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Circuit Judge Blake honored with the Award for Judicial Excellence

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Circuit Judge Blake honored with the Award for Judicial Excellence

Miami Circuit Judge Stanford Blake is respected in his community as a “judge’s judge” and a humanitarian who has gone above and beyond his duty in service to the profession and community, Florida Chief Justice Jorge Labarga said when presenting the judge with the Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence.

Judge Stanford Blake From carrying out judicial duties in his Miami courtroom and chambers to taking on additional administrative and leadership responsibilities on a local and statewide basis, Judge Blake has shown commitment to public service of the highest caliber, the chief justice said.

Labarga added that Judge Blake is equally known for his service to the community at large and for his personal warmth, humor, wisdom, compassion, and courage.

The award was presented during the annual education program for Florida’s 599 circuit judges. Last month, Broward County Judge Robert Lee received the judicial excellence award for county judges. A selection committee of two county judges and two circuit judges, appointed by their respective judicial conferences, recommended both award recipients from nominations made by judges.

Every two years, the Dade County Bar Association surveys its members about the 123 trial judges in the county. Judge Blake consistently is rated among the top three, according to Miami-Dade County Judge Joseph I. Davis, Jr.

“Ask any of our judges, and they too rate Judge Blake at the top of the list,’’ Judge Davis wrote in his letter of support. “He is universally considered a judge’s judge and the judge many of us turn to for judicial advice and assistance. His character, ethics, and legal knowledge make him our consensus judicial resource.”

In 2012, the Miami-Dade County Bar Poll gave Judge Blake the highest rating ever achieved in the survey. Almost 99 percent of the more than 1,400 respondents to the poll ranked him as exceptionally qualified.

Judge Blake currently serves as the associate administrative judge in the family division of Florida’s 11th Judicial Circuit, which is comprised of Miami-Dade County. He served as administrative judge for the criminal division from 2002-2010.

The chief justice pointed out that these positions as administrative judge can be challenging. He cited the nomination letter submitted by Circuit Judge Nushin Sayfie, who wrote that Judge Blake “always has had the courage to make the right decision, even when it is unpopular, even with the spotlight shining on him.”

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