Philip Carlton Has Passed Away

There was a time (not that long ago) when the REGJB was populated by southern gentlemen lawyers. They wore hats and seersucker suits and highly polished shoes, Their manner was courtly, befitting the times.  Life was slower, and there were giants in the courthouse. We stand on their shoulders and we rest in the shade of the oak trees from the acorns they planted. 

Philip Carlton was such a lawyer. He was high polished. A showman in trial. A man of his word always. An accomplished litigator, a true gentleman. He mentored the lawyers who mentored the lawyers who are currently mentoring the crop of lawyers and judges we have now.   When you got in trouble in Miami in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's, Phil Carlton was at the top of the list of lawyers to call. He passed away this week at the age of 89. 

His obituary is here. What we did not know until recently is that from 2000 until shortly before his death he was a voluntary Chaplain  at Everglades Correctional Institute. That tells you all you need to know about the man. 

Here are some of the comments on FACDL

I don't usually chime in, but Phil was a class act.  For those that never saw him in action, you will never know what you missed.  For those that did, you always learned something.  Always a civil, polite gentleman, and a damn good lawyer.  Something we need more of, not less.  Thanks to Sky for the sad information.

Jim Woodard

I, too, join in with the tributes for Phil Carlton.  Back in the 70's when I was just a new, fresh, and green prosecutor, Phil was already a legend.  What giants of our profession walked those hallways during those years.  He was always a charming, Southern gentleman, but inside that courtroom he was one tough litigator.  Rest in peace old friend. 
Ted Mastos 

He had a commanding presence with a flair for drama. We all learned from him. 
Mel Black 

One of my fondest memories as a very young prosecutor was trying a case against Mr. Carlton (as I called him then) and his son also named Phil. I remember telling Judge Moreno he should get judge Phil Knight to do the trial. 

Phil Carlton  was from a different era. He was a true southern gentleman trial lawyer from a time when Miami was a small southern town. He was polite and friendly and sneaky good as a litigator. I was always happy to see him on the other side because I knew the case would be a challenge in the best sense of the word  From time to time over the years I’ve often wondered where he and his son were. 

May he Rest In Peace. 

Phil Reizenstein 

Phil was a Justice Building fixture during my early practice days jumping from courtroom to courtroom there every day. He mentored many of our contemporary friends and was a lawyer who had the respect of the renowned  and notorious judges of the era such as Paul Baker, Al Sepe and Maximum Ellen Morphonios, legends all.
“Those were the days my friends, we thought they’d never end.” Phil was part of the fabric of those times.
Ed Shohat 

Phil Carlton was a great lawyer. He earned the respect of all who went up against him. As a young prosecutor, I learned an awful lot in the courtroom while going against him. Rest in Peace

s/ Jose M.  Quiñon

Back in the mid-1970s when I was in high school I was in the court observer program. There was a major trial taking place in courtroom 4-1 and Phil was the lawyer for the accused, Sanford Bronstein. If I remember one particular thing about him it was his courtroom presence. He commanded that trial like very few lawyers I have ever seen. When I became a public defender and met him I told him about my recollection of him and he was genuinely moved. To echo the sentiments that have been shared, he was a true gentleman and the epitome of our profession.  May his memory be for a blessing. 

Barry Wax