VE DAY

 "The Mission of this allied force was fulfilled at 0241 local time, May 7, 1945"

The statement sent by General Dwight David Eisenhower after German Genral Alfred Jodl surrendered Germany to the allied forces at the Ecole Professionelle at Reims. 

It wasn't recorded on IG, and there were no Tik Toks posted of the surrender, and General Eisenhower sent a telegram instead of a Tweet, but for all of you who have never known a world without iPhones and Starbucks,  there was a time when there was an existential threat to freedom and this country,  and everyone pulled together to defeat a common enemy. 

Under the current conditions of this country, if WWII was fought a decade ago, a substantial section of a particular party would have preferred the US to lose the war than see President Obama get the credit for winning it. 

That is just the reality of 2024. 

But it is nice to remember that there was a time in the last century when the man met the moment (and yes, only men were political leaders at the time, sorry) and men like Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Churchill rose to the occasion. 

Churchill may well have been right. 

That was our finest hour.*

For the coven of our DeSantis drones puzzling over the title, VE= Victory Europe, which was followed by VJ day. 

* Yes we know he was talking about England, but still the sentiment applies to the United States. We would venture that the winning of WWII was our finest hour, followed closely by Apollo and the moon landing, and the inclusion of a large fries in a super-sized meal, followed by the Dolphins perfect season, and then Disco. 

GOODBYE MIAMI

 Your Miami Heat are out of the playoffs, losing to the Celtics 4-1 in the series, with nary a peep from Miami's front running phony fans (FRPF). (What, you thought we were retiring? Soon, but not yet.). 

Where are all the Heat fans bemoaning the team that they love and follow religiously? 

Nowhere. Because the Heat don't really have any fans (other than the great Judge Colodny, bless her soul, amongst a few others). They just have FRPFs who only show up for game sevens in the playoffs and the finals, paying exorbitant prices for seats on stub-hub, wearing their silly white shirts, and telling anyone who will listen how they go to every home game and watch every away game.  

Now Miami's FRPFs can turn their attention to the Dolphins, because lord knows they would not be caught dead at a Marlin's game, considering the Marlin's stink this season. Compare the cavernous and empty Marlin's stadium for home games at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Everyone knows that the Cubs sold out most of their home games during the 3,500 years they lived in bondage at the bottom of the league until that magical season of 2016 (actually their drought was from 1906 to 2016). Year in, year out, decade in, decade out, the Cubs never won anything. And yet Chicagoans went to Wrigley, sat in the stands during a day game, drank a beer, ate a Chicago dog and cheered on their home team. 

Miami PFRFs have not and will not ever be loyal to their hometown teams, especially the Marlins. Oh they showed up for the world series, but that's it. Support them now? Ha! Do not make us laugh. Call them from standing in line trying to get a table at Prime 112 in some future October when the Marlins are competitive again. Then they will run to the stadium and tell everyone about how they never miss a game. They make us sick.  

No Game 7- then Nosotras no estamos ahi, or words to that effect.   

So your Miami Heat faded away this season. See you next year in April when hopefully their playoff run goes a little deeper. 

Feh. 

MONDAY TAKE AWAYS

 Good Monday morning! To our friends celebrating Passover- tired of matzoh yet?  

Our takeaway on the judicial races and non-races.  We did not see any "Rosy Races" (c) Justice Building Blog 2024, all rights reserved.  Not that they are our favourite coven of people, but those who wear all black to work who did not deserve to be challenged were not. Again, this is not about who we like, but wanting to maintain some semblance of competency with a judiciary rapidly being remade into a group of federalist drones who have limited trial experience and should just stay out of our way as we try our cases. Funny how they are all about exercising limited judicial authority until they are watching a prosecution case fall apart and all of the sudden their activist tendencies come roaring out. 

Anyway we do have one question- with a lot of uncontested races why do we have, year after year, at least one three-way race?  Judge-a-trois? 

And now on to the important stuff. The Miami Dolphins draft. It was interesting to say the least. 

Starting with Chop Robinson at 21, he is an explosive athlete edge rusher with the best first step of any edge rusher in the draft. The question is whether he's a one trick pony and whether he can be coached up with technique to go with his speed. If so, he can be like another Penn State LB - Mikah Pasrsons, and he isn't having a bad career. We were happy to see the Fins go O line with pick 2 at 55 with massive tackle Patrick Paul from Houston. Remember that the Fins cannot throw or run without the O line doing its job.  

But what we are really excited about is Jaylen Wright, RB Tennessee, at pick 3 at 120. He is another addition of pure speed to the fastest offense in the NFL.  He ran a blistering 4.38 at the combine, which is about as fast as you will see for any running back. He averaged 7.4 yards per carry in 2023 and basically he is the type of back that can take it to the house on any play from any place on the field. He makes the O faster, if that was possible. 

The questionable pick was Edge Rusher Mohammed Kamara at pick 5 at 158. Many teams doubled up on CBs (The Eagles who had an amazing draft) and O lineman (The Steelers picked three in their first five picks) but we are hard pressed to find any team in recent memory who followed up a round one edge rusher with another one in alater round.  

WR Malik Washington in round 6 at number 184 is yet another fast, small, elusive WR- Tyreek Hill lite until he makes his own mark.  This was great value for a receiver we had mocked anywhere from late third to early fifth round. Once again the Fins went with the philosophy of speed kills. 

The Fins did not get great recognition from the media experts for a good draft.  Many think they pulled the trigger on Chop too early when there were outstanding O-Linemen still on the board and that if they were fixed on Chop they could have traded up in the second round to nab him- maybe using that fifth round pick they selected Kamara with. Our philosophy on drafting is that if you like your player, you draft him. What would have happened if Shula passed on Marino in round one because he thought he was taking him too high? 

This is the season for the Dolphins. The Bills and Chiefs got better. The Cheaters are two years away from being competitive and the Jets are one achilles heel injury from having another disaster of a season.  If not now, when? If not them, who? 

FLA BAR WEBSITE FOR RESOURCES

 Did you that our own Florida Bar (mott "Dues please") has a separate website that has all sorts of stuff like free CLE, and practice management tools? 

And it is named LegalFuel. 

Your dues at work. 

We are reminding many of you that if your judge was up for election this year and did not get opposition on Friday to speak softly in court on Monday. Their hangover will just be subsiding. 

ELECTION 2024 - HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES, AND YOUR WINNERS .......

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION CENTRAL 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK HAS CLOSED .....

HERE ARE YOUR CONTESTED RACES ... AND YOUR UNCONTESTED WINNERS .....*

CIRCUIT COURT

Group 8 (Judge David Miller retiring)

Jason Bloch v. Bonita Jones-Peabody

Group 29 (Judge Pedro Echarte retiring)

Heloiza Correa v. Cristobal David Padron

Group 49

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Marie Mato who wins election in her first bid to wear the judicial robe without drawing an opponent; (do we call that a “Milt Hirsch”).

TRIVIA QUESTION: Name the last Circuit Court Judge to win election in their first attempt without opposition.

The following 21 judges were re-elected without opposition:

GROUP 2 Ariana Fajardo Orshan
GROUP 13 Jose L Fernandez
GROUP 14 Vivianne del Rio
GROUP 15 Maria Elena Verde
GROUP 24 Mindy S. Glazer
GROUP 25     Yery Marrero

GROUP 31 Carlos Lopez
GROUP 36 Lisa Sharon Walsh
GROUP 42 Miguel M. de la O
GROUP 43 Ellen Sue Venzer
GROUP 47 Maria de Jesus Santovenia
GROUP 53 Jason Emilios Dimitris
GROUP 54 Antonio "Tony" Arzola
GROUP 56 Javier A Enriquez
GROUP 58 Diana Vizcaino
GROUP 61 Christine Bandin
GROUP 66 Lourdes Simon
GROUP 68 Victoria del Pino
GROUP 71 Charlie Johnson
GROUP 78 Valerie R. Manno Schurr
GROUP 80 Marisa Tinkler Mendez

COUNTY COURT

Group 29 (Judge Myriam Lehr retiring)

Christopher Benjamin v. Alina Salcines Restrepo v Scott Janowitz*

*Janowitz originally filed in this Group in June of 2023. He redesignated to Circuit Court Group 25 on April 24th challenging an incumbent Judge and he stayed in that Group for exactly one day. On April 25th, he notified the State Elections Department that he was once again re-designating back into County Court Group 29.

Group 31

Judge Christopher Green v. Rita Maria Baez 

Group 4 (Judge Robin Faber retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Michelle Marie Urbistondo who wins a seat on the bench in her first attempt without facing opposition.

Group 12 (Judge Steve Leifman retiring)

Congratulations to Judge-Elect Mariano Corcilli who also wins a seat on the bench in his first attempt without facing opposition.

The following 15 judges were re-elected without opposition:

Group 01 Patricia Marino-Pedraza
Group 02 Kristy M. Nunez 
Group 06 Jorge Perez Santiago
Group 10 Diana Gonzalez-Whyte 
Group 14 Gloria Gonzalez-Meyer 
Group 18 Betsy Alvarez-Zane
Group 21 Jacqueline Michelle Woodward 
Group 22 Linda Singer Stein
Group 26 Maria De Fatima Ortiz 
Group 32 Lizzet Martinez 
Group 33 Eleane Sosa-Bruzon 
Group 37 Yara Lorenzo Klukas 
Group 40 Michael George Barket 
Group 41 Larry King 
Group 43 Milena Abreu

Both State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Public Defender Carlos Martinez win election without facing an opponent.

It is going to be a long, hot summer, as the nine candidates trek from a Homestead breakfast, to a lunch in Hialeah, and then a dinner in Aventura, night after night after night, attending one judicial forum after another.

*According to the State Division of Elections and the Miami-Dade County Division of Elections.

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com

THE J MANEUVER

SECOND UPDATE- We beliece the former Judge is back in his original race. We begrudgingly compliment him for recognizing the error in judgement his recently exhibited. 

UPDATE: THE JUDGE WITHDREW HIS CHALLENGE  as such we removed his name and replaced it with an initial because he does not deserve publicity good or bad. 

The aforementioned former judge at the top of this post, who was in a county court multi-candidate race, removed himself from his contested race and went into a circuit race. 

There is every reason to believe that this slug did this because of the information he has that leads him to believe that the Judge he filed against is currently battling an illness. (See disclosures below). 

Some thoughts. 

A coward dies a thousand deaths, and we will do  all in our power to see that this coward is soundly beaten at the polls. 

We are calling upon the Miami legal community to shun the coward who did this act which shows a complete lack of character and has no qualities that would allow him to claim he should be a judge.  When he walks into a room at an event do not shake his hand. Do not acknowledge his presence. When he gets up to speak at any event he is invited to, stand up, turn your back to him, and wait until he finishes speaking. Do not interrupt him. The silence and the shunning will speak volumes. 

The John F Kennedy Library Foundation annually issues Profiles in Courages awards to individuals who "demonstrate the qualities of politically courageous leadership." 

There is no award for a coward so desperate to hold on to office he is clearly unqualified for that he would use the supposed illness of a colleague to run against her. 

Now a couple of thoughts and the disclaimer. 

First, we will not name the judge this coward is running against. Her illness, if true, is a private matter unless she decides to make it public. 

Second, let's assume she is ill. One might ask why shouldn't a healthy judge who can work full time run against someone who's ability to work may be impaired by an illness? 

Good question. 

Here is the answer. A man does not kick a colleague when they are down. A man does not take advantage for his personal and political benefit the illness of a friend or a colleague. A man stands and fights for his spot on the ballot and doesn't slink off from a fair fight to pick on an injured colleague. A man of honor and integrity does not do such a thing. 

If the judge who the former judge has decided to run against is too ill to work, it is her decision to resign from the bench. Honor and decency demand such a thing. She came to the bench exceptionally well qualified and is spoken of as one of the best judges in Miami. She has earned the right to handle her illness her way. A man with dignity and honor would accord her the respect she has earned. A coward does not. 

A slug does this. A man with no honor and integrity does this. A man who has none of the attributes of a judge does this. If this person does not have the courage to fight for his seat, how can we expect him to have the courage to make a politically unpopular decision on a case. This is a man so desperate to reobtain power that he will do anything to keep it, and that leads us to reasonably believe and aver that this person will never make a legally correct and politically unpopular decision. This is a person who has shown this community that he would never place his job as a judge in jeopardy to do what is right. 

This is a nearly unspeakable act of vile cowardice and political avarice. 

This man is the prime example of the "cold and timid soul" that Theodore Roosevelt was speaking about in his famous Man In the Arena Speech. 

This act of spineless cravenness will long be remembered for the maneuver we have described. May he lose 100,000 to 1.  

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

We hope he reads these words, looks in the mirror, and knows all that he is not and can never be. 

QUALIFYING WEEK UPDATE .......

 

THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:

ELECTION 2024 - QUALIFYING WEEK UPDATE.......

EVEN BIGGER BREAKING NEWS

SCOTT JANOWITZ has withdrawn from the Circuit Court Group 25 race and he will not challenge Judge Marrero. We predict that he will jump back into a County Court race.  

There is a back story. 

BREAKING NEWS  

As we reported last night (read below) Candidate Scott Janowitz has jumped out of his County Court Group and filed against Incumbent Circuit Court Judge Yery Marrero. UPDATE #2. Scott Janowitz has paid his Qualifying Fee. He is locked into Group 25 and will be running against Judge Marrero.

————————

Very little to report after two days. Qualifying Week ends at Noon on Friday. As of 5 PM today, there have been no new candidates entering races for Circuit or County Court Judge.

In the Circuit Court:

All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for two: 

Group 14 - Vivianne del Rio - NOW QUALIFIED

Group 56 - Javier Enriquez - NOW QUALIFIED

In County Court:

All candidates that filed have paid their Qualifying Fee except for:

Group 18 - Betsy Alvarez Zane - NOW QUALIFIED

Group 29 - Scott Janowitz - Moved to Circuit Group 25

Group 31 - Rita Maria Baez - we spoke with Ms. Baez and she has indicated that she will be qualifying in this Group. - NOW QUALIFIED

In Group 29, there are three candidates listed as intending to run in that Group. Two of those candidates, Christopher Benjamin and Alina Salcines Restrepo, have paid their Qualifying Fee. They are each locked into this race.

Candidate Scott Janowitz, who was appointed to the bench by Gov DeSantis in 2020 and ran in 2022 to hold his seat, and lost that seat to current Judge Alicia Privolos (60% to 40%), Janowitz has communicated with me and stated that he will be Qualifying in a Group. Janowitz would not respond to my question as to which Group, which leads me to believe that, given the fact that Group 29 already has two candidates, Janowitz is looking at other Groups and gauging which race would give him the best chance of winning.

Christopher Benjamin has raised $32,078. Alina Salcines Restrepo has raised only $9,510 but has added $40,000 to her campaign in the form of a loan. Scott Janowitz on the other hand has raised only $1,250 and loaned his campaign an extra $500.

Which Group might Janowitz jump into? There are two open seats: Group 4 where Judge Robin Faber is retiring and only one candidate has qualified. Michelle Urbistondo, who has raised $54,150 and loaned her campaign an additional $100,500. There is also Group 12, where Judge Steve Leifman is retiring. Only Mario Corcilli has qualified in that Group and he has raised $43,801 and kicked in an additional $120,000 of his own money.

There are also 15 Incumbent County Court judges and 21 Incumbent Circuit Court judges currently facing no opposition. Judge Christopher Green has drawn one opponent, that being the above-mentioned Rita Maria Baez.

It has also been very quiet in the race for State Attorney where Katherine Fernandez Rundle is still unopposed.

NORTH OF THE BORDER

State Attorney Dave Aronberg, of the 15th judicial circuit in Palm Beach County, is not seeking re-election. So far, seven candidates have filed to replace Aronberg but only two have qualified as of today. They include: Forrest Freedman and Craig Williams. Other candidates who have not yet paid the qualifying fee include: Alexcia Cox, Adam Farkas, Gregg Lerman, Rolando Silva, and Samuel Stern.

Also in the 15th Circuit, Public Defender Carey Haughwout is also not running for reelection. Daniel Eisinger has qualified in that race while candidate Adam Frankel has not yet paid his qualifying fee.

In Broweird, State Attorney Harold Pryor and Public Defender Gordon Weekes do not appear to have attracted any opponents.

THIRD DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL .....

In the wake of the sudden death of Judge Eric Hendon, the 3rd DCA JNC has scheduled interviews this Friday, April 26, with the following persons:

Donald Barrett

Woody Clermont

Margaret Correoso

Angel Cortinas

Kansas Gooden

Judge Spencer Multack

Judge Joseph Perkins

Judge Thomas Rebull

Judge Daryl Trawick

Judge Robert Watson

Judge Laura Gonzalez-Marques

CAPTAIN OUT .......
Captain4Justice@gmail.com