Two More Run For Judge In Broward
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Two more lawyers have decided to run for judge in what promises to be a very crowded 2016 field of judicial candidates.
The reason for the expected donnybrook: There will be at least four open seats due to retirements — two in Circuit Court and two in County Court.
Before this week there were two candidates for the open seats. They were Jason A. Rosner for Circuit Court Group 9 and Thomas V. Lynch for Circuit Court Group 24.
The latest candidates are:
* Maxine K. Streeter of Fort Lauderdale. She will be challenging Rosner for the Group 9 seat now held by retiring Judge Susan Lebow.
* Russell M. Thompson of Parkland. He will be running for the County Court seat Group 3 now occupied by retiring Judge Peter Skolnik. He has no opponent yet.
Helped Write Court Rules
Thompson, 60, lived the American dream, working his way from a job as a teenager on the loading dock to eventually to become head of the company.
He decided to go to the University of Miami Law School after finding success in business, becoming a lawyer in his thirties.
Today he has his own practice focusing on personal injury.
Thompson lost a race last year for Circuit Judge after spending over $100,000 of his own money. He is now trying for an open County Judge seat.
He is a Traffic Court Hearing Officer, which is like an unelected judge for Broward traffic cases. As an active member of the Florida Bar, Thompson helped write the rules for traffic courts throughout Florida.
He also is deeply involved with SCORE, mentoring people in the small business community.
Fought Serial Killer In Court
Streeter, 52, is running for Broward Circuit Court. She has a long career as a trial attorney.
Perhaps her most noteworthy case was a decade ago when she worked for Attorney General Bob Butterworth, who is supporting her candidacy.
She represented the Department of Corrections against allegations of mistreatment on Death Row by serial killer Aileen Wuornos. The killer’s lawyer was Raag Singhal, now a Broward Circuit judge.
Because Wuornos was a rare female serial killer who was already the subject of movies and books, the hearing was overflowing with the international media.
The hearing was held in Broward because Death Row female inmates then were housed at the Broward Correctional Intuition on the edge of the Everglades. The prison was closed in 2012.
Streeter also participated in questioning of other inmates and prison officials during an independent investigation of the killer’s allegatioins. The investigation found there was no mistreatment.
Wuornos, who killed at least seven men, was executed.
Streeter also was involved in numerous Attorney General actions against businesses and scam artists who were engaged in theft, fraud or deceptive trade practices.
For the past eight years, Streeter has been a lawyer at the politically influential firm run by Bill Scherer. At the Scherer firm, she handles civil cases involving fraud, civil theft, negligence and other matters.
Streeter was asked why Bill Scherer, a Republican activist and fund raiser who is known to be thisclose to Gov. Rick Scott, could not get her an appointment to the bench.
Her connections to Democrats in the past probably made it impossible for an appointment from Republican Tallahassee, she said.
A Fort Lauderdale resident, Streeter is the daughter of Don Streeter, a veteran member of the Broward business community. Dad was president of several large banks several decades ago and later ran a concession at the Dania Beach Fishing Pier.
April 16th, 2015 at 5:11 pm
I work with Maxine Streeter on the Fort Lauderdale Citizens Police Review Board and find her to be a thorough and competent member. She has my full support.
April 16th, 2015 at 5:48 pm
Looks like you can take Former Attorney General Butterworth off your endorsement list
April 17th, 2015 at 1:54 am
I’m voting for Maxine! Mmmmm, she has that Lynda Carter look.
April 17th, 2015 at 6:39 am
she is a wonderful person and will make a great judge. I have known her since high school. Very thoughtful and not afraid to make a decision.
April 17th, 2015 at 11:45 am
I admire and respect Maxine as a lawyer and kind friend. She would be an excellent Judge. Please spread the word and support her.
April 17th, 2015 at 1:09 pm
Streeter sounds highly qualified which means she has no chance at appointment or election.
April 18th, 2015 at 9:02 pm
Personal injury lawyer…that is all I need to know.
April 20th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
So I see on Facebook that Russell Thompson is a member of the Democratic Women’s Club of West Broward and running for judge.
That is a violation of Canon 7 of the Rules of Judicial Conduct
April 21st, 2015 at 8:15 am
@Broward Politico says:
Being friends with a group or person on FaceBook does not make you a member, filling out a application and sending money makes you a member of a political club
I have Teaparty groups and members on my facebook, that does not make me a member of the Tea Party
April 21st, 2015 at 9:25 am
Oh Ron, for those of us who know you, we know dawn well if the price was right you would be tea party in two seconds. You never had a problem supporting tea party republican Al Lamberti.
April 21st, 2015 at 2:12 pm
@lol,
Lamberti has never been a Tea Party Republican BUT your characterization of Ron is basically correct.