Supreme Ct Asks For One New Broward Judge
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The Florida Supreme Court has requested 35 new judges be created in the state, but only one more in Broward.
Justices said that Broward should get one more county court judge.
They recommended that Miami-Dade get eight new county court judges. Palm Beach County should get five new county court judges.
The court has a constitutional requirement to determine Florida’s need for additional judges.
Justices noted in its request, formally called The Certification of Need For Additional Judges, “that, due in large part to the recession, the judicial branch has had no increase in trial court judges since 2007, despite a documented need.”
They said “preliminary Fiscal Year 2013/2014 indicates a six percent increase in probate filings, a nine percent increase in dependency filings, and a circuit civil filing (excluding real property/mortgage foreclosures) increase of one percent. Conversely, domestic relations filings declined by three percent, while felony and juvenile delinquency filings experienced a seven percent decline…. (thus the) request is conservative in that we are requesting the minimum number of trial judges necessary to address sustained documented workload”
“Although constitutionally required to certify judicial need, we are mindful of competing funding needs both elsewhere in state government and within the judicial branch.”
The Legislature will have the final word on the request.
December 23rd, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Ok, I am going to be a bit blunt. Broward has areas of drug-related crime that dwarf those of Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and other parts of the State. Alcohol, Mental Health, Drug Abuse problems are more rampant in parts of Broward County, and I mean Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Hollwood, Dania Beach, and even Deerfield Beach and Hallandale Beach (the last comes from second hand information for a Business colleague). It troubles me we will NOT have the same kind of increase in Judges as other counties. I am NOT one of the “Liberal, Leftist, New York Times/MS-NBC types” always finding racism behind every move, but really, DOES OUR HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESIDENTS HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE LESS THAN REASONABLE AMOUNT OF JUDGES? I know I am sounding like an MS-NBC wacko, but really, Broward gets one more Judge and Miami-Dade gets 8 and Palm Beach 5? I am sorry, but either Republican politics or racism are, I suspect, behind this “screwing” on the new Judgeships! I have to take a radical position accuses people of racism, but REALLY, l lousey new Judge and Miami-Dade gets 8! Come on, come on, Give me a Break!
December 23rd, 2014 at 5:03 pm
In response to Count LF….
It’s completely ridiculous to blame the number of additional authorized judges on racial groups or Republicans. Simply reading the short article will tell you that the one additional judge recommended was from the Supreme Court, not the Legislature or Governor’s Office. That having been said, it has been rare for new judge positions to be funded, so it may all be moot.
What may be relevant is all the bad publicity Broward judges, five in particular, have generated over the past year. Indeed, last year the Supreme Court recommended SIX additional judges for Broward and with little change other than the bad publicity, only one is recommended this year while Miami-Dade and WPB get similar allocations as last year.
Perhaps the Florida Supreme Court is finally fed up with Broward. It will be interesting to see how the four media judges who haven’t yet been removed from office will be handled by the FSC.
December 24th, 2014 at 7:46 am
The Fla Supreme Court has been certifying the need for additional judges in Broward for years. The legislature laughs and ignores the request. Palm Beach and Dade will get just as many as Broward; ZERO. Is it time to talk about the fact that judges haven’t had a cost of living increase in years? People expect our judges to be highly competent and accomplished lawyers but the pay hasn’t kept pace. Who would apply for a thankless job that offers a paycheck far less than what even a half way descent lawyer should be making? Well I guess we know….
December 24th, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Why only ONE more for Broward? This is outrageous…
December 25th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Ok, has Mr. or Mrs. or Mr. Owl ever served on a COMMITTEE TO NOMINATE JUDGES? BEEN A MEMBER OF A JUDICIAL CONVENTION? I HAVE! The “qualifications” or “record” of a Judge usually have NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR NOMINATIONS or ELECTIONS! And as for “how many are needed?” It’s all POLITICAL! You bet rich areas get more judges! You bet poorer areas get
LESS JUDGES! And whether by appointment or election, RACE, GENDER, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, RELIGION, ETHNIC ORIGIN are MORE IMPORTANT THEN ANY OTHER “OBJECTIVE CONSIDERATION”!
Ever heard the expression, “The Supreme Court follows the Election Results”?
The idea that RACE and INCOME LEVEL of a county are not HUGE if NOT DOMINANT FACTORS in how this Judgeship ratio was arrived at could only be in the minds of upper income White males who, let us be blunt, dominate the Judgeships in every city, county, state, and the nation!
December 26th, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Dear Buddy,
Thank you for finally solving the mystery of why we have such problems with the judiciary in Broward. If “Count LF….” has actually served on committees to nominate judges, we are doomed.
We might as well get rid of the court system. That guy can’t write two consecutive sentences that make sense.
December 27th, 2014 at 8:58 am
1. The truth, a coward whose name just arose.
2. Probably another false name of… I ratted out my fellow key west bribery conspirators
3.since the coward of the county can’t give his name no one can compare my published scholarly articles to his blogging dreck