JAABLOG RUMOR MILL
We weren't there (or were we?), but we hear Judge Gardiner addressed an Hispanic lawyer's luncheon on Thursday. Apparently, the "new & improved" magistrates is now officially "more of the same." Despite Vic Tobin's public commitments to providing timely legal hearings to the recently arrested, and despite the hard work of the SAO, PD, and BSO to fix the ancien regime's oldest bugaboo, nothing will be changing anytime soon.
The culprit? Judge Gardiner supposedly blamed it on the budget crunch. Without money to build out or refurbish a sparkling clean "First Appearances Courtroom," IT CAN'T BE DONE! No, the Chief Judge can't simply point his imperial finger at a junior judge and say "thou art henceforth the full time magistrates judge." Nor can he say, "and ye shall rule in one of the numerous existing empty courtrooms."
A commentator on JAABLOG also memorialized the oft whispered rumor that a satellite judge indulges in massages in her chambers, DURING WORKING HOURS, much to the chagrin of a fellow judge (see JAABLOG WELCOME comments section, page 2, 12:39 pm on 3/14).
We wonder, is it time for JAABWATCH: THE SATELLITES? How many empty courtrooms would be added to the downtown tally? And how was Friday's new Administrative Order requiring civil judges to punch the clock and account for their courtroom use greeted?
On a perverse note, we also heard a judge may have been threatened with an opponent this year by another SITTING JUDGE! Apparently, a certain high profile attorney with a relationship to the aggrieved judge was contemplating running in a contested race. Lo and behold, could we be seeing another JQC investigation after May 2nd?
Speaking of the JQC, more incessant rumblings of a visit from up north. Soon. Really? Put up or shut up we say.
And while we're at it, is all the talk of major inter-courthouse movement of county court judges true? What role does the upcoming election cycle play in all this? Do we really have to wait until after May 2nd for the answer?
Post a comment. Congratulate us if we have it right, correct us if we have it wrong. And don't worry about our feelings. We can take it.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE RUMORS, BABY!
These New Administrative Judges seem to be falling a little short on fulfilling any of their promises. What a continued disappointment, but not all that unexpected. Like so many others, they're full of promises, but fail to deliver blaming it on any myriad of different reasons after they've attained their New Lofty Positions that sound resoundingly hollow on closer inspection of the facts. Gardiner seems trapped in a cycle of broken dreams and promises culminating in a big, fat nothing accomplished for either the judges or the citizens of Broward County.
Hey, Gardiner: The rungs on that political ladder are slippery, aren't they? Sometimes it's better to refrain from saying anything rather than the excuses you come up with. You begin to lose credibility after a while. There are, after all, plenty of empty courtrooms. It's just your lack of will that is lacking in instituting expanded Magistrates, that's all. Call it what it is. Nobody's falling for the other nonsense. As long as judges leave at 2;00 in the afternoons, nobody's buying your excuses at this point. Put all the judges on time clocks and then what excuse are you going to come up with?
Man, you said it. She's on a slippery slope at a sixty degree angle straight towards the trees.
I ask that you should do an article which addresses what Gardiner said.
Firstly, sad but true the only thing that has changed is its is now called First Appearance instead of Magistrates.
In typical Ana fashion everything that Ana said the Administration wants to do to change magistrates cant be don't WITHOUT MAKING A NEW FLOOR ON THE NORTH WING FOR COURTROOM AND CHAMBERS. Bill you are the first person to call BS when they want to build a new Courthouse when they could possibly rehab the old one. Ana's statement is BS, there is no reason they cant do all the improvements they want in Mag court over on the second floor.
There are two Judge offices on the 2nd Floor if convenience is so important put the full time Judge there.
Is there any reason now why they cant two Mag court 2x a day in the current location if they had a full time magistrate judge? No.
I know Ana's big point in the new courtroom is to have the defendants meet face to face with their lawyer. If that is the case, for right now let a Judge drive to pompano once a day to use the never used courtroom up there? Even if you build a shiny new courtroom on the north wing, is there not going to be more costs and security issues bringing everyone from pompano?
Then again, at the end of the day the really problem is not the Judges its Howard AND Satz. Howard does not want or really CANT plea anything at mag court because Satz unlike Palm Beach or Dade.
If they really wanted to make a change they could.
What's the big deal? Seems like most of what Gardiner has said is BS. She's just interested in aligning herself with whoever stands the best chance to elevate her to a higher position. Her whole idea behind needing a new courthouse is also for the same purpose. There is absolutely no plausible reason for not moving ahead with magistrates other than we have some very lazy judges who have been dragging their feet on the idea in hopes of wearing her down on a promise she never intended to fulfill in the first place. Get Real!
Guess you're right. I smell a train wreck with her name on it.
actually it was a car wreck not a train wreck and it happened a month a go
That's what happens when you keep your eye on the birdie!
Interesting she's claiming it is becaused they need to see the judge face to face. Ana Gardiner, the champion of defendant's rights!!!!!
How oily, or should I say soily. The new admimnistration can't even do what they already do in every metropolitan area with magistarte court. What leadership, what courage.
Is it the strength of the old guard throwing up roadblocks or is it the fear of losing a second term driving this latest flatulence? Or,more likely is it that Tobin is the same as Ross? Wait a second, didn't Ross appoint Gardiner? What a joke.
These people will say or do anything to save face. Face to face/ Budget cuts, give us a break.
Why don't they grow some stones and do the right thing. Just try it for once. Just once. They might find it feels good.
Just remember this Gardiner is the same judge that thought she could push the idea of a New Courthouse even though the voters of this county vetoed the notion. Not enough courtrooms in a courthouse that's 38 percent empty most of the time. She'll stop at nothing when it comes to spreading anything but the truth when the truth stands in the way of what she wants. It's been shown over and over again. Now it's the verbal junk about magistrates and the need for more courtrooms again and, oh, the new one about underfunding of judges. Maybe if the judges hadn't spent the money they were warned not to spend by the legislature they wouldn't be in this hypothetical situation. But, then again, it's just a bunch of bunk anyway and more excuses why judges can't put in a full days work like everybody else. Wonder if she really cares how stupid it all sounds?
Rumor hath it Browrard Judges have retired to the courthouse bunker again after feeling as though they have come under assault. How about just doing your jobs and quitting the "I'm the most important person I know rutine." Public servants are supposed to serve the public, remember? Don't forget your personal items.
Ana still playing the head of criminal role? Does this mean she's put the crying jags behind her? Boohoohoo why is everybody so mean to me?
Nobody falls for that from Ana anymore. As a matter of principle, most of what is said now is or should be closely scrutinized.
Sprinkles going somewhere?