GOV. DESANTIS TO NAME (maybe) NEWEST FLA. SUPREME COURT JUSTICE .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

GOVERNOR NAMES JUDGE JAMIE GROSSHANS

Grosshans serves as a judge on the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach. She was an assistant state attorney in Orlando before going into private practice and then becoming a judge. In private practice she specialized in family law, including divorce, custody cases, and adoptions. She got her law degree from the University of Mississippi. She is a member of the Federalist Society.

Grosshans has been a member of The Florida Bar for less than 14 years. She began her legal career as an ASA in Orange County where she worked for one year. She spent nearly ten years in private practice running her own law firm which specialized in family law and criminal defense. She was appointed to the County Court bench in 2017 at the age of 38 by then Governor Rick Scott.  In 2018, Scott elevated Judge Grosshans to the 5th DCA. So, in just three years, Judge Grosshans has risen from the County Court bench all the way to the Florida Supreme Court.

=============================================


TAKE YOUR WRIT OF MANDAMUS AND SHOVE IT WHERE .....


Well, that’s not an exact quote from the esteemed Harvard educated, Trump-loving, Governor DeSantis, but it might as well have been.

BREAKING UPDATE:

The Florida Supreme Court has now officially entered their WRIT OF MANDAMUS ORDERING THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENT BY FIVE PM. The ORDER can be found here.

FURTHER BREAKING NEWS:

At 5 PM today, Governor DeSantis will hold a press conference in Tallahassee where he is expected to name our next justice.

To recap:

In November of 2019, Florida Supreme Court Justices Robert Luck and Barbara Lagoa both resigned and accepted appointments to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals. In December of 2019. the Florida Supreme Court JNC, they of the "if you are not a member of the Federalist Society" don’t bother to apply group, interviewed 32 candidates for the two open seats on the Supreme Court of Florida. Those candidates included several "qualified" persons of color including our own Judge William Thomas and Judge Daryl Trawick of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida.

On January 23, 2020, the JNC sent nine names to the Governor, only one of which was someone of color, and that person, Judge Renatha Thomas, was NOT qualified to sit on the Supreme Court of Florida.

Under the Florida Constitution, the words state that the Governor shall appoint a judge from the nominating list within 60 days of receiving the names. Well, Ron "call me the textual" Governor DeSantis, ignored the text of the Constitution and blew the March 23, 2020 deadline.

Finally, more than two months after the March 23 constitutionally prescribed (in words actually written in the Florida Constitution) deadline, the Governor "appointed" two replacements, John Couriel and Renatha Francis.

Of course, at the time of her "appointment", on May 26, 2020, Judge Francis was NOT qualified to serve by virtue of her not being a member of the Florida Bar for at least ten years. This requirement also appears, in words actually written, in the Florida Constitution.

In stepped elected Democratic state Rep. Geraldine Thompson from Windermere who filed suit in the Florida Supreme Court asking them to rule that Francis cannot sit on the court because she was not "qualified". After a hiccup in that lawsuit when Thompson had to file an Amended Complaint, the High Court finally ruled in Thompson’s favor. Five justices stated (Couriel did not participate in the decision) in a unanimous opinion that:

"The constitution’s 10-year Bar membership requirement and 60-day appointment deadline are bright-line textual mandates that impose rules rather than standards and prioritize certainty over discretion," the justices wrote. They continued: "To some, enforcing rules like these might seem needlessly formalistic when the result is to preclude the appointment of an otherwise qualified candidate. But "formalism," as Justice Scalia observed, "is what makes a government a government of laws and not of men."

They ordered DeSantis to name a justice from the list of seven remaining nominees by NOON today. Well, guess what, the Governor blew that deadline too.

In a comedy sketch right out of Saturday Night Live, the Governor’s legal team attempted to defend the "appointment" of Francis, by arguing that she was not actually appointed on May 26^th, but instead, the Governor was only making an "announcement". The Court mentioned that that argument was ludicrous and pointed to the Governor’s previous pleadings where they stated that she was "appointed" and even his Press Release which stated:

May 26, 2020 Press release from Governor DeSantis:

"Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Judge Renatha Francis to the Florida Supreme Court. Francis’ appointment fills the vacancy of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Robert Luck, who now serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit after being appointed by President Donald Trump."

So, what has the Governor done so far, instead of naming a replacement for Judge Luck.

DeSantis took his show to the road, and last Wednesday, in Miramar, he stood on the stage with several elected black mayors (all Democrats) and excoriated the Florida Supreme Court for denying the citizens of Florida the chance for him to make history by appointing a Jamaican black female to the high court. In what can only be described as out of this world, Judge/Justice/Judge Francis not only appeared on the stage, but she spoke at the rally. (There must be a few Judicial Canons against that activity).
 
YOUR NEWEST FLORIDA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, MAY OR MAY NOT BE NAMED AT SOME POINT TODAY .....

..... From the list of seven nominees remaining.

The remaining nominees are:

Judge Jonathan Gerber (Fourth District Court of Appeal)

Judge Jamie Grosshans (Fifth District Court of Appeal)

Judge Norma Lindsey (Third District Court of Appeal)

Judge Timothy Osterhaus (First District Court of Appeal)

Eliot Pedrosa (executive director, InterAmerican Development Bank)

Judge Lori Rowe (First District Court of Appeal)

Judge Meredith Sasso (Fifth District Court of Appeal)
 

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

WHAT LUCK

Justice Robert Luck is going back to being Judge Luck. From the Florida Supreme Court, he moves from Tallahassee to Atlanta where he will join the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, as Judge Luck. He was confirmed by the Senate Tuesday 64-31. 
Up for confirmation Wednesday is Justice (soon to be Judge) Barbara Lagoa. She is also headed to Atlanta. Perhaps they could split a moving van? 

Forever moving on up...

GOVERNOR DESANTIS TO NAME TWO NEW THIRD DCA JUDGES TODAY AT 2:00 PM

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

YOUR TWO NEWEST 3^RD DCA JUDGES .....

ARE:

JUDGE MONICA GORDO
Judge Gordo has been a member of The Florida Bar since 1999. She spent 11 years at the State Attorney's Office before getting elected to the Circuit Court bench in 2010 besting Robert Kuntz.  She was reelected in 2016 without opposition.

FLEUR LOBREE
Three times a charm.  Appointed to the County bench in 2011 by Governor Scott, she lost in her election to Michelle Alvarez Barakat in 2012 (71% to 29%).  Appointed again by Scott to the Circuit Court bench in 2013, she lost in her bid to hold that seat, in 2014, to Mavel Ruiz (54% to 46%).  She has spent most of her career as an appellate attorney at the State Attorney's office in Miami.

Will be announced today at a press conference at 2:00 PM when Governor DeSantis will personally introduce the two newest appointments at the Alan Schwartz Atrium at the Third District Court of Appeal.

Our sources are buzzing. They first alerted us to the fact that, on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Tallahassee, Governor Scott’s Legal Counsel interviewed the nine finalists to replace Justices Barbara Lagoa and Robert Luck who were both elevated to the Florida Supreme Court. Those interviewed included:

Hon. Monica Gordo
Christopher Johnson
Hon. Timothy Koenig
Fleur Lobree
Oren Rosenthal
Eduardo Sanchez
Ann St. Peter Griffith
Hon. Daryl Trawick
Hon. Lisa Walsh

Now our sources have confirmed the surprise Press Conference later today.

The two newest jurists will join freshly appointed 3^rd DCA Judges Eric Hendon and Bronwyn Miller who were both appointed by Governor Scott on his way out the door in late December of 2018.

COUNTY COURT

SO, YOU WANT TO BE A COUNTY COURT JUDGE .......

On March 27, 2019, Governor DeSantis named Judges Michelle Alvarez Barakat and Tanya Brinkley to the Circuit Court (replacing Judges Hendon & Miller - see above). With those two appointments, that opened up two seats on the County Court.

The 11^th Judicial Circuit JNC will interview 19 attorneys and then send up to 12 names to Governor DeSantis. A total of 27 attorneys applied to the JNC, but eight failed to make the cut. Those scheduled for an interview on Monday, April 29^th include:

　
8:00 a.m. Karl S. Brown
8:10 a.m. Miguel J. Chamorro
8:20 a.m. Ritamaria Gonzalez Cuervo
8:30 a.m. Elsa Maria Fernandez
8:40 a.m. Blanca Torrents Greenwood
8:50 a.m. Peter S. Heller
9:00 a.m. Zachary N. James
9:10 a.m. Scott M. Janowitz
9:20 a.m. Jeffrey M. Kolokoff
9:40 a.m. Gale Lewis
10:30 a.m. Arya Attari Li
10:40 a.m. Steven Lieberman
10:50 a.m. Jonathan Meltz
11:00 a.m. Griska Mena
11:10 a.m. Julie Harris Nelson
11:20 a.m. Christopher Pracitto
11:40 a.m. Kayla Riera-Gomez
11:50 a.m. Melissa Roca Shaw
12:00 p.m. Stephanie Silver


NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL .......

The Florida Legislature has been in session since March 5^th and they are scheduled to adjourn sini die on May 3^rd. Several bills have passed both the House and the Senate and have been sent to Govenor DeSantis’ desk for his signature. This week, DeSantis received Senate Bill 96, which amends, among other things, F.S. 843.19: the injuring, disabling or killing of a police, fire, or SAR canine or police horse. Those crimes would go from a third degree felony to a second degree felony if DeSantis signs the bill into law.
　
CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

SO, YOU WANT TO BE AN ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY/ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDER .....

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

TIME TO DISCUSS A REAL PROBLEM IN THE JUSTICE BUILDING .......

(BREAKING - 3rd DCA Grants Writ of Cert in State v. Wong, 3D19-169; issue is - 6 or 12 person jury for capital murder trial before Judge Blumstein. See the Comments Section for more on this story).

An article in the January 11^th edition of  THE FLORIDA BAR NEWS addresses a critical problem in our justice system. One in five Assistant State Attorneys and one in five Assistant Public Defenders left their jobs last year.

In Florida, the average starting salary for an ASA or APD is $41,700. By comparison, in neighboring Georgia, the average is $56,286; in North Carolina it’s $53,000; and in California, they start prosecutors and public defenders at a salary of $92,000.

State Attorney Dave Aronberg of the 15^th Judicial Circuit (Palm Beach) stated that front line prosecutors and public defenders are leaving government service at such a fast rate that it is becoming an issue of public safety. "Many times, you will have a young prosecutor making $42,000, who is sitting at a table discussing a case with a first-year cop from Boca Raton, who is making $62,000 a year," Aronberg said. "And this is someone with seven years of education and six figures of education debt." The problem is, "once they get to be three- to five-year lawyers, and they’ve had about 50 or more trials, [his ASAs] are very attractive to private law firms who will pay them a lot more."

Buddy Jacobs, from the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association, described the situation this way: "There are two kinds of prosecutors in Florida, those leaving . . . and those looking."

Aaronberg suggested that, according to a TaxWatch study, "raising salaries for assistant state attorneys and assistant public defenders would actually save taxpayers money in the long run."

So, what say you, our readers who work in the pits everyday? Is there a problem? What can WE do about it?

IN OTHER NEWS:

SO, YOU WANT TO BE A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE .....

The 11^th Circuit JNC received a total of 22 applications from those wanting to replace Judges Eric Hendon and Bronwyn Miller who both now sit on the 3^rd DCA. The Commission narrowed the list to 18 that will be interviewed on February 15^th. They include:

9:00 a.m. William I. Altfield
9:10 a.m. Rebecca Valentina Aroca
9:20 a.m. Michelle Alvarez Barakat
9:30 a.m. Jason Bloch
9:40 a.m. Tanya Brinkley
9:50 a.m. Michelle A. Delancy
10:30 a.m. Ivy R. Ginsberg
10:40 a.m. Blanca Torrents Greenwood
10:50 a.m. Peter Heller
11:00 a.m. Scott M. Janowitz
11:10 a.m. Zachary N. James
11:20 a.m. Jeffrey M. Kolokoff
12:00 p.m. Steven Lieberman
12:10 p.m. Joseph J. Mansfield
12:20 p.m. Griska Mena
12:30 p.m. Julie Harris Nelson
12:40 p.m. Kayla A. Riera-Gomez
12:50 p.m. Abbe S. Rifkin

(Those who did not make the cut: Carmen R. Cabarga, Robyn J. Cohen (McCarthy), Tahya Fuenmayor, Gustavo Javier Losa).

SPEAKING OF THE 3^RD DCA .....

You still have time to apply to the 3^rd DCA JNC if you want to become an appellate court judge. There are two open seats on the 3^rd DCA resulting from the elevations of Justice Barbara Lagoa and Justice Robert J. Luck to the Florida Supreme Court.

The deadline to submit your application is Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

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

GOVERNOR DESANTIS APPOINTS SECOND SUPREME COURT JUSTICE .....

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

BREAKING NEWS .......
(More Breaking News on the 3rd DCA below).

JUDGE ROBERT LUCK APPOINTED TO FLORIDA SUPREME COURT:

A few minutes ago, before a large crowd of friends and family gathered at the Scheck Hillel Community School in Aventura, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the second of three Supreme Court appointments. Last week he stood at The Freedom Tower and appointed 3^rd DCA Judge Barabar Lagoa to the court to replace Justice Fred Lewis. That seat was reserved for someone who was a resident of the state’s Third Appellate District. Today, Gov. DeSantis’ selection is for one of the two remaining "at large" seats.

Judge Robert Luck graduated from North Miami Beach High School and he still lives in the area with his wife and two children. He graduated from UF undergrad (BA, 2000) and UF Law in 2004; (Editor in Chief of the Law Review). He then clerked for Chief Judge Ed Carnes of the 11^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals before joining Greenberg Traurig where he worked in their appellate section. In 2008 he became an AUSA, and he was assigned to the Appeals, Major Crimes, and Economic Crimes Sections, spending five years there. In 2013, Gov. Scott appointed him to the Circuit Court. He won a full six year term in 2016 when he defeated Yolly Roberson (54% - 46%). He spent a total of four years on the Circuit Court bench presiding in the Criminal, Civil, and Appellate Divisions. In March of 2017, Scott elevated him to the 3^rd DCA. Justice Luck completes his meteoric rise in the Florida state court system with his appointment to the state’s highest court.

For anyone that has ever applied to the judiciary in the State of Florida, you know that the application asks you to describe "significant cases" you have handled in your career (as a lawyer or on the bench). In Luck's application,  he described what happened to him during a 2015 hearing concerning the prosecution of a defendant charged with Battery of a person over the age of 65:

" ... the defendant rushed up from his seat and jumped at me. He and I tumbled down the steps of the bench, and as I was laying on the floor, (he) was on top of me, punching my head. "My bailiff eventually ripped (him) off of me. I got up, dusted off my robe, fixed my chair, which had been knocked down, took my place on the bench, and dictated what had happened into the record. I then entered an order recusing myself from the case.

Despite the bleeding and bruising, I declined medical attention and refused to file a worker’s compensation claim. Hearing about the incident in Tallahassee, then-Chief Justice Jorge Labarga wrote me this note: ‘I want to commend you for the professionalism you displayed in handling what must have been a very disturbing situation. Your coolness and understanding was exemplary."

In Luck’s remarks today, he closed with a Jewish prayer and stated that he hoped that pray would guide him for the next 35 years on the bench; Luck is only 39 years old and with the constitutional amendment passing in 2018 allowing judges to serve until age 75, that would be possible.

Gov. DeSantis has one remaining appointment on the high court, and that name will come from one of the other nine JNC nominees that include:

Couriel, John Daniel,
Gerber, Jonathan D.,
Grosshans, Jamie Rutland,
Kuntz, Jeffrey T.,
Kyle, Bruce,
Muñiz, Carlos Genaro
Osterhaus, Timothy D.
Salario, Samuel J., Jr.
Singhal, Anuraag

THIRD DCA .......

Updating my post in the Comments section from last week concerning the subject, on Thursday, January 10, 2019, 3rd DCA Judge Kevin Emas was unanimously elected as Chief Judge of the 3rd, replacing Justice Barbara Lagoa, who had taken over as the Chief on January 1, 2019. Lagoa was named to the Florida Supreme Court by Gov. DeSantis on January 8th.  With the naming of Judge Luck today, the 3rd DCA now has two new open seats. We expect the JNC to announce their request for Applications shortly.  Judge Emas began his career on the bench in 1996 with his appointment by Gov. Chiles to the County Court bench. In 2001, Gov. Bush appointed Emas to the Circuit Court.  Finally, in 2010, Gov. Crist appointed Judge Emas to his current seat on the 3rd DCA.  Emas will serve as Chief Judge until June 30, 2021. Judge Ivan Fernandez becomes the Chief-Judge Elect.

(Our apologies for Rumpole for posting over his Monday morning post entitled "Gavels Up", which you can read just below this post).

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

　

CONGRATS TO JUDGE ROBERT LUCK

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

AND YOUR NEWEST 3^RD DCA JUDGE IS .....

JUDGE ROBERT LUCK***

Judge Luck, age 37, earned a raise today. $8,000 to be exact. You see the salary of a Circuit Court Judge is $146,000 while a Judge on the 3^rd gets paid $154,000. $8,000 bucks and no more daily calendars; pretty good gig if you ask me. Oh yeah, and the raise also comes with a lifetime appointment; almost forgot about that.

Seriously, Judge Luck is so well deserving of this appointment. He has two degrees from the University of Florida Gators. He clerked for Judge Ed Carnes of the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. He even worked for that venerable boutique law firm Greenberg Traurig from 2005-2006. He then joined the U.S. Attorney's Office where he worked for almost seven years.

Then, in 2013, at the ripe old age of 33, Governor Scott appointed Luck to the Circuit Court bench. See our coverage here.
  
Luck faced the voters this past summer for the first time and drew opposition from ex state legislator Yolly Roberson. He defeated Roberson 54% to 46%. It appears now that that will have been his one and only election.

Judge Luck has spent the past three and one half years assigned to both the Criminal Division as well as the General Jurisdiction Division (Civil). While many criticized Scott for appointing a 33 year old to an open seat on the Circuit Court, Luck has generally been well received in both the Criminal and Civil Divisions by attorneys on both sides of the isle.

The appointment of Luck opens a seat on the Circuit bench that will be named by Scott sometime in May of 2017.

***As predicted earlier today by lead scribe of this Blog, Horace Rumpole and his crystal ball.

IN OTHER 3^RD DCA NEWS TODAY .....

3rd DCA Judge Linda Ann Wells has announced her retirement. She has aged out and Gov Scott will name her replacement. So, it looks like one of the names not chosen today by the Gov to replace retiring Judge Frank Shepherd will have a second shot and that should happen in the next few months; ARE YOU LISTENING JUDGES Browyn Miller and Norma Lindsey, along with attorneys Fleur Lobree, John Greco, and Oren Rosenthal.

The 3rd DCA currently has a makeup of ten judges:

Richard J. Suarez, Chief Judge
Linda Ann Wells
Frank A. Shepherd
Leslie B. Rothenberg
Barbara Lagoa
Vance E. Salter
Kevin Emas
Ivan F. Fernandez
Thomas Logue
Edwin A. Scales, III

With the departure of Shepherd and Wells, once their two replacements are named (Luck and ?), Gov Scott will have named 50% of the sitting judges including Judges Fernandez, Logue, Scales, Luck and Judge Wells replacement. Scott's second four year term as Governor ends on January 3, 2019 and he is widely expected to run against Senator Bill Nelson in the Fall 2018 election.

Also, 3rd DCA Judge Salter turns 70 years old in 2018; Judge Rothenberg turns 70, I believe, in 2019 (not completely sure). So, there is a real chance that Scott could have at least two more appointments to the 3^rd before he leaves office.

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

TOUGH LUCK

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

TOUGH LUCK .....................

And no we are not speaking about tonight's Monday night football game between the Colts (and their starting QB Andrew Luck) against the New York J-E-T-S.

Last week, as one of our readers pointed out in the Comments section, Circuit Court Judge Robert Luck, a Scott appointee, drew opposition for the 2016 election.

In September of 2013, Governor Rick Scott appointed prosecutor Robert Luck to an open seat on the Circuit Court.  Judge Luck was assigned to the Criminal Division and has been there for two years.  Luck began his legal career serving as a law clerk for Judge Ed Carnes, on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, (2004-05, 2006-2008).  He spent one year in the appellate division of Greenberg, Traurig from 2005-06.  He joined the US Attorneys Office in Miami in 2008.  He then spent five years serving as an AUSA, (trying 19 jury trials), before being tapped by Gov. Scott.

Little known fact about Judge Luck - he co-authored a book entitled The Facts and only The Facts, in Race to Injustice: Lessons Learned From the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case.

By all accounts, the reviews on Judge Luck have been very good.

Enter Yolly Roberson.  Ms. Roberson filed to run against Judge Luck in the upcoming 2016 election.  This will be Judge's Luck first appearance on a ballot.  Not so for Ms. Roberson who has appeared on at least five ballots.  Yolly Roberson first won election to the Florida State House in 2002 and served four terms, getting re-elected in 2004, '06, and '08.  She was term limited and completed her eight years serving in the House in 2010.   She served as Democratic Whip from 2004 to 2006.

Ms. Roberson was born in Haiti in 1955.  She emigrated to the United States and went to college and earned a degree in Nursing in 1983.  Five years later she earned her JD from the New England School of Law.  She worked for the Public Defender's Office in Boston before moving to South Florida and becoming an Attorney for the City of Fort Lauderdale.  According to The Florida Bar, Ms. Roberson became a member in 1991 and currently runs a solo practice out of an office in North Miami.

Back in 2010, when Kenrick Meek decided to run for the U.S. Senate (against Independent candidate Charlie Crist and eventual winner Marco Rubio), that opened up Meek's U.S. House seat in House District 17.  Ten candidates filed to run in District 17.  You may remember that election, because one of the ten, criminal defense lawyer Rod Vereen, entered the race as an Independent.  Yolly Roberson was one of the nine Democrats who sought to win the Dems primary.  That primary election was eventually won by Frederica Wilson who then went on to defeat Vereen in the general election.

Little know fact about that 2010 House primary contest: one of Roberson's eight opponents in the primary election was her ex-husband, Phillip Brutus.

The Luck v. Roberson contest in Group 66 is one of five current contested judicial election set for 2016.

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

Rumpole adds: Nice post Captain. 

We wholeheartedly support Judge Luck. Stop by his court and watch him. He is all you want in a judge. 

Second: A little Monday morning trivia. Roberson previously ran for judge. But she didn't win or lose.  1) What happened? 2) Her actions in that first race have a current impact on the judiciary. How so? 

See you in court. With the loss by the Ravens and Fins the survivor pool is decimated. Anyone want a B pool? start next week, play to the end, play the winner of the A pool? Email us at the FBpool12 address and let us know. 

TOUGH LUCK

It's a long way from the hallowed halls of clerking for a federal judge and the appellate division of the US Attorneys Office to the rough and tumble of the REGJB.  

Some people can take the rough and tumble and others crumble and flee for civil court or a quiet practice in a big firm. 

Judge Luck earned his stripes On Thursday when a mentally ill defendant attacked him and gave him a scratch and a lump on the back of the head. 

Tough Luck. 

Ricardo Garganelly. Unlucky. Attacked Judge Luck. 

The Herald and Ovalle have the article here. 

After the attack, Luck went to the sidelines where the trainer gave him some smelling salts, cleaned him up and then the Judge re-took the bench. Luck is tough. But tough in a good way.  We're glad the judge is OK. He's been on the bench a while now, and in fact he has a  campaign website up and running here  for his retention which we heartily endorse.  But you're never really an REGB judge until you've ducked a few punches or some contraband thrown at you while you're on the bench.  Well done judge. Well done indeed- and we're glad you're ok. 

Enjoy the long weekend. 

ROBERT LUCK APPOINTED TO CIRCUIT COURT

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

AND YOUR NEW CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE IS .....

ROBERT LUCK

He did not choose Assistant County Attorney Jason Bloch or Judge DJ Cannava or Judge Wendell Graham or Assistant Federal PD Ayana Harris.

He chose a 33 year old AUSA who has been practicing law for eight years. Luck clerked for Federal Judge Ed Carnes of the Eleventh US Court of Appeals. He then worked for Greenberg Traurig for a year before moving to the US Attorneys Office. He has been there since 2006.

Luck is a Gator having attended UF for both Undergrad and Law School.

Captain Out .....

Rumpole says:And a source none other than everyone's favourite federal blogger, DOM, says Mr. Luck is a good guy and will make a good judge. 

Welcome to the party Judge Luck. 

See You In Court.