FLORIDA SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES FIVE MIAMI-DADE JUDGES .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT SPEAKS .......

INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE NO. 18-572
RE: CINDY LEDERMAN, MARCIA CABALLERO,
ROSA FIGAROLA, TERESA POOLER, MAVEL RUIZ.

"In this case, we review the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) concerning Judge Cindy Lederman, Judge Marcia Caballero, Judge Rosa Figarola, Judge Teresa Pooler, and Judge Mavel Ruiz (the respondents). We further review the stipulation entered into between the respondents and the JQC. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 12, Fla. Const.

As we explain below (see attached ORDER), we approve the parties’ stipulation that during a competitive procurement process, the respondents improperly submitted a letter to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), encouraging DCF to award a contract to a particular vendor. Moreover, we approve the JQC’s finding that this misconduct violated Canons 1, 2, and 4 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, and we also approve the stipulated discipline of a written reprimand via publication of this written opinion."

YOUR TWO NEWEST JUSTICES OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT .....

Will have to wait. Governor DeSantis, according to the Florida Constitution, had 60 days to appoint two justices from the nine names as recommended by the FSC JNC as the result of the resignations of Justice Barbara Lagoa and Justice Robert Luck. One of the two named must reside in the 3^rd DCA (noted by the *). The deadline to name the two justices was on Monday, March 23, 2020. Governor DeSantis has announced that he is just a little bit busy with more important matters and the court is functioning just fine with its five current justices. Here are the finalists:

*John Couriel

Renatha Francis
Jonathan Gerber
Jamie Grosshans
*Norma Lindsey
Timothy Osterhaus
*Eliot Pedrosa
Lori Rowe
Meredith Sasso

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

Meanwhile, the JNC for our local 11^th Judicial Circuit did go ahead and interview by telephone conference last Thursday all 16 applicants for the two open Circuit Court seats resulting from the retirements of Judges Jacqueline Hogan Scola and John Schlesinger. The 12 names sent to Governor DeSantis include:

Jason Bloch

Raul Antonio Cuervo
Christopher Green
Kevin Hellmann
Chiaka Ihekwaba
Zachary James
Scott Janowitz
Lody Jean
Joseph Mansfield
Marie Elizabeth Mato
Melissa Damian Visconti
Craig Weissberg


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

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE NOMINEES .....

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

AND YOUR NEXT TWO FLORIDA SUPREME COURT JUSTICES .....

Will come from the list below. Nine names were sent to Governor DeSantis last week. Six of the nominees are currently on the bench. Four of the nominees are under age 40. The Governor must choose one of the three names that are residents from the 3^rd DCA (noted by the asterisk) while the second is an at-large appointment. The following are the nominees to fill the two vacancies created by the resignations of Justice Barbara Lagoa and Justice Robert Luck:

*John Couriel - (currently with Kobre & Kim). Member of The Florida Bar for 15 years and former AUSA.

Judge Renatha Francis - (County Court 2017 - Rick Scott; Circuit Court Miami-Dade County 2018 - Rick Scott; Circuit Court Palm Beach County 2019 - Ron DeSantis). Member of The Florida Bar for 9 years. *****

Judge Jonathan Gerber - (County Court 2002 - Jeb Bush; Circuit Court Palm Beach County 2004 - Jeb Bush; 4^th DCA 2009 - Charlie Crist). Member of The Florida Bar for 26 years and formerly with Shutts and Bowen before taking the bench.

Judge Jamie Grosshans - (County Court Orange County 2017 - Rick Scott; 5^th DCA 2018 - Rick Scott). Member of The Florida Bar for 13 years and former ASA.

*Judge Norma Lindsey - (County Court 2006 - Jeb Bush; Circuit Court 2011 - Rick Scott; 3^rd DCA 2017 - Rick Scott). Member of The Florida Bar for 26 years and formerly a commercial litigation attorney before taking the bench.

Judge Timothy Osterhaus - (1^st DCA 2013 - Rick Scott). Member of The Florida Bar for 21 years and formerly the Solicitor General of Florida.

*Eliot Pedrosa - (formerly with Greenberg Traurig for 19 years as Head of the Litigation Department; currently United States Executive Director Inter-American Development Bank). Member of The Florida Bar for 20 years.

Judge Lori Rowe - (1^st DCA 2009 - Charlie Crist); Member of The Florida Bar for 22 years and formerly Florida's Deputy Attorney General.

Meredith Sasso - (5^th DCA 2019 - Rick Scott); Member of The Florida Bar for 11 years and formerly Chief Deputy General Counsel to Rick Scott.

　
*****Florida’s Supreme Court has been without a black jurist since 2018, a gap that Gov. Ron DeSantis has been pressured to fill. There are two vacancies on the court, and the Judicial Nominating Commission has offered nine nominees, only one of whom is black. And there’s another problem: That nominee, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Renatha Francis, is technically unqualified. As The Palm Beach Post notes, the Florida Constitution requires justices on the high court be a member of the Florida Bar for 10 years. And Francis has not been a member of the bar — or a lawyer — for 10 years. She graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2010 and was admitted to the bar on Sep. 24 that year. If nominated by Gov. Ron DeSantis, she wouldn’t be able to serve until Sept. 24, 2020.

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

The Eleventh Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission is extending the deadline for applications to fill the vacancies in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit created by the elevation of Judges Christina DiRaimondo, Robert Watson and Ramiro Areces. The commission requests that interested candidates submit an application for consideration. Applicants must meet the qualifications for county court judges described in Article V, Section 8, of the Florida Constitution. Applicants must submit three copies of their application by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7.

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