challenger did not list any bank accounts on his original form.



CAPTAIN OUT .....
captain4justice@gmail.com