Foul-Mouthed Court Reporter/Hero Ronald Tolkin

DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
The Continuing Saga of Jack Thompson

“I obey court orders,” Thompson said. “I’m going to beat them in the federal court and not in their kangaroo court.”

Thursday's Budget Cuts Hearing

"At the circuit level, the State Court Administrator’s Office estimates the proposal would mean a courthouse job loss of about one-third — 110 in Miami-Dade County, 80 in Broward County and 58 in Palm Beach County...

Judges’ pay consumes nearly half of the salary pool, but they are immune to layoffs as constitutional officers, putting lower paid workers at risk, state court administrator Lisa Goodner said...

Bob Wills, Broward County’s chief assistant public defender, was in Tallahassee for the hearing.

“There’s no doubt this committee will come in with a 10 percent budget reduction,” he said afterward. “I just hope there’s a public outcry or support to put off saving some alligators or put off building some road or building some swimming pools and instead fund the justice system.”

SENTINEL:
Palm Beach State Attorney Bemoans Cuts

"In Broward County, Executive Director Monica Hofheinz said a hiring freeze and withdrawal of $700,000 from the office trust fund enabled the agency to keep operating without layoffs or furloughs this year. The fund contains money collected from defendants who paid prosecution costs or restitution in certain cases. Broward's Public Defender's Office has also looked to trust fund money and a hiring freeze to offset what Public Defender Howard Finkelstein called the "devastating effect" of a $1 million cut this budget year...

In letters this week to Gov. Charlie Crist and committee chairmen in the Florida House and Senate, Finkelstein in Broward County said he would have to drop handling misdemeanor cases and fire 19 employees should the state demand a 10 percent cut in the next budget."

LEGAL TIMES:
D.C. Judge Disciplined After Shackling PD

WASHINGTON POST:
Florida Can Learn From Texas and Kansas

"In law-and-order Texas, we expanded a network of residential treatment centers for low-risk, substance-abusing offenders in prison and under community supervision, as well as intermediate-sanction facilities for probation and parole violators. Texas might avoid increased incarceration costs for the next five years, saving taxpayers millions of dollars, according to the latest projections.

After Kansas found that nearly two-thirds of its prison admissions were probation and parole violators, the legislature set up an incentive program for community corrections programs. Counties that cut their revocation rates by 20 percent will get a share of new state funding -- money made available because of averted prison construction -- to help them hold violators accountable without using up prison cells."

ABA JOURNAL:
Contempt Citation Upheld For Calling Judge "Delusional"

Removal Recommended For Judge Who Trashed "White Folks"

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS:
Foul-Mouthed Court Reporter Stops In-Court Razor Attack On US Attorney 

(see ABOVE THE LAW for link to the full graphic transcript)