CHIEF JUDGE DALE ROSS DOES IT AGAIN
MAYO: Chief judge's shtick not the example courthouse needs
Published February 11, 2007ARTICLE SUN-SENTINEL
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-mayocol11feb11,0,6894211.column?coll=sfla-news-col
CLICK ON LINK TO SEE COMMENTS BAOUT ARTICLE
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/south-florida-sun-sentinel/TCHBACRT29C4AN7GM
Tghanks to all of Browards judges for electing this guy to another 2 years as Chief Judge. Please help us Tallahassee. He turns us all into a laughingstock.
Why is Mayo surprised by his actions? This blog and other attorneys have been complaining about him for years. They should investigate his hold on power and the way he uses the duties of Chief Judge to take care of hjis friends and family.
Funny, Pd's office nor JAAB never cried to the press when Judge Seidman was being obnoxious to ASA's, PD'S, Defense Attorneys, Defendant's and Victims on a daily basis.
Where was the PD's office or JAAB when this Judge was setting bonds, at times for first offenders, for misdemeanors in excess of 100k.
Where was the PD's office or JAAB when Defendants would show up minutes late and were handcuffed to a chair and given the option to plea now or go to jail and maybe get a bond later?
Where was the PD when on numerous occasions Victims would come to court to lift a no contact order with their spouse only to be asked how did he/she get to court and they say the person they are trying to have contact with only to then watch that person go to jail.
Hmmmmmm, this all wasnt overlooked because Seidman is anti-Ross as is Help Me Howard and JAAB.
JAAB be honest, your group is not better then anyone else, you suffer from favortism and cronyism.
At least Judge Ross had the sense to get Seidman out of DV and put him in Small Claims where he can hurt anyone.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT A FORMER DRUG ADDICT, ALCOHOLIC AND ELECTED PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS BECOME THE MORAL COMPASS OF Florida. WHAT A COMPLETE HYPOCRITE. FURTHERMORE, HE AND THE OTHER PDS RECENTLY VOTED TO TAKE OVER THE CRIMINAL CONFLICT CASES WHICH WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO THE PRIVATE BAR. I HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO LOBBY FOR THE BACDL ON THIS ISSUE AND WILL BE IN TALLAHASSEE NEXT WEEK. ALL PRIVATE ATTORNEYS DOING CRIMINAL CONFLICTS SHOULD RESIST THIS PD EMPIRE BUILDING PLAN - THE PDS THINK THEY CAN DO THE CONFLICTS BETTER AND CHEAPER THAN THE PRIVATE BAR - YOU ALL KNOW BETTER AS THE BROWARD PD HAS TURNOVER OF NEARLY 40% AND 2 YEAR ATTORNEYS HANDLING 100 MAJOR CASES. HOW CAN THE PD HANDLE CONFLICT CASES WHEN THEY CANT HANDLE THEIR PRESENT CASELOAD? DOES THE LEGISLATURE CARE? NOT REALLY.
KEEP THE FAITH, I WILL SAVE YOU, ALAN H SCHREIBER
I find it hard to believe the above is really from Al. Its hard to belive he would say something like this in public even if up deep down he believes its true. If this is not really Al, ring the bell, as JAABlog has hit a new low.
It's only expected that you would doubt that Al posted this? Unlike certain bloggers (ie: Mike Ahearn, Brian Simon, Ivashuck), there are still some who have the guts to speak the truth and aren't compromised by endless attempts at pathetic "butt" kissing. "Help me Howard" has destroyed the Public Defender's Office in more ways than one & still refuses to acknowledge this fact. Finally, someone put that HYPOCRITE (to say the least)in his place!
Realist,
First and foremost I have to thank you, this blog has been a little slow and boring the last week or so, thanks for the post.
Is it not ironic to be called out as someone who has no guts but someone who does not have the balls to put their name on a post?
I never worked at the PD's office I have no feelings one way or another for Al or Howard. I dare you to find a post on here where I have "kissed ass" on Howard. I was critical on here about the treatment or lack there of the homeless guy who was in jail during the holidays. I questioned Don and the PD's office in the handling of the Judge Holmes matter.
My point in questioning whether Al wrote this or not is whether or not he would go as far as to dredge up Howard past problmes in such a venemous way. If he did write it so be it, certainly his right to say what he wants.
If expressing my opinion in support of Dale Ross, Stacy Ross, and others makes me a kiss ass then that is your opinion. Don and others have said that about me before, oh well.
As for my friends Brian and Jeff, while they certainly dont need me to defend them I will say I have never seen anything in their writings to suggest they kiss howards ass.
Now Realist, why dont you go get your shine box and dont come back until you have the balls to put your real name on a post before you try to call out myself, Brian and Jeff.
Mike's off base on that call. To me it sounds like 100% vintage Al Schreiber.
Dear Loser,
He shouldn't "dredge up his past problems in such a venomous way"!! Who mentioned anything about "past problems"? Obviously, you are clueless when it comes to "Help me Howie".
Maybe you shouldn't comment on matters you know nothing about.
Good job trying to stick up for your "friends". You don't consider Brian Simon a kiss ass, yeah,...and the turnover rate @ the PD's office is perfectly normal,... and Iraq had WMD's...
I thought I told you not to come back here without your shine box and to post your real name.
Umm the post started with
" CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT A FORMER DRUG ADDICT, ALCOHOLIC AND ELECTED PUBLIC DEFENDER HAS BECOME THE MORAL COMPASS OF Florida"
Guess that is not a reference to past problems. Sorry my bad.
You are so strong in your opinions you should post your name.
Finally, if you are what would be classified as a "winner" then I will gladly let you call me a loser.
Do yourself a service and watch the video on the web.
As a professional, I take exception to playing Monday morning quarterback.
During any of those “unnecessary and mean” comments that Ms. Blanford felt were “mocking and bullying of those who speak Spanish” – were any objections made. Conduct as egregious as this surely would have caused even the sleepiest of attorney to rise up and interject.
How one can, after the fact, complain about conduct they witnessed and were part of – shocks me. Didn’t she interject that it was classical music, maybe Brahms.
If you look close enough – she may even be laughing.
“It wasn’t funny” - you sure?
Who cares who wrote it! finaly the trueth that Howard has single handedly(actually he had alot of help from Kathrine) screwed up office that was once a very sought after place to work. For two years Howard went off on how bad Al ran the place. This is the sme person who gave him a job as an investigator after he was arreted and disbared. The trueth is Howard had alot of say in what went on when Al was there. The bad blood started over a PD who Al fired b/c she was an embarisment and potential liability to the office, Howard swore by her and now we all know who was right on that call. Howard didnt like that Al gave cases to PDs when they left the office, any one of us(who actually have cases) would love for him to give away some cases so we can actually work on the ones we have. Howard didnt like that Al gave jobs to people out of loyalty or favoritism, can anyone tell me what Ron Dallas Does other than be Howard's ex law partner. And I am cant wait to see if Kathy's husband gets a job with the office after his investigation is over and do you think it will be at the base salary? Maybe Al wasnt so off on how he ran the office. Howard lost more employees in two years than Al did in 27.
Who cares who wrote it! finaly the trueth that Howard has single handedly(actually he had alot of help from Kathrine) screwed up the office that was once a very sought after place to work. For two years Howard went off on how bad Al ran the place. This is the sme person who gave him a job as an investigator after he was arreted and disbared. The trueth is Howard had alot of say in what went on when Al was there. The bad blood started over a PD who Al fired b/c she was an embarisment and potential liability to the office, Howard swore by her and now we all know who was right on that call. Howard didnt like that Al gave cases to PDs when they left the office, any one of us(who actually have cases) would love for him to give away some cases so we can actually work on the ones we have. Howard didnt like that Al gave jobs to people out of loyalty or favoritism, can anyone tell me what Ron Dallas Does other than be Howard's ex law partner. And I am cant wait to see if Kathy's husband gets a job with the office after his investigation is over and do you think it will be at the base salary? Maybe Al wasnt so off on how he ran the office. Howard lost more employees in two years than Al did in 27.
Mike, I dont know if for sure Al wrote this or not, but it sounds like vintage Al. I have known Bossman for 16 years, as Dale Ross, commissioners and others know, he is not afraid to speak his mind. One thing that Al has always told me, all press is good press. You may not have been around for some of the more colorful quotes.
I dont know about you, but our office will always be Al's office! We need to get him back at the helm- let Howard work on getting people their rebates and roofs fixed.
So much for one weekend off!
It’s always nice to get called out by a philosophical theory (Realist). Nothing like sniper fire when I’m not even in the jungle.
For all who have posted anonymously, I congratulate you. Yes, even you Realist (although it sounds like someone’s got an axe to grind with me without courage to come and ask me about it privately). Not to mention Jeff and Mike.
The reason I congratulate you is because you are raising points that probably could not be raised without subjecting yourselves to public scrutiny. Anonymity, I am told, is severely frowned upon by Howard and a lot of others at the Office. Not to mention, the spyware that could be used to monitor APD activity or others. Hell, even JAAB writes anonymously. Also, I am fairly positive, that was vintage Al who wrote the comment. If not, who cares? Although if someone used his name w/o his permission that would be wrong.
I guess, if you advocate writing anonymously (the opposite of what Howard wants from what I am told) you must be considered kissing ass. Also, taking a very unpopular stance defending someone before nearly everyone came to their senses on that issue is bullocks too. Being the first to resign from this feux organization known as JAAB was my favorite ass kissing move. Better than BSO even. JAAB=blog with low postage rate masquerading as an organization dedicated to justice.
Ask around the office. Find out what happened after the initial lectures we heard. Despicable, reprehensible, intollerable, immoral, and the antithesis of right. Have fun group thinkers.
The debate is not about who is writing what as mentioned by someone going by their birth name. The point is the points. The reason I wrote the article about anonymity was to preserve the ability for the Public, APD’s, ASA’s, and Judges to write without public scrutiny. So issues concerning all effected by their employment situations could be raised without fear of retaliation by their employers or others.
It also gives you the gun to snipe with, which you obviously can only with cover. JAAB alluded to blowing someone's cover once in a thread. I don’t agree with that despite your misfire. So much for JAAB's belief in privacy or your freedom to write without fear of retribution. Wonder if that post will miraculously disappear.
Signed, Brian. get it?
What about the family law division where there are no prosecutors, public defenders? And therefore, no high profile newspaper articles. I have witnessed bias in Judge Susan Greenhawt's rulings and she has a bias against heterosexual men. The prejudice was so obvious and seems to be common knowlege amongst legal professionals. She has certain female lawyers that are "special friends" and get special treatment in her court.
She both verbally and nonverbally displays bias. She was rolling her eyes at the male attorney representing a male client and even turned her back on the attorney during presentation and had a conversation with her assistant. She dismissed legal documents as "hearsay" and made a statement at ruling that wasn't accurate. Maybe if she was listening during presentation she would have recognized this. The website www.courtforum has similar posts regarding judge greenhawt. She obviously doesn't like men, sees no purpose in their relationship as a father and favors certain female attorneys.
Why is this permitted? I contacted the JQC to see if similar complaints have been filed. I'm dumbfounded to find all complaints are "secret".
Why aren't judges held accountable? Why is this the only commission of government that is exempt from the sunshine laws?
Judge Greenhawt was appointed and not elected, she is unfair and bias. (Except for her "special female lawyer friends"). As a tax payer, I'm outraged. Does a common citizen have any recourse?
At the very least Judge Ross should rotate judges every two years so that bias such as this does not effect the same law abiding, tax paying, voting public!!!!!
Brian, there will be nothing removed, if there is, I will resign from JAAB. You knowme well enough that I mean what I say. I want you Brian and any other person out there either through annonimity or by real name to use this blog as a theatre to voice their opinion. Use it as a tool for forms, case law and any other information that can be assimilated. JAAB will be neutral, its members have a right to say what they want to. I sometimes agree with them and at other times I do not.
Noone has a problem when bloggers attack Judges who are perceived to have abused their authority. Even "Help me Howard" has the audacity to criticize them. But, your elected PD seems to forget that he also holds a position of public trust, and maybe, someone should scrutinize the quality of representation he gives to the indigent. Immediately after taking office, he backstabbed Al, insulted & threatened everyone, and a mass exodus occurred. His attorneys currently have unmanageable caseloads which cause them to be ineffective. Have you seen them in court, they look like Zombies. Most felony pd's have been attorneys for less than 3 months. Who gets the raw end of the deal: the CLIENTS. And Howard keeps living with his head in the sand, claiming that everything is OK.... No wonder why we all jumped ship when we did!!!
ps: has anyone ever wondered about the ethical issue of holding public office ... appearing on TV??????????
Thanks Jeff,
Here's the post JAAB made that concerned me re: privacy of the JAAB bloggers (it was in a thread I wasn't blogging on). Further, have not blogged anonymously until a mutual friend of ours asked me not to. Being a rat, invading privacy, and the First amendment is somehting JAAB is contemplating if not already doing. That's what you get Jeff when you take a pro Van Halen stance huh?
Van Halen, maybe it would be better to say that I also like the Beach Boys, played there music in my 55 before I sold it....
Dear Brian,
For someone who is not a member, you seem to post an AWFUL lot.
You must have alot of time on your hands.
I previously posted this and it was removed - - - what gives:
Here's another one that implies someone in JAAB is threatening to reveal identities of bloggers - kind of chills the whole room
2/10/2007 2:22 PM
JAAB wrote:
Please study the Blog more closely, I think you might be supprised at what you find? (Guess Who)
There are many people who would like to see this blog and organization fail fail, please keep that in mind when the name JAAB is used.
Being the first one to actually take a stand against JAAB, and stick up for a person (who happens to be a judge), I'd ask for you to kindly look at an ol' archive called, "Respectfully, I Dissent."
The only reason I had to write that was because of the title of this thread. The proof's in the pudding. For those judges with prying eyes and are fingerless in Fort Lauderdale, this was an example of taking a stand doing what I thought was right. I cite the appellate authority for JAAB who flat out said the negative piece was wrong. To quote, "Sorry Bill."
While on the subject, Bill posted a quote from a Judge in Miami and "sniping." I am reminded of Fmr. Justice O'Connor's conversation with Nina Totenberg from NPR. The irony of who she criticizes is perfect.
There is far too much attacking and negative energy here towards the Judiciary. You are right.
That is not to say there aren't points to be raised. But, there are also issues in many other areas.
Occasionally, we'll have a piece about helping the homeless, don's notes, Van halen, or other "hard" news.
Mostly, negativity resides here. An occasional kudos perhaps, but if you want stats, add up the number of articles written by an author and divide by how many of them are negative in nature. You'll find some very telling batting averages.
Also, there may be a significant chilling effect on bloggers from writing what they really think b/c of threats to anonymity.
Brian
Someone has posted a comment and made the comment appear that it was from JAAB. Please be advised that anyone who impersonates JAAB will be blocked from posting further comments.
Please be advised that JAAB has no way of knowing who authors the comments, however we can block an IP address. Be assured that all posts are anonymous, however we reserve the right to block comments or posts that use vulgar language and/or impersonate JAAB.
how do you explain the removal of a prior post?
I agree the PD clients are suffering because of the quality PD in the felony divisions. APDs cases loads are too high, they never plea out cases at arraignment (like old times), and a good portion of them (not all) completely lack the experience necessary to operate on a day to day basis in Circuit Court. Not to mention that I have witnessed APD rudeness to private attorneys, ASAs, Judges, and clients. I empathize with the APD floaters who carry the load of overseeing the felony divisions- they are the best attorneys in the office, now spending valuable time rescuing newbie attorneys from 3.850s.
Help Me Howard!
Very good point peggy.
All you mardicons and cocharoaches need to back off....
Who put this thing together....ME
Who got our indigent people early representation....ME
Who gets all the good pub for the office...ME
Who makes sure Michaelson gets the best coffee....ME
Who makes sure Cathy does the dirty work so I dont get my hands dirty...ME
To hell with the Diaz brothers, Schreiber, Satz, Ross, Charlie Crist, who put this thing together.....ME
Who gonna take over dependency...ME
Who gonna find a way to take over the appointed cases....ME
Who got ridda the pretty people and the politically connected people and ran it straight...ME
Everyone on here says HF is not a good guy, they say HF is a bad guy.....
You know what? Say good night to the Bad Guy, HF.
Until you got the cajones to run against me and take me out, I your daddy. Whose your daddy, HF thats who.
Goodnight from the Bad Guy
AL USED TO CALL DALE REDNECK ROSS IN PUBLIC. NOW HE'S ATTACKING HOWARD AND BACKING ROSS. WHAT DID HOWARD DO TO AL?
I was present on Sunday during Judge Ross' "presentation". I was not surprised by the sarcasm. However, I was bothered. I remmeber the rap music versus classical music comment, I don't think Judge Ross gets it when sarcasm is met with sarcasm. Still, what bothered me just as much was that so many were adjudicated. Ross states that magistrate court is looser, why not ask for withholds on all that minor stuff. So not only were the people ridiculed and adjudicated, but I think the defendants did not understand the consequences; such as driving suspensions because of marijuana possession. And all those DWLS, instead of CTS/release, why not ROR and the new DWLS diversion program? I think there was error on the side of the Court, Judge Ross and the public defender.
Roshawn makes very good sense. The problem is Ross is not a nice guy. He has gotten into trouble before for running his mouth but it never changes.
Roshawn,
We have known each other awhile but I have to disagree with your observations.
Based on the video and the Mayo article I think its a bit much to say these Defendant's were ridiculed. Everyone in the article said that was not the case. Based on Dellatorre's comments I find it hard to believe if there were so many adjudications he would have spoke out against Ross in the article.
While from the sound of the charges you would think those resolving their cases a mag court would be getting withholds. It still has to be viewed on a case by case basis.
I think its a little presumptious of you to assume that these clients did not understand what they were pleaing out to or that the PD didnt do his/her job. I think you have to take into account that there is a real possibility some of these people couldnt make bail or that they needed to get out asap to keep their jobs etc. While I may not always agree with the reasons my clients give in taking a plea when I think they should fight the charges at the end of the day as long as they are informed of everything to make an informed choice there is not much more we can do.
Everyone within earshot should feel ridiculed by this asinine excuse for a judge. His ethnic-based "humor" is straight outta the 1950s, and sends the WRONG message from the courthouse about equal justice under law. Ethnocultural assumptions about someone's taste in music is an inappropriate area for comment, as is the faux imposition of a religious-based sanction (10 Hail Mary's??). What is he trying to say, that NASCAR = hockey = caucasian? That Hispanics have no place at these events? Or, that beer-drinking car race fans don't equal up to the bourbon-drinking horse race fans he is more accustomed to cavorting with? All of his observations would be lame on Leno or Letterman, they are simply inappropriate as banter from the bench. Should someone appearing in court feel respected by these comments? I would not, if in their unfortunate shoes. This judge has displayed his cultural insensitivity and has widely demonstrated to all his unfitness for the important public role he has.
I'm not sure what the current hiring criteria is at the PD at the present, but anyone who consistently spells "truth" as "trueth" (twice even?) is not qualified to be a legal assistant.
Anyone who ever worked in Ron Dallas' division can vouch that there is no better, caring administrator in the office. Ron had my back 100% went cases went nuclear & I've attended more than one in camera meeting where Ron changed a judge's mind about courtroom policy. When you try as many murder cases as the man, feel free to bitch.