JAABLOG should update later today, but with Broward County in the midst of another ongoing round of seemingly incurable dysfunction at the highest levels, we wanted to solicit suggestions to be included in a planned letter to Charles Canady, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

As was the case back in 2007, there is no longer hope that the 17th Circuit’s judicial administration is able or willing to address and cure ongoing problems within the courthouse.  It is hoped the Chief Justice can travel to South Florida to not only address the judges, but also concerned members of the public, as his predecessor Fred Lewis did years ago.

While the sensitivity and diversity training implemented by Lewis in 2007 was obviously not a cure, it did go a long way to restoring confidence in our most august institutions.  Even a handshake and a reassuring “we hear you“, as Lewis did with us and others in attendance, is enough of a building block to start and infuse the process of healing and improving with real meaning and energy.  The very fact that he took the time from his busy schedule to travel here and publicly address Broward’s problems spoke volumes as well.

So there you have it.  Maintaining professionalism, civility, and accountability is a constant struggle, and your suggestions and proposed solutions are the key, together with any instances of troubling behavior we can cite to that we may not already be aware of.  Drop us a line, or post a comment, for possible inclusion in the letter.

In the meantime, here is a recent article from Essence entitled A year After a Florida Judge Broke Her Mom’s Spirit, Teen Struggles to Put Her Life back Together, concerning the death of Sandra Faye Twiggs and her survivors’ fight for justice …