Every registered candidate for SAO and PD has agreed to participate in non-partisan debates.

The location, date, and time are being finalized.  The invitations were sent out last night to lock in commitments at the earliest stage, since scheduling with twelve busy candidates will take some planning.  The SAO and PDO debates will be held back to back after a short intermission to ensure the largest possible turnout from the legal community.

The panel of three questioners will consist of Bill Gelin from JAABLOG, the Sun Sentinel’s Rafael Olmeda, and the Miami Herald’s David Ovalle, who will also serve as moderator.

Please submit questions or topic areas you would like considered via email or in the comments section.  Panelists can be reached by clicking the names above.

Here are the confirmed participants, starting with SAO:

And PDO:

STAY TUNED!

Sensitive souls beware,  the North Wing of the central courthouse is particularly odorous this morning.

The 7th floor is the worst.

It’s currently being cleared …

ATTENTION MEDIA – PLEASE CREDIT “JAABLOG” IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE UTILIZED.

AND FROM WSVN Ch 7:

The courthouse is abuzz with an unfortunate incident yesterday afternoon in Susan Alspector’s domestic violence division.

We’re told there was a sentencing to be held after ASA Andy Newman had secured a guilty verdict a few months ago against Albert Narvaez on multiple charges, including Attempted Murder (1st Degree/Firearm).  Before Alspector took the bench, the Defendant asked to use the restroom, and upon returning to the courtroom, broke free of the guards, ran up to the SAO table where Newman was seated, and allegedly doused him with urine from what appeared to be a bottle.  It was anything but pretty, and the sentencing was set off while BSO processed the scene for potential criminal charges.  It’s all captured on bodycam, and stills should hopefully become available soon.

When reached for comment, the well-respected and affable Newman had this to say:

“Things happen and I’m not looking to blame anybody,  but it was a very unfortunate situation.”

Developing …

FROM SATURDAY AUGUST 31:

ALSO FROM SATURDAY, AUGUST 31:

SUPERSEDING:

ALSO SUPERSEDING AUGUST 30TH:

UPDATE/UPDATE – Due to shift, courthouse OPEN Tuesday  …

UPDATE – Courthouse closed Tuesday …

Bill Gelin here, with an update on my run for President of the Florida Bar.

It’s off, because there’s too much I need to learn to be able to effect meaningful change before I run for the top spot.

Accordingly, I am seeking your support for the Board of Governors, specifically Circuit 17, Seat 1.  I will be running against Jay Kim, if he seeks reelection.

The Board of Governors (BOG) pretty much runs everything, and if I’m to achieve any of the stated goals from my prior post regarding the presidency titled An Introduction, I will need the inside experience, procedural and political, that only a term on the BOG can afford.

A major thank you for the moving show of support everyone has shown me since I announced plans to seek Bar office.  My belief is stronger now than ever before that the honorable calling of law and advocacy is overwhelmingly populated by good-hearted and industrious souls.  While the general public will continue to enjoy a joke or two at our expense, as they have since at least Shakespeare’s time, I believe our reputation has needlessly suffered because of gross mismanagement and egregious miscalculations by the Bar.  A new direction is needed, and with your help, I will do everything in my power to help chart the course.

To Jay Kim and anyone else considering a run for 17/1, equal time is absolutely promised on JAABLOG, if so desired.

Lastly, also to anyone interested, and for the sake of  transparency, a centerpiece of my campaign, the email pictured below was received today from the Bar’s Rosalyn Scott.  She’s the Assistant to the President, very nice, and in charge of all electioneering questions.  Her email is rscott@floridabar.org if anyone has questions of their own.

Thank you,

Bill Gelin

(Disclaimer/Unsolicited Mass Communications – anyone subscribed to JAABLOG not wishing to receive blogs regarding my candidacy for BOG Seat 17/1 of the Florida Bar should immediately UNSUBSCRIBE to JAABLOG)

Dennis Bailey issued the following detailed order following yesterday’s novel recusal.

Alas, still no working title …

We’re told Dennis Bailey granted a mistrial in a homicide trial earlier this afternoon, after the PDO filed a motion to disqualify based on information discovered during trial that witness Mark Shotwell is working on a novel being written by Dennis.

While we’ve learned Shotwell merely reviewed parts of the book for procedural accuracy, Bailey granted the motion in an abundance of caution, after initially denying it.

JAABLOG will update if Dennis is kind enough to cough up the working title of his book the next time we see him …