Supreme Ct on Secret Dockets & more
Supreme Court Ends Secret Dockets:
"Broward Chief Judge Dale Ross, who has denied a secret docket existed in Broward, did not return telephone messages to his home and office seeking comment.":
http://www.miamiherald.com/467/story/65197.html
Supreme Court Order:
http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2007/04/05/20/SC06-2136-JudAdmRules.source.prod_affiliate.56.pdf
NEW CLEMENCY RULES:
Florida's new rules of clemency require that felons be categorized in one of three tiers, which will determine the process they must follow to obtain restoration of their civil rights.
• Tier 1: The names of felons who have committed less severe crimes, paid restitution and have no pending charges will be compiled into a list and sent to the Clemency Board, which will vote on restoring their civil rights.
• Tier 2: The state Parole Commission will review the cases of felons who are repeat offenders or have committed violent offenses, but not murder, terrorism or sex crimes. The information will go to the Clemency Board, which will decide whether to expedite restoration of civil rights or demand a full clemency hearing.
• Tier 3: The names of sex offenders, murderers and other violent criminals who have paid restitution and have remained crime-free for 15 years will be sent to the Clemency Board, which will have 30 days to decide whether to require a full clemency hearing before restoring their civil rights.
SENTINEL:
Felons Rights:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-ffelons06apr06,0,3840502.story?coll=sfla-news-florida
Butterworth Anounces Big Changes For DCF:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fdcf06apr06,0,1485687.story?coll=sfla-news-florida
Mayo on Felons:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/sfl-mayocol05apr05,0,4530342.column?coll=sfla-news-col
(I did not see an obituary for Lakeisha, who lives on through her daughter and all the lives she touched. Until I get other instructions, I hope everyone will seek out ASA Ms. Sarahnell Murphy to help fund the foundation set up for Lakeisha's baby.)
The first veil of secrecy is thus lifted. You will notice the above article mentions the word "Cronies" for those that still insist it didn't exist in the first place. This is but the first of measures being taken to bring back public confidence to the Broward Judiciary. I applaud Chief Justice Lewis for a job well done. After all, Judge Ross denies a secret docket has ever existed in Broward, Broward being the worst offender, and again, he did not return telephone messages seeking comment.
The news about Lakeisha is very very sad, especially for those of us who knew her and worked with her. Any contribution to her son's college fund would be a wonderful way to honor her memory. I just wanted to point out that she had a one year old little boy (not a daughter).
Thank you, Mardi. Could you please tell me who in the State Attorney's Office would be the one to contact.
It's high time judges here in Broward face the inevitable fact that change is coming. The old power structure that has existed here for far too long is cracking and permitting the light of transparency to prevail where little has shown before.
Maybe, but only when and if a sitting judge is defeated can it be said real change is coming. Yes, minorities make up 50.1% of Broward but they have never come together as a cohesive voting base and unless they do there will be no change.
Say what you want about Aleman the Judge, but Aleman the campaigner stll beat the PD political machine under the cloud of all or most of the allegations she is fighting now.
I might remind you that this is how it started in Dade just a few years ago. Then we started to get some real quality judges. The old guard are just serving out the remainder of their time. If you are still practicing law down here in 5 to 10 years from now you will see what happens. Hopefully it won't take that long.
They say hope springs eternal.
I don't think some of these guys will make it that long. Operation Courtbroom swept Dade out real quick. At least one of these old timers will get tail stuck in the door and finally they will all have to give up the ghost.
Rumors are that there will be someone running against Jay Spechler next election. Wonder who will manage his campaign.
That would be a first step to cleaning up the mess that is our problem here in Broward.
Secret dockets? What secret dockets? Not in Broward.
when it becomes public, please post so i can give the maximum to the opponents campaign. as foreman said, its time for a new openness in broward county.
Sounds like the light is starting to shed its grace on a system entrenched in darkness. Change is the only constant.
When are these clowns up for re-election? Can somebody post that?
What a contrast this judicial curcuit is to others in the state.
Ross wants to hold onto power as long as he can. It's just unfortunate that others have been passed over for we could really improve our judicial system by bringing in new ideas. Broward could be an example instead of a laughing stock. But that's politics in Broward. What we need is some good media coverage for a change.
There are good reasons that powers that be in Broward remain undisturbed. There is a system that has been in place many years that casts and constructs good christian values to our fair County.
It sounds a little over broad to me.
Undisturbed? Sounds like you want to wake the dead.
They are definitely dead as far as excepting any new ideas. That's why the problems stay around.
is spechler as big a thief as legree..see kangaroo arbitration.com.
hey let ross know marilyn will be in ft laud this week, maybe he would like one more visit