MEDIA 4/1 - RESIGNATION OFFICIAL
(DBR PHOTOS)Spechler Abramson
SENTINEL:
Spechler Resigns After Public Banning
Resignation Letter Dated 3/31 - Effective 3/31 (whatever happened to two weeks notice?)
Tobin Letter To Spechler (pdf)
Sentinel Spechler Comments
A mover and shaker in former Chief Judge Dale Ross' administration, Spechler resigned as administrator over the county civil division shortly after Ross announced his resignation as the circuit's chief last May...
(Spechler) resigned after he was told not to return to the Central Courthouse and demoted from hearing civil cases to handling traffic- and parking-ticket cases at the satellite courthouses.
The resignation took effect Monday at 5 p.m.
"It has been an honor and privilege to have served the people of Broward County and the State of Florida during the past 20 years," Spechler wrote (to Governor Crist).
He gave no reason for quitting...
Bob Jarvis, professor of legal ethics at Nova Southeastern University, questioned the chief judge's authority to ban another judge from public property such as the courthouse, especially without a hearing.
"I don't think the chief judge has this power as a legal matter," Jarvis said. "As a practical matter, that's very different. Judges are expected to follow orders of their chief judge."
However, if the chief judge could "present the argument that the judge presents a clear and present danger," he might have more of a case, Jarvis said. He termed Spechler's reassignment a "tremendous demotion."
"You're being exiled out to the boonies and you'll be hearing the lowest possible level of case we can give you," Jarvis said of the change...
This morning, Tobin said Spechler's reassignment was not a demotion, but the result of lack of state funding for traffic magistrate.
Regarding his order that Spechler stay out of the downtown courthouse, Tobin said: "These are questions that really there are no answers to."
"I thought it was appropriate for the efficient running of the courthouse," he said."
Parking Nightmares at West Satellite
"Out of respect for the judge, you need to be there on time. But it is hard to be there on time when you are driving around looking for a parking spot," (17th Circuit Spokesperson) Stotz said.
Broward County's Clerk of Courts Howard Forman said he hopes that in the coming few years voters will approve a bond initiative to expand the West Regional Courthouse, its parking lot and a second courthouse in western Broward."
HERALD:
Wrongfully Convicted Crotzer To Speak Tonight At NSU
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
Bitter Rivals Wennet and Abramson Face Off In Palm Beach Judicial Election
"A veteran Palm Beach circuit judge filed professional misconduct charges with The Florida Bar against a brash, long-haired West Palm Beach attorney, who is now challenging the judge for re-election.
The often outspoken, sometimes outrageous attorney, William Abramson, filed three letters of complaint against Judge Richard Wennet with the state Judicial Qualifications Commission...
The Bar investigated Wennet’s complaint, found probable cause that Abramson violated the Bar’s rules of conduct and brought the disciplinary case to trial before Broward Circuit Judge Thomas Lynch...
The latest complaint filed last Halloween was against Wennet and Broward County Judge Steven Deluca, involving a case in which Abramson said Wennet improperly contacted Deluca before a bond hearing for a woman charged with illegally taping Wennet at a public beach. The videotape ended up on YouTube, a popular video sharing Web site."
Jarvis, what a stupid statement, there are many fine judges in the satellites, Schiff, DeLuca just a couple that come immediately to mind. Nothing about boonies out at those locations, they all serve the county well with their locations. Hate to have them all drive downtown, parking is bad enough.
Schiff and Deluca are honest and hardworking men. Why don't they get assigned to work downtown? They could bring the caliber of judging way up at Central.
They dont want to come downtown. Most live near the Courthouses they work in. They are left alone to be judges, no press, no blog scrutiny, etc. Satellite work is the best kept secret amongst the Judges.
Oh, there is blog. Its just that they are doing what they were elected to do.
Is that a young Scott Hecker pictured above?
VOTE NO FOR JUDICIAL RETENTION. HAVEN'T WE SEEN ENOUGH OF THIS KIND OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE? TONYA, YOUR ARTICLE STINKS. YOU'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS NEXT TIME.
Banned from the Courthouse? You know what this is about, don't you? Somebody feels threatened. Any guesses as to which female judge it is? I'll bet it starts with a G.
I SMELL BURNED TOAST
Forman weighs in. Plop! You can forget any courthouse expansion anywhere Howard. Haven't you been listening to what's going on? You must be way out there ...
Check all toilets for possible obstructions as judges will seek to create a diversion from public inquiry. Prediction, possible courthouse flooding due at the latest by Friday.
good to see some lawyers stand up for their clients and not afraid of the good ol boy system that says u must respect me can't u see my white robe and hood
Judicial Moles Gold and Rosenberg it is said are digging in deep as other possible contenders for judicial positions take aim at sitting judges.
Thanks ADJ. Did you just get off the bench?
I'm happy to see Judge Tobin finally take the reins as chief judge in order to take action against errant judicial officers. This circuit is a disgrace to everything that is decent and honorable as it pertains to our judiciary. Additional action should also be taken to institute promised reforms to wit expanded Magistrates as promised and above all Judicial Rotation to bring Broward's lagging judiciary into line with other circuits in the State. Now that you have begun, I hope the confidence we have in your leadership as recently demonstrated will not be disappointed. Nobody said that reforming the deplorable state of our judiciary was going to be easy or done quickly, but I commend you for your concise removal from the main courthouse one so disruptive to the much needed reform process.
That's some strongly worded letter.
Yeah, it's got Gardiner's name all over it, you think?
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BABY, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SONG ...
Man, there are some strange occurrences that seem to happen daily within the ranks of our judiciary.
Wanted: Now accepting applications for a new foot masseuse. Qualifications, strong fingers.
The revised Sun Sentinel article shows what an absolute doofus our current Chief Judge is. After effectively BARRING a 20 year jurist from coming into a public building, when questioned about his reasoning, he stated as follows:
This morning, Tobin said Spechler's reassignment was not a demotion, but the result of lack of state funding for traffic magistrate.
Regarding his order that Spechler stay out of the downtown courthouse, Tobin said: "These are questions that really there are no answers to."
"I thought it was appropriate for the efficient running of the courthouse," he said.
Not a question that there is an answer to?
Are you fracking kidding me?
Lack of funding for traffic magistrates? What BS!!
The why's to this story are yet to be told, and they have the fingerprints of an inept CJ all over them.
another terrific judge in a satellite: Jane Fishman-----no nonsense, totally fair, no politics. By the way, what did Spechler do to get Tobin so unhappy with him????????
Where does this leave Cowart and Lynch as the last supporters of a now completely defunct and outdated judicial management style? I've read on some posts that there's a judicial bunker that has been visited more than usual of late. I guess it must be true as avid backers of the old wienie roast search for other tactics to facilitate their goals. Just a suggestion, boys, but could you put a lid on it? You've done more than your share to keep Broward in the Dark Ages. It's time for a judicial renaissance before you plunge the whole system of Justice into chaos. Just remember that all the voters require of you is that you do your jobs well. They are not interested in your struggle for power. You have allot to make up for. Now get to work.
Ask Gardiner.
Tobin said it as nicely as he could when he states "I though it was appropriate for the efficient running of the courthouse". Boy, that's an understatement of profound impact. He's a gentleman and doesn't want to further smear the questionable conduct of another judge I would guess.
How this hapless group of schoolyard bullies could so effectively corral 100 judges and 1000 lawyers for 20 years.
SHAME ON BROWARD COUNTY LAWYERS AND JUDGES
Dijols has kicked in a 100 thou of his own money. Now up to 144,000.
The question: will he actually spend his own money?
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/campfin/contrib.asp#cand
JUDGE JAY SPECHLER HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY GREEDY OVER THE YEARS...... HE WAS DEMANDING MORE AND MORE TO FIX A CASE........ greedy.greddy......... KANGAROO ARBITRATION.COM...... IF THE BAR HAD ANY INTEGRITY.... IT WOULD TAKE AWAY SPECHLER'S and RHONDA hollander's law licenses.
Wanna clue us in on this so-called "questionable conduct"?
I practice civil exclusively and have for most of the past 10 years. I have had dozens of cases in front of Judge Spechler before. I've had cases go my way and equally often gotten rulings I disagreed with.
Even on the cases I got my hat handed to me by Judge Spechler, he was a decent judge to appear before, and his rulings were for the most part well-reasoned.
I would like to know how it is appropriate to take a judge with 20 years experience and send him to go hear parking tickets that were previously handled by assistant clerks?
Weren't there new judges that would be better suited than one with his level of experience?
Having now heard that there will be no new judge taking over Judge Spechler's division and his cases are being spread out amongst the rest of the County Civil Judges, I shudder at the thought of having to wait longer times to get hearings set, trials and other matters taken care of.
Congrats to the Chief Judge for forcing out a decent civil judge with a ill-conceived plan.
I'm no fan of the former Chief Judge but this would have never happened in his administration, even to those who were not supporters of him.
THIS IS DUE TO THE WAY SPECHLER/HOLLANDER CORRUPTED MAGISTRATE BARRY SELTZER.
ASSUMING THE JQC RUMORS ARE NOT TRUE, I KNOW WHY HE RESIGNED.
TOBIN IS UP FOR ELECTION IN 2008.
SPECHLER WILL RUN AGAINST TOBIN.
PAYBACK IS A BITCH!
I think Judge Tobin made the right decision. Judge Spechler may have been a good judge in the courtroom but as a human being he needs a ton of work. He is arrogant and sneaky and I am glad I won't see his little weasel face in these hallways again.