Perlman Should Beat Seidman

BY BUDDY NEVINS

Many in the courthouse believe it will be a good day when we can all call him former Judge Lee Seidman.

That day will be coming soon.

The beginning of the end came Friday for another controversial judge — Cheryl Aleman.

The state elections website indicates Aleman never filed for re-election, choosing to leave at the end of her term after the Holidays. 

Aleman was publicly chastised by the Supreme Court for her ill treatment of lawyers in her courtroom.  She was accused by some attorneys of arbitraty rulings, sometimes violating the rights of defendants.

It is the Aleman seat that Perlman and Seidman are vying for.

Seidman switched races at the last minute to run against Sandra Perlman.  He had earlier filed to run against Circuit Judge Susan Lebow.

The change won’t matter.  My crystal ball says he’ll lose.

My pals at JAAblog agree with my prediction.   

Here are just some of the reasons Perlman wins:

(1)  Perlman, a long-time public defender, is a favorite of the courthouse crowd.  She’ll hold on to her contributions and get more as Seidman’s support withers.

Sandra Perlman

(2)  Perlman has been campaigning for almost a year.  She is personable, attractive and makes a terrific short presentation, a speaking style honed during years of trial work.

(3)  Perlman is a Democrat.  Seidman was recommended by Republican insiders to be named to the bench by a Republican governor.

(4)  Perlman is a female in a county where female candidates have a slight advantage, especially in down-ballot races where the voters know little about the candidates.

(5)  Seidman’s campaign already has negatives.  It is alleged he showed favoritism in court to a campaign contributor, an issue that has already been discussed in blogs. There is also an allegation that he used his taxpayer-paid judicial assistant to help in his campaign.

(6)  Most of all, almost everybody I know in the legal profession believes Perlman will make a better judge.

That’s why many in the courthouse are pleading with Sandra: Keep campaigning hard, hard, hard through August 24 primary day.



15 Responses to “Perlman Should Beat Seidman”

  1. It sould have been Judge Malove says:

    Six years ago Robert Malove, a well respected Broward attorney came close to knocking off Aleman. He should have won. He shinned a light on Aleman alerting voters that she had already been shown to be a cruel, compassionless Judge.

    She was even worse in her second term and the Supreme Court had to publically admonish her for her wrongdoing in her court room.

    Malove should be credited with forcing Aleman to recognize that she doesn’t belong on the bench and should never run again. He did the hard work.

    Thank G-d.

  2. Shoulda knownbetter says:

    Sandy will win and will be a great judge. Good riddance to Seidman who is not fit to mop the courthouse floors.

  3. Al Newman says:

    You’ve got to be kidding! I don’t know where you’re living, but here in Broward County Florida, where the newspapers & TV news report another violent crime practically every day & sometimes more, the people, not the lawyers, but the average, normal people, will vote for a tough, law & order judge over someone who has spent the past 20 years or so as a defense attorney in the public defender’s office any day. That goes double for the senior citizens who, as a whole, are sick & tired of reading about kids being attacked, teachers having sex with students, parents killing their kids & each other, & on & on & on. How can you think for even a minute that a lawyer who has spent most of her career defending those who are accused of these & other crimes could win an election over an experienced judge with a tough reputation?! Like him or not, judge Seidman has a huge edge in this day & age of what seems like rampant violent crime. Every defendant deserves his or her day in court & good representation, but the public is in no mood to elect one of the lawyers who represents the people they read about every day over someone with a reputation like judge Seidman. Maybe the defense attorneys don’t like him, but I can see him wearing that like a badge of honor in this campaign.

  4. dk says:

    perlman is hard working and bright. i believe she will follow the law and be a great judge!

  5. Adj = Al Newman says:

    Could you possibly be more transparent? Only you or your wife would write such nonsense. Your clock is about to be cleaned.

  6. Badge of Honor says:

    Lee Jay…Can’t wait for you to use the “Badge of Honor” rap when you talk about your dismal last place bar poll ratings. 8 out of 10 of the lawyers who know you question your integrity as a judge. Nice trait for the campaign trail. Happy Trails to you!!!!

  7. To Al "Adjudicator" Newman says:

    You are more like Alfred E. Neuman.
    Elected judges that are former PD’s are the most competent and well-liked jurists in the courthouse: Cowart, Tobin-Singer, Trachman, Bober, Lynch, Bidwell, Diaz, Marks. Your argument therefore fails. Doesn’t matter since by the time August rolls around the entire county will know who NOT to vote for. Go Sandra and Lisa.

  8. Watch Out says:

    Sandy Perlman has got a lot of dirt in her closet.
    Get it?
    Dirt in her closet.

  9. Dear Sam Fields says:

    Sam Fields is aka Buddy Nevins. Fields is where this blog is getting all its information and opinions. Fields’ “political connections” with judges provides him a living since he made $100,000 in the last year from appointments.
    He provides judges with political advise. The juges had better watch out since Sammy lost two judges elections.
    Today he prostitutes himself rather than seek good judges. Any old judge will do as long as they rule in favor of Fields. No matter that they are bigoted honkeys.
    BE AWARE. FIELDS PAYS BUDDY NEVINS. FIELDS IS BEHIND EVERY WORD AND EVERY THOUGHT ON THIS BLOG.

    FROM BUDDY:

    I’ve known Sam Fields for more than two decades.

    We have never had a financial relationship.

    This website is the property of Buddy Nevins.

    Sam Fields, who contributes to it, is a friend. I consider him a good friend.

    I get a laugh when people suggest that he supports me or has control over what I write.

    Sam pay me! He squeezes a nickle so hard that Jefferson screams! If depended on him to pay me, I would be eating cat food and not even the name brand.

    Sam is whip smart and has interesing insights in politics. Sometimes Sam has flights of genius. Sometimes he has flights of foolishness. But he is always fascinating and funny.

    The bottom line is: Sam and I have no financial relationship. We are friends. Good friends.

  10. Al Newman says:

    Anyone who believes the lawyers in the courthouse have any serious influence on elections, you don’t know squat about politics. Especially in this county. Most judges in the courthous, whether or not they are liked by defense attorneys, are relatively anonymous west of Andrews Ave.

    The fact is that defense attorneys themselves are unpopular as a group and obscure as individuals. Their support for a candidate means nothing compared to the president of a condominium association. Sure they can make campaign contributions, but most of them are all talk & no or very little dough. When Buddy wrote about Sam Fields being tight with a nickel, he was describing lawyers as a breed.

    And if you think I’m wrong about people in the condos and other just normal folks being sick & tired of what they see as rampant crime, you’ve got a rude awakening coming in August. They are the ones who determine the outcome of elections. Defense attorneys, no matter how competent or nice will not be their choice.

  11. fly right says:

    Fact: Seidman has never held anything but a state job, has no personal skills whatsoever, and is universally disliked.
    Fact: Sandra Perlman is bright, experienced and has charisma, That is what the voters will go for.

  12. Sam Fields says:

    Dear Buddy,

    I was going to sue you for that defamatory remark about calling me cheap. thgen I remembered it was true.

    Do I want judges, and for that matter jurors, that see it my way?

    Duh?

  13. Mr. Anderson says:

    The court system is a dog and pony show. It is all a fiction an illusion a machine to generate income off the willing ignorant public. Judges, State attorneys, Public defenders, and private attorneys all work for the court. Therefore it is impossible to receive a fair trial when the whole court team is playing together for a profit. Modern day slavery by deception and coercion.

  14. Harold says:

    Seidman was on a mission and that mission had nothing to do with justice. Good riddens to bad rubbish.

  15. Harold says:

    Thank God Seidman is gone.