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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.

March 5, 2013

--Legal Profession--

ADVANCE DIRECTIVES PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND FOR SENIORS -- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, March 5, 2013.
Attorneys, paralegals, and law students gathered Feb. 23 at Hogan Creek Towers in Jacksonville to assist area senior citizens in creating and executing advance directive documents. The Advance Directives for Seniors Pro Bono Project is a quarterly event that provides many area senior citizens with the opportunity to create important legal documents free of charge. The project is a collaboration of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Florida Coastal School of Law, The Jacksonville Bar Association and the Northeast Florida Paralegal Association. 

JBA YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION SHARES BREAKFAST WITH 4TH CIRCUIT JUDGES -- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, March 5, 2013.
Nearly 100 young lawyers attended The Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Judicial Breakfast on Thursday [Feb. 28] at the Duval County Courthouse. The young lawyers were given an opportunity to socialize with Circuit and Duval County judges of the 4th Judicial Circuit. The program was developed to address the need for greater communication between the bench and the Bar.

--Judiciary--

COMMENTARY: NO MORE LIFE TERMS FOR U.S. SUPREME COURT JUSTICES -- Tampa Tribune, Opinion, http://www.tbo.com, March 4, 2013.
This opinion piece by Eric J. Segall from the Los Angeles Times reflects on how "the nine justices of the high court hold their positions for life and exercise virtually unreviewable power. They and only they get to decide how long they stay on the court, and they can and often do time their retirements for strategic political reasons." He asserts that "Supreme Court justices need to be independent of the elected branches and the people, but they don't need life tenure to adequately perform their jobs." Segall suggests having "a serious discussion about amending the Constitution to abolish life tenure for Supreme Court justices."

BASS CEREMONIALLY SWORN IN AS CIRCUIT JUDGE -- Jacksonville Daily Record, http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com, March 5, 2013.
The investiture of Circuit Judge Suzanne Bass on Thursday [Feb. 28] wrapped up a busy month for the Duval County Courthouse as it hosted its third ceremony of the month. Bass unseated Judge John Merrett during the primary election in August with 58,484 votes, or about 59 percent. She already has attended judicial college and was officially sworn in during a smaller ceremony in January, but Thursday's ceremonial session allowed colleagues, friends and family to witness the event.

--Legislature--

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE FACING MANY FAMILIAR FIGHTS -- Tampa Bay Times, http://www.tampabay.com, March 5, 2013. [Also: FLA. LAWMAKERS KICK OFF ANNUAL 60-DAY SESSION -- Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com, March 5, 2013; LINES ALREADY DRAWN AS SESSION STARTS TODAY -- Florida Capital News, http://www.tallahassee.com, March 5, 2013; FLORIDA CONSUMERS HAVE MUCH AT STAKE IN THE 2013 LEGISLATURE -- Sarasota Herald-Tribune, http://www.heraldtribune.com, March 5, 2013.]
From The Associated Press: New leadership now controls Florida's Republican-led Legislature, where the loquacious Don Gaetz presides in the Senate and 33-year-old Will Weatherford steps into the biggest test of his political career as speaker of the 120-member House of Representatives. With the nine-week session opening Tuesday [March 5], the pair agree that lawmakers need to focus on important issues like the budget, education, health care, the proposed expansion of Medicaid, property insurance and election reform and not waste time on the inconsequential, which can burden the process.