MEDIA 5/24 - SUCCESSION ISSUES
Posted by William Gelin at 5/24/2007 6:19 AM 
Categories: Backman, Korda, Lynch, Finkelstein, DRoss, Greene, JQC, Speiser, Diaz, Aleman, Seidlin, Weinstein
Categories: Backman, Korda, Lynch, Finkelstein, DRoss, Greene, JQC, Speiser, Diaz, Aleman, Seidlin, Weinstein
SENTINEL:
"As power change looms, talk turns to term limits":
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cross24may24,0,698191.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Mike Mayo "Broward's off-key courthouse could use a new tone at the top":
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-mayocol24may24,0,3756589.column?coll=sfla-news-broward
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
"Who has the cure?": "Tobin says he would push for a two-term limit for chief judges in Broward."
http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=43396
WSVN CHANNEL 7:
"Judging the Judges": Seidlin, Diaz, Greene, Korda, Feiner, Ross, Aleman
http://www1.wsvn.com/features/articles/investigations/MI48822
HERALD:
Angeline Weir, 83, Broward Legal Pioneer:
http://www.miamiherald.com/510/story/115595.html
"As power change looms, talk turns to term limits":
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cross24may24,0,698191.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Mike Mayo "Broward's off-key courthouse could use a new tone at the top":
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-mayocol24may24,0,3756589.column?coll=sfla-news-broward
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
"Who has the cure?": "Tobin says he would push for a two-term limit for chief judges in Broward."
http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=43396
WSVN CHANNEL 7:
"Judging the Judges": Seidlin, Diaz, Greene, Korda, Feiner, Ross, Aleman
http://www1.wsvn.com/features/articles/investigations/MI48822
HERALD:
Angeline Weir, 83, Broward Legal Pioneer:
http://www.miamiherald.com/510/story/115595.html
Ross automatically reminds me of the film "Porky's". Who does this Boss Hog think he is? He has got to be one of the biggest jerks I've ever met. His excuses given in the posted article are absolutely pathetic. He's acted so long as protector of these crazy judges that he doesn't know any other way to act. He's like stuck in some kind of time warp, one I'd rather forget. I'd like to forget what he's done to our judiciary too, but I guess the mess he's responsible for is going to take a long time to clean up. This man is an absolute embarrassment to everything in our judiciary. Let's get rid of him and all the other judges that have taken their cues from him and start out with a new chief judge that is not one of his cronies. I think Victor Tobin has already come up with some good ideas, and he can't stand these flunkies. Term limits for the job he's seeking as chief judge shows me that he's not interested in keeping the status quo, unlike Lynch, Speiser or Backman. They'd just be more of the same or worse. You watch, if any of them become chief judge the problems will continue despite their quotes to the contrary.
Yeah. Tobin is an outsider and would do a good job. He's the man for the job if we want real change. He doesn't give a hoot what Ross and his cronies think and he'll do what's right. He's a good man and a good judge. Would be a better chief judge than the rest.
Ron Rothchild is just another Ross junkie. Don't be fooled!
Tobin is a winner.
Lynch is part of the old Hollywood clan. He and Sprinkels. He'd be as bad as Ross. He's shown his true colors too many times. That's why he considers Ross such a legal giant. Yeah, right. Get real, Tom.
Tobin is the only one that wouldn't be swayed by the dirty politics of Browards Judiciary.
Vic's a great guy. I've always liked him. He's not dirty like the others.
Rothchild has been influenced by the dark side of the force!
Good work, Vic. TWO YEAR TERM LIMIT FOR CHIEF JUDGES
You can bet you won't hear that from the other contestants.
Tobin will straighten this mess out, and keep his sense of humor too.
Lynch heralds Ross because he stood by him with his personal problems. Good ole boy.
Term limits is the only good thing that will come out of this. Let's hear Lynch, Rothchild and Speaser commit to that.
Never happen. They want their kids to be judges too!!
Anybody that thinks Ross is so great shouldn't be chief judge. How could Lynch be so stupid? It oughta show us something.
Just be more of the same if it happens.
Sprinkles sure has remained uncharacteristically quiet for someone who has something to say about everything.
He's gone underground. Or he could be up on the roof of the courthouse again.
CHANGE HATH STRIPPED THE DOOR FROM ITS HINGES
not that anyone cares in the land of the north wing, but the agreed motion and order BS is continuing in Aleman's division. another motion and order returned to our office without any obvious defect. another set of motions and notices returned stamped docket full. thanks for the phone call. please take her back.
Tobin is the man for the job because he does not have a care about pleasing the Ross Clan. He is tight with Damoorgian, another great judge, who would make a great Civil division chief.
This blog needs to continue its efforts and make the media aware of this issue. It is the only thing that has worked in along time to cause the Broward Courts to get on a normal path.
I trespass onto this site timidly, never having blogged in public before.
Blogging almost even sounds like some sort of indecent misdemeanor act I have represented someone on at one time or another.
Voices in public forums have always been historically American. Even as we enter the courthouse today, we come upon some woman raising a Bible up and shouting in our ear we are all bound for hell, and that doesn't even count those of us who once appeared before Judge Futch.
Now today we have a sudden rush on our judiciary, as if we are the epicenter of a national crisis. Well I don't think so. Our judges don't kill people, though Judge Price once shot out a clock in his courtroom. And Judge Coker only pulled out that .357 magnum for show. As I recall, over the years we have had judges arrested for soliciting prostitutes, thrown off the bench for faking resumes, and not entering courtrooms because the metal detectors caused a confrontation with their aura.
But we survived.
Judges be human, too, and we have decided to hype innocuous conduct and make it seem invidious and cruel. No, folks. Cruel is not getting a magistrate hearing if you get booked for littering. Cruel is being mentally challenged and legally incarcerated without care. Cruel is the juvenile detention center I sued 25 years ago for putting six kids in a 3 by 5 cell so they were sleeping under toilets.
We got lots of other problems besides the judges, and they have a few of their own. What does one civil judge have, 1300 cases and one judicial assistant. Just checking, but do you have that many? Do you have a docket of 150 cases a day 5 days a week with 10 motions on each? No, I did not think so.
Accordingly, we can temper our criticism with constructive comments from thoughtful practitioners.
The anonymous postings puncturing this blog is offensive and cowardly. You either stand up and say who you are and what you believe or you become a greater coward than anyone you dare criticize.
Anonymity is a joke. Are you a jeering fan in a ballpark or a professional with a cause?
Anonymity is for dark rooms in the bookstores you represent.
On a blog to discuss our justice system, you either have the character to stand by your thoughts and share your name, or like Bobby Seale once wrote- you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
All of you heroes who take these anonymous pot shots are no different than snipers hiding in the trunks shooting at innocent victims who have no way to answer back.
Over the years, I have stood up and said pot should be legal, gays should have rights, and the system needs reform. And I can walk into Mike Satz's office or Dale Ross's and they will listen to and respect my thoughts and criticisms, because you gain credibility by staying the course, defending your ground, and advocating your cause with courage and conviction, not anonymity.
How can you be an advocate for others if you cannot stand up for yourself?
I agree with Norm.
Managing huge dockets means trial judges have little time to devote to matters coming before them in 5 minute intervals. Yet some judges read every motion that is on the next days calendar.
We lawyers spend precious time arguing about matters which are fairly self-evident. Calendar calls in Broward are amazing. Every time I go, I hear an excuse I never could have imagined.
Yet sit in some trials and you will see some trualy great lawyers and great trial judges hard at work.
I have never been in a trial where it made any difference whom the judges elected as chief. That is truy their decision.
Well said Norm. It's been about five years or so since I've been in the courtrooms of Broward County, but there was a time, for a long time that I spent many hours, many days before all the Judges that have been trashed on this site. I can't imagine that things have changed that dramatically over the past five or so years. I am not saying that I have not had a run in or two with a Judge, or witnessed "moments", but overall the Judges I remember did a great job. And, as Norm indicates, they do have a tremendous case load and unimaginable pressure. I agree that Judges that are not doing their jobs should not be permitted to get away with it, but this site and it's trashings are just obnoxious. I also have no problem with speaking your opinion, but have the courage to own up to your words.
Beware of Comcast!!!
They are using their digiyal upgrade freebee as a way to screw the people. They are taking away the free HBO that you have when you have basic. Now in order to get the two basic HBO channels , you now have to sign up for them for a fee. This is not what they are telling people. This is bait and switch and a crime that needs to be prosecuted. Pass the word.
Joe
"And I can walk into Mike Satz's office or Dale Ross's and they will listen to and respect my thoughts and criticisms, because you gain credibility by staying the course, defending your ground, and advocating your cause with courage and conviction, not anonymity."
Nice post Norm but a little naive (boy, I never thought I would ever call Norm Kent naive). We are not all Norm Kents or Fred Haddads yet our perceptions and feelings about the injustice that occurs so often here because our judges are so burned out are just as important as yours and Fred's. The problem is we will be squashed like ants since we don't have the media's ear like you do, or powerful friends and allies like you do. Maybe the new regime will be more tolerant, but in the bad old days, they would shut you out on SPD or continuances or whatever if you raised your voice in dissent. ANonymity has driven this blog and has played a role historically to fix problems with oppressive leadership. Signed,
Anonymous
Norm:
Thanks for posting.
What do you think about the Department of Corrections statistics (see my prior posts for the links) that show Broward sends people to prison at twice the rate per capita of our neighbors Palm Beach and Miami? What can we do about that?
Isn't that shortshighted (we create violent felons here)? Isn't it stupid (it doesn't work - violent crime is on the rise in Broward).
Isn't that CRUEL?
You are certainly entitled to your criticism, but please spell my father's name correctly. ROTHSCHILD.
See above comment.
P.S. He is a Star Wars Fan.
I can comfortably assure you that I have no present intention of being a judge. That is not to exclude the possibility in the future, but in due candor, I disagree with the idea of barely scratching the service in terms of legal experience and then imposing fair justice, though some are excellent. I think judiciousness is crafted by years of legal practice.
I can also tell you that it has been discussed in countless conversations involving lawyers and friends, and I am sure that my father has no ambition for me other than that I choose.
I would be happy to discuss this in person to alleviate any other concerns about the Rothschild ambitions.
Perhaps by engaging those with the ear of the people who can make change happen sooner could help the cause. Norm Kent would be an excellent person to post regularly on this site as would Fred Haddad and others. Perhaps encouraging these people to participate in the discourse, rather than insulting their pint of view, we can have a more productive dialogue about fixing the problems, rather than simply pointing them out.
who insulted kent and haddad's point of view?
it sounds to me like the 7:45 post was commending Norm and Fred, saying we all should aspire to their achievements
Where did you get the idea that Judge Speiser is a Ross cronie? You are incorrect in your statement. Look at Speisers record, work ethic, and commitment to the Probate and Mental Health divisions in our circuit.
Norm,
You have to admit Mr. Gelin works the George W. Bush playbook well. You talk about annonymity and raise questions about how its used on the blog and Mr.Gelin comes back with stats about prison stats and violent crime rates. Welcome to the Bolg, Mr. Gelin never actually addresses the critics he either uses diversion tactics (usually Stacy Ross)like he did here or ignores the question.
Sadly Norm, Mr. Gelin and others involved with this blog probably have no clue who you are and what you have done because they are not from here. That is the problem, while there are many problems around here, Mr. Gelin etc come here from other places and look down their noses at us who have lived here all our lives. Like they are the enlightened religious folk and we are native inidans.
I wish you would write on here but its a waste of your time. This is Bushland, only the opinions of Bill matter all opposition is a good ole boy or unenlightened and will be punished.
That is a fascinating and thought provoking post, Mr. Kent. I have always been an admirer of you and even met you once many years ago regarding a potential ACLU case. I am not an attorney, but have always been interested in the legal system. Unfortunately, I experienced it first hand last year when my 19 year old son was sent to prison for four years for aggravated battery (youthful offender). I now have joined a support group "Mothers of Incarcerated Sons" and have learned to navigate through the Department of Corrections quite well. I offer my help to other moms whenever necessary. My son was sentenced June 9th 2006 and came home January 29, 2007 (he served 8 months of a four year sentence). It helps to learn the system and to be proactive. I have a silly question though- how does one post an entry on this site? I have looked and looked on the main page for a place to create an intial post/entry, but can only see how to respond to exisiting posts. Thanks in advance.