News and Events
Daily News Summary
An electronic digest of media coverage of interest to members of The Florida Bar compiled each workday by the Public Information and Bar Services Department. Electronic links are only active in today's edition. For information on previous articles, please contact the publishing newspaper directly.
February 6, 2006
--Judiciary--
ATTORNEY SET FOR JUDGESHIP-- Orlando Sentinel, http://www.orlandosentinel.com, Bed. 6, 2006.
A former prosecutor recently appointed to the Volusia County bench will have his formal investiture ceremony Friday [Feb. 10]. Peter McGlashan was appointed in December to become a county judge and is taking over a criminal-court docket at the Courthouse Annex. McGlashan worked as an assistant state attorney for the 7th Judicial Circuit for 12 years.
6 JUDGE FINALISTS PICKED-- Daytona Beach News-Journal, http://www.news-journalonline.com, Feb. 4, 2006.
After interviewing a field of 17 applicants to replace retiring Circuit Judge Edwin Sanders, the Judicial Nominating Commission for the 7th Judicial Circuit submitted six finalists to the governor. The nominees, one of whom will be selected, are: Dennis P. Craig, Celeste E. Gagne, Margaret W. Hudson, Julie L. Ozburn, Tura Schnebly and Frederick H. Tresher III.
SHORT CIRCUIT-- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, editorial, http://www.heraldtribune.com, Feb. 4, 2006.
The eidtorial states in part, "The 20th Judicial Circuit is bogged down because it hasn't kept pace with the region's rapidly growing population. The circuit's chief judge, Hugh Hayes, has asked legislators to fund more judgeships. He's had partial success. But that's not nearly enough. Hayes told the Herald-Tribune that the circuit needs 11 more judgeships, in addition to the four new positions, based on state Supreme Court statistics. The Legislature should approve Hayes' request."
AS DOCKET GROWS, JAIL MAY GET COURTS-- St. Petersburg Times, http://www.sptimes.com, Feb. 4, 2006.
As Citrus County's population grows, it's likely the county's number of crimes will follow suit. Increased crime means more criminal defendants, tighter office space for prosecutors and public defenders, and more of a strain on law enforcement to transport inmates from the Citrus County jail in Lecanto to the Citrus County Courthouse in Inverness. To ease the cramped courthouse and to plan for future growth, county public safety officials are considering moving criminal courts to the jail. The article continues to discuss the Friday [Feb. 3] meeting about moving the criminal courts.
THE HUNT FOR 'JUDICIAL ACTIVISTS'-- Daily Business Review, http://www.dailybusinessreview.com, Feb. 6, 2006.
After the Florida Supreme Court struck down Gov. Jeb Bush’s signature school voucher program as unconstitutional last month, state Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher painted a bull’s-eye on judges. The decision has sparked calls by conservatives to limit the court’s powers, pass a constitutional amendment to keep the voucher program alive and even to rewrite the constitution. But an analysis of the Holmes decision [vouchers] and other key Supreme Court rulings issued over the last year, and interviews with many appellate experts, suggest that charges of judicial activism against the current court are hard to support. Florida Bar president Alan Bookman dismisses such criticism of the voucher ruling as ignorant. “It’s easy to substitute your judgment when you don’t have the facts,” he said. The article continues to discuss charges of 'judicial activism' on the national and state levels and is one of several features in the publication's "Special Report: Supreme Court" published today.
--Criminal Justice Issues--
FLORIDA'S EXECUTION PROCESS FACES DEATH KNELL-- The Palm Beach Post, http://www.palmbeachpost.com, Feb. 6, 2006.
The way Florida administers the death penalty is fast becoming a national question after the U.S. Supreme Court halted two executions in recent weeks because of concerns over the state's use of lethal injection. The question in Washington, D.C., is only part of the possible trouble facing Florida's death sentence, as the Florida Supreme Court suggested in a recent decision that legislators review the state's process because it may violate federal law. Florida is the only state in the country that does not require a unanimous jury verdict to determine at least one of the following two matters: whether a case qualifies for the death penalty or in the final vote on whether the death penalty should be ordered. Ultimately, the judge in each situation has the final say in Florida; the jury only makes a recommendation.
--Lawyer Ethics/Discipline--
DEFENSE LAWYER FINED AND SENTENCED TO MORE THAN THREE YEARS-- The Bradenton Herald, http://www.bradenton.com, Feb. 4, 2006. [Also: The Gainesville Sun, The Lakeland Ledger, LAWYER SENTENCED IN MONEY LAUNDERING-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miami.com, Feb. 4, 2006].
Miami defense lawyer Samuel I. Burstyn was sentenced Friday [Feb. 3] to 3 1/2 years in jail for obstructing a federal grand jury investigation into a drug trafficking operation run by former clients. U.S. District Judge William Zloch also fined Burstyn $150,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Burstyn, 53, pleaded guilty in October 2005 to conspiracy to obstruct a grand jury's investigation of a substantial marijuana organization. The organization distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana throughout the New York and New Jersey areas.
ATTORNEY IN TERRORISM CASE FACES VOYEURISM CHARGES-- St. Petersburg Times, http://www.sptimes.com, Feb. 6, 2006.
Defense attorney Stephen Bernstein made a name for himself in Tampa two months ago by winning the acquittal of Sameeh Hammoudeh, who stood trial with Sami Al-Arian on terrorism charges. But now Bernstein, 58, has his own defense attorney. Bernstein has hired a retired circuit judge to defend him on three voyeurism and three trespassing charges, all misdemeanors.
--Other--
JOHN S. SAMMOND-- Palm Beach Daily News, http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com, Feb. 6, 2006.
John S. Sammond of West Palm Beach died Tuesday, [Jan. 31]. He was 77. He earned a bachelor's degree from Yale University and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School in 1955. He was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin, Florida and Washington, D.C., and was a member of the Milwaukee, Palm Beach County, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin Bar associations.
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[Revised:
07-01-2005
]