MEDIA 4/3 - SPECHLER ACCUSED OF "BULLYING" - JQC INVOLVED
SENTINEL:
Broward judge who resigned had been accused of bullying
Sentinel Comments
"Spechler was served with notice that the Judicial Qualifications Commission was investigating a complaint against him, courthouse sources say. In a move reserved for serious circumstances, those sources say the notification included an order for a "rule to show cause" — a command that Spechler explain why he should not be immediately and temporarily suspended from the bench.
Central to the complaint is Spechler's reputation for bullying his colleagues, including fellow County Judge Peggy Gehl, the sources said...
As a result, the commission cannot confirm whether it is investigating Spechler. Brooke Kennerly, executive director of the commission, was reluctant to say what circumstances might prompt the commission to seek an immediate suspension.
"Criminal activity maybe, that might do it," she said. "[The judge] being a threat or having a mental breakdown —I'm just guessing here — being terminally ill, there's a bunch of stuff."
But such a move is very rare, said David Bogenschutz, an attorney who has represented judges in at least 30 commission proceedings. Bogenschutz is not involved in Spechler's case.
A suspension, prior to a full investigation and hearing, would be reserved for very special circumstances, said Bogenschutz, who has never seen it happen.
"Usually a rule to show cause is issued as a result of someone doing something contemptuous of the system," Bogenschutz said. "That could be a refusal to follow court orders, it could be tampering with evidence or witnesses, it could be virtually anything that would in some fashion either interfere with, or in some fashion, block the system from working in the manner in which it is supposed to work."...
Even if a judge resigns while a complaint is pending, (JQC Counsel) Schneider said, the commission retains jurisdiction over the judge for a year. A judge who resigns could still be disciplined with a public reprimand or a fine, he said."
Mike Mayo: How Do You Repay A Man For A Crime He Didn't Commit?
Early Release For Prisoners Possible Due To Budget Cuts
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
Spechler's JA Fired
"On Brave’s firing, Tobin said: “I’m not firing people. It’s a practical matter: if there’s no judge, there’s no J.A. seat.”
Tobin’s reassignment letter to Spechler last Thursday said Brave “shall continue to provide support for County Civil Division 52.”
Court spokesman Chris Stotz said judicial assistants are employees of judges. When judges leave, the judicial assistant is judgeless. Stotz said the state budget crisis precludes the court from moving her to another judge.
“She wasn’t fired like someone would be fired for a performance issue,” Stotz said. “When a judge is no longer serving, their J.A. is going to need to look for other employment.”
Tobin's Letter To Spechler Saying JA Will Remain Employed
PALM BEACH POST:
Still Time For Legislature To Get Smart ON Juvenile Crime
Broward judge who resigned had been accused of bullying
Sentinel Comments
"Spechler was served with notice that the Judicial Qualifications Commission was investigating a complaint against him, courthouse sources say. In a move reserved for serious circumstances, those sources say the notification included an order for a "rule to show cause" — a command that Spechler explain why he should not be immediately and temporarily suspended from the bench.
Central to the complaint is Spechler's reputation for bullying his colleagues, including fellow County Judge Peggy Gehl, the sources said...
As a result, the commission cannot confirm whether it is investigating Spechler. Brooke Kennerly, executive director of the commission, was reluctant to say what circumstances might prompt the commission to seek an immediate suspension.
"Criminal activity maybe, that might do it," she said. "[The judge] being a threat or having a mental breakdown —I'm just guessing here — being terminally ill, there's a bunch of stuff."
But such a move is very rare, said David Bogenschutz, an attorney who has represented judges in at least 30 commission proceedings. Bogenschutz is not involved in Spechler's case.
A suspension, prior to a full investigation and hearing, would be reserved for very special circumstances, said Bogenschutz, who has never seen it happen.
"Usually a rule to show cause is issued as a result of someone doing something contemptuous of the system," Bogenschutz said. "That could be a refusal to follow court orders, it could be tampering with evidence or witnesses, it could be virtually anything that would in some fashion either interfere with, or in some fashion, block the system from working in the manner in which it is supposed to work."...
Even if a judge resigns while a complaint is pending, (JQC Counsel) Schneider said, the commission retains jurisdiction over the judge for a year. A judge who resigns could still be disciplined with a public reprimand or a fine, he said."
Mike Mayo: How Do You Repay A Man For A Crime He Didn't Commit?
Early Release For Prisoners Possible Due To Budget Cuts
DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW:
Spechler's JA Fired
"On Brave’s firing, Tobin said: “I’m not firing people. It’s a practical matter: if there’s no judge, there’s no J.A. seat.”
Tobin’s reassignment letter to Spechler last Thursday said Brave “shall continue to provide support for County Civil Division 52.”
Court spokesman Chris Stotz said judicial assistants are employees of judges. When judges leave, the judicial assistant is judgeless. Stotz said the state budget crisis precludes the court from moving her to another judge.
“She wasn’t fired like someone would be fired for a performance issue,” Stotz said. “When a judge is no longer serving, their J.A. is going to need to look for other employment.”
Tobin's Letter To Spechler Saying JA Will Remain Employed
PALM BEACH POST:
Still Time For Legislature To Get Smart ON Juvenile Crime
Bye Sprinkles. When Ross went down you just couldn't adjust to the new and milder form of judicial administration. The Strong Arm tactics and highly questionable actions of the past were simply not going to remain acceptable in light of the disgraceful fall of Ross and Co. The "Days of the Judicial Henchmen" were in fact over following that welcome development. Could you not see that? Despite the poorly executed spin on the circumstances of your departure by those of meager talent, your hasty weekend move indicate actions more to be associated with the flight syndrome than the customary fight you had come to be known for. I guess Old Dogs can learn New Tricks when there's little doubt about the pending outcome and when you've met your match. Your intimidation method was simply ineffective this time without your buddy Ross at your back. It's his poor administration that ultimately played the largest role in your downfall. Try to remember that as you enter the real world now.
Please ADJ. Go run your division or something this morning. And you guys claims others have addictive blogging habits?
This ought to shut the Ross lackeys up. Spechler disgraced. A common thug forced out by the JQC in unprecedented fashion. No great job opportunity or game of chicken. Speaking of Ahearn, what a buffoon. Anything his master says. Lynch should know better though. He's a judge for crying out loud. Someone should run against him and expose him on the campaign trail. Is Ross still on vacation?
"Former Judge Jay Spechler To Be Awarded Lifetime Achievement Award For Years Of Dedicated Service To Himself"
SCREW THE BROWARD BAR FOR WORKING FOR THE ROBE DEFILERS
He was a bully?
What did he do take their lunch money? As Admin Judge he had what power over them? Dale did the assignments. Gehl had her ciminal division for years if he really had bullied her she would have maybe gone to small claims like... wait a minute, which lady got bullied here Peggy or the ADJ?
Watch out ADJ, you are doing it again. Some around the Courthouse are saying Peggy had nothing to do with this and that another Judge is using her to settle an old score. Hmmmm wonder what that is about. Fits the pattern.
P.S. It has already come out that she never had armed guards or an alarm put in her house because of Spechler but because her house was robbed. Rumor has it people may have to say where they heard this wrong information from. Par for the course, you always take it too far and it comes back to bite you.
Against the ADJ for leaking information regarding a pending JQC matter to the press and providing intentionally false and misleading information regarding said matter.
Oh wait, false and misleading information --- that's your SOP right?
Just ask Tim Bailey of the JNC about the ADJ's history of providing false and misleading information.
Congrats to Tobin and the ADJ -- these actions which directly led to the firing the JA was a nice touch.
Neither of you have a soul.
That's the Fat Lady posting again, is it? It's not embarrassing enough that you call the papers to implore them to take your quotes, but now you continue the sham by accusing others of shall we say your own particular forte, that of dissembling information to look big in the eyes of your fallen heroes? Get a life Fat Lady, and try to curb your blog addiction. Quit crying, you'll forget him. What would you know about matters of the soul anyway??
Sorry, not the person you're thinking of. Just an observer whose not part of the scene and has no axe to grind with any of the players -- but doesn't like the fact that a judge who SHOULD be torn to shreds by the criminal defense community gets a pass on his improper behavior merely because he can pass along (inaccurate) information at times.
I forgot some of the charges that could be levied against the ADJ:
Improper threatening criminal defendants who show up 5 minutes late to court (regardless of the legitimacy of the reason) by having them handcuffed and told they are either going to plea immediately or will be taken into custody for "a month" until their lawyer can get a bond hearing for them.
Improperly coercing incriminating statements by having victims testify when they are requesting that no contact orders be lifted that they have in fact had contact (mostly at the victim's initiation) with the Defendant so he can have the defendant taken into custody and force a plea.
JUDICIAL SADISM AT ITS WORST BY THE ADJ HAS GOTTEN A PASS IN THE PAST.
However, since he's upped the ante, turnabout is now fair play.
I know you must be walking around the courthouse, standing "tall", thinking you're 5 feet tall now.
Hope you're making your own exit for a career in private practice (in NC) when the hammer falls on you. And when it does, remember that it was a hammer of your own creation.
The most telling thing about this JQC Investigation and Complaint is that Bogenschutz is NOT REPRESENTING Sprinkles. It Tells the story, the whole story and nothing but the story. Sprinkle's fast retreat and the circumstances involved here spell for a better book when the book is written. It's not over yet.
Here, Kitty, Kitty ... ROAR!! Gulp.
I didn't know you were writing a book ADJ.
Better make sure you don't ask Tobin to proofread it for you.
In response to
P.S. It has already come out that she never had armed guards or an alarm put in her house because of Spechler but because her house was robbed."
To set the story straight. Her house was never robbed. She does not have armed guards following her home, and she especially did not have a new alarm installed to protect her from this joke of a former judge Jay Spechler.
I find it quite amusing that lawyers and courthouse insiders have all this time to make up these ridiculous stories.
In response to
P.S. It has already come out that she never had armed guards or an alarm put in her house because of Spechler but because her house was robbed."
To set the story straight. Her house was never robbed. She does not have armed guards following her home, and she especially did not have a new alarm installed to protect her from this joke of a former judge Jay Spechler.
I find it quite amusing that lawyers and courthouse insiders have all this time to make up these ridiculous stories.
Is anybody body going to ask him if he will take on the JA now that his salary has ballooned as result of the chicken game? Who is the snitch...? They should make all sitting judges that speak to the press wear a duntz hat. Loose lips sink ships.
One things for certain, he's not gonna hire Ahearn to do his PR in this ficticious scenario they'd have you believe. It's a long way to the bottom.
Chicken game? I'd say that chicken is cooked. Burnt might be a better word.
I just hope the JQC or other appropriate authorities taken action to prevent this from occurring again. It should be dealt with very harshly to set an example for future judges.
Spechler would have been defeated in 2012 anyway. This just facilitates the clean up a little earlier.
Guys at my high school fired single moms all the time after lying and saying their jobs were safe, and nobody cared.
Was your high school a special school for the mentally impaired?
he did not fire her...just took a much higher paying job and elected not to take her along.
Actually, I think the point was that Vic and Ortman fired the JA after Tobin stated that she would continue to work for the NEW JUDGE assigned to the division.
The fact remains that Vic has provided the written evidence that he is a liar.
Like he ever had any intention of keeping the JA on. How reckless given the hiring freeze when you have a perfectly good employee on the books that could have easily been transferred to one of the two judges who very much need a JA without causing a financial impact, but instead, fired her.
FOR SHAME VIC. Maybe someone will put you out on the street without warning someday and we'll see you try to rub two nickels together then.
jay the bully all 5'6 160 of him, come on. Is this the school yard? This shows how inept Tobin is as Chief that he can't rein in his Judges and has no control of this place.
I heard the armed guards for Gehl was true. Like everything else, team Ross will be proved wrong on this too. Just wait for the story to unfold. Mock all you like ("tomorrow, tomorrow") then hide under your bed when the truth comes out. By the way, the Spechler family is loaded right? Did Jay really need more money or is the simple truth the JQC was going to run J Edgar Spechler out of town on a rail? So seamy this Broward judiciary of ours.
Is probate/guardianship under anyone's microscope? Real tight group there . . . who shall guard the guards . . . or should I say guardians? Does anyone out there have any information relating to "bullying" in the probate/guardian division?
many in the courthouse know you refer to jay has jay edgar spechler. thanks for confirming what everyone knows that you were posting this whole time
As I was rushing out to a depo, I just saw the Cyberblob in Levenson, looking as smug and cocky as ever. Someone needs to go up there and tell/give him what's coming.
I wonder if Spechler will get canned from his fancy new mediator job now that the paper has the story. I wonder if he told them about his impending JQC problems. That Spechler is some real piece of work.
Are these the alleged JQC Problems that the JQC can neither admit nor deny exist?
The problems that the ADJ is leaking left and right in violation of his OWN ETHICAL DUTIES and in violation of the Canons?
Betcha Spechler earns 3x what he was making as a public official and raises boatloads of dough for candidates during the next two cycles.
Tough luck Dale and Tom. No more chief judgeships for you. Collect all the gold watches you want. You have been exposed.
11:24 misses the point as usual. Not about money. About honor and integrity. About sacred oath and duty to uphold the law. About leading by example as a judge. JQC ordered him out with a rule to show cause so he quit instead of being further humiliated.
Where's Judge Gehl in all this?
This supposedly arose out of some alleged confrontation between her and Spechler recently.
There are all sorts of rumours about that she has armed guards and security systems because of Spechler.
Where's a police report or comment from Judge Gehl?
What's really true, what's not true, and what's just rumour being spread by either party or their surrogates.
We need the FULL STORY HERE!!
Spechler won't earn squat. I wouldn't be surprised if the mediation firm quietly gets rid of Spechler. After all, why would that firm want all of Spechler's baggage? I assume Spechler failed to mention his baggage when he accepted the job and now the mediation firm feels lied to for Spechler's failure to disclose the real reason he was leaving the judiciary. But not to worry, Sprinkles may get to keep his pension if he's not convicted of a felony. Of course, without 30 years of government service, he'll have to wait until he's 62 to start collecting it. I guess he'll get to keep collecting rent checks from his tenants.