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.
Aug. 20, 2010
COMMUNITY STANDOUTS EARN RECOGNITION-- The Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
Thirteen women were honored as Hispanic Women of Distinction Honorees for 2010 at the ninth annual charity luncheon Aug. 13 in Davie. The event recognizes Hispanic women in South Florida for their dedication in helping their communities. This year's list includes attorneys Carmen J. Cuetos of Coral Springs, Nydia Menendez of Fort Lauderdale and Marlene Quintana of Miami.
YOUNG LAWYERS TURN TO PUBLIC SERVICE-- Ocala Star Banner, http://www.ocala.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
The article is by The New York Times. In August 2008, Nathan Richardson committed to following in the footsteps of so many young lawyers before him: a summer position with a big law firm, followed by a job offer before he ever cracked open a third-year textbook. Then the recession began to hit and everything changed. Some newly minted lawyers are surprised to find themselves reconsidering their career goals and working in public interest law. Richardson claims that everyone he knows has at least considered staying in public interest — and law school faculty members confirm that they are seeing a growing interest in that field. Another lawyer said public interest law is a "sustaining motivation" that keeps him coming to work every day.
--Judiciary--
HIGH COURT PARSING THE BALLOT-- Daytona Beach News-Journal, column, http://www.news-journalonline.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
The column by the News-Journal's Mark Lane states: "The Florida Supreme Court is deciding how long November's ballot will be. And it may be in the mood for trimming. The state Legislature got carried away with constitutional amending over the past two sessions. It put no fewer than six amendments up for a vote in November -- and it threw in a nonbinding referendum item on top of all that, just for good measure. Half of those amendments now face legal challenges and have been yanked from the ballot by lower courts. Judges said ballot summaries on the amendments were too confusing or deceptive to put before voters. In all three cases, the state appealed and now the Supreme Court will either reinstate them or keep them off."
LEE COUNTY JUDGE: SIX NAMES ON BALLOT FOR TWO SEATS-- The News-Press, http://www.news-press.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
The Group 3 Lee County judge race pits four uniquely different attorneys vying for a seat vacated by Radford Sturgis, who will retire at the end of the year. All have practiced different forms of law. Robert Branning, Miguel Fernandez, Frank Mann Jr. and David Shestokas all have different ideas of why they'd be best for the job. It's rare that incumbent judges have opposition, but that's the case in the Group 4 Lee County judge race. County Judge Archie Hayward, appointed two years ago by Gov. Charlie Crist, is running for election for the first time. His opponent is former Cape Coral Mayor Eric Feichthaler.
ALABAMA FIRST IN STATE SUPREME COURT CAMPAIGN COSTS-- The Montgomery Advertiser, http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com, Aug. 16, 2010.
The article is by The Associated Press. Alabama's hotly contested partisan races for state Supreme Court seats were by far the most expensive in the country during the last decade, according to a new national study. The report shows that between 2000 and 2009, candidates for the Alabama Supreme Court raised nearly $41 million for their campaigns. Outside groups spent another $2.6 million on TV ads about the candidates, bringing Alabama's total spending to $43.6 million. Ohio was second at $29.8 million and Pennsylvania third at $22.7 million. The report was prepared by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, the nonpartisan organization Justice at Stake in Washington, and the National Institute on Money in State Politics, based in Helena, Mont. The groups are concerned about the amounts of money being spent on judicial campaigns, and the Brennan Center supports strong contribution disclosure laws, contribution limits and public funding.
--Civil Justice Issues--
JURY ORDERS TOBACCO GIANTS TO PAY $270,000 IN PUNITIVE DAMAGES-- The Palm Beach Post, http://www.palmbeachpost.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
In a major victory for big tobacco, a jury on Thursday [Aug. 19] ordered two cigarette-makers to pay only $270,000 in punitive damages to the widow of a Royal Palm Beach smoker who died of lung cancer at 55. Expecting R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris to be ordered to pay millions if not tens of millions of dollars, courtroom spectators looked stunned after the verdict was announced. Liz Piendle, who two weeks ago celebrated when the same jury awarded her $2.2 million for the pain of losing her husband prematurely, said she wasn't disappointed by the verdict.
--Criminal Justice Issues--
VIOLENT GANG MEMBERS MISTAKENLY FREED FROM JAIL, SPARKING FRANTIC POLICE SEARCH-- The Palm Beach Post, http://www.palmbeachpost.com, Aug. 20, 2010.
Three gang members facing conspiracy, racketeering and other charges accidentally were released this week from the Palm Beach County Jail, authorities learned Thursday [Aug. 18]. The revelation set into motion a furious search for the fugitives that still was ongoing Thursday night. None appeared to have been rebooked into the jail early Friday morning. Jail records show the three were freed between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday [Aug. 17]. Bond previously was set for all three men at $1 million each. The trio, purported members of the Buck Wild gang, were among eight men charged in April in a 19-count indictment alleging racketeering, aggravated assault with a firearm, among other offenses. At the time, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and State Attorneys' Office called a press conference and announced that the streets were safer with the alleged gang members locked away. Horrified after learning of the error on Thursday afternoon, prosecutors and sheriff's officials were trying to piece together what went wrong.
[Revised: 08-23-2010]
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