Stakeholders have been apprised of how coupons will be distributed. This information is for PA’s. Remember, the service is available for a low fee anyway, but coupons can be picked up at BSO’s Video Visitation Center for anyone looking to save a few dollars. It’s believed the first thirty minutes is $5.00.

There are 600 coupons reserved for PA’s, to be allotted three per IC client per week, on the theory three jail visits for one client per week is sufficient. Just show the BSO people at pickup how many IC’s you have, and get your tickets. If they run out, more will be distributed soon. Coupons are specific to where an inmate is housed.

MORE GOOD NEWS – this service may be something made available full-time after the crisis passes, for the regular small fee. Obviously the vendor would love it, and so would most lawyers looking to quickly communicate some information or have a question answered, so definitely wait and see …

The following PRR concerning staffing was sent earlier today. The Clerk’s response is below.

We also are working on trying to straighten out the 1% pay raise issue discussed in the comments, but the responses to our questions will take some time to digest and analyze.

Additionally, we’ve got an Antonio Brown PRR brewing with the SAO, so stay tuned.

Here is the PRR and answer re Clerk’s staffing, which seems to indicate good news is coming …

CLICK DOWNLOAD TO SEE VIDEO OF BATTLE TANKS BEING TRANSPORTED THROUGH BOCA RATON THIS MORNING:

COMING SOON – Antonio Brown!; Clerk’s Office Safety Update & the 1% …

1. Register here with Securus. You need an account, if you don’t have one already. It takes roughly twenty-four hours to establish, so do it soon for visits that need to be accomplished quickly. The jail may be closing at some point now that video visitation is up, so get it done.
2. Important – Lawyers click the portal for attorneys, and register with a picture ID and your bar card, so as to ensure the meeting isn’t recorded.
3. After the registration waiting period, you can schedule remote visitation and conduct a non-recorded interview from anywhere in the world. You can also go to BSO’s Video Visitation Center. They can be reached at 954-982-6925.
4. Shift change closures apply, the same as in-person visits. Last visitation in the early shift must be set by 1:30 PM, and the late shift starts at 3:45 PM through last call at 8:45 PM.
5. Scheduling should not be that competitive, as visits are linked directly to the cells, specifically the day rooms by a client’s individual cell.
6. Coupons will be distributed by BSO shortly, and they are only necessary to get around the Securus paywall. You can use a credit card to pay the five bucks, or get a free coupon code.

SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE NATION RELEASING NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS

VOTE HERE FOR BOARD OF GOVERNORS UNTIL MARCH 23RD

We’ve been contacted with cries for help emanating from the Clerk’s Office. Employees are scared. Although not confirmed, one tipster wrote a worker was even told to remove a face mask while on duty.

Clerk’s employees, unlike judges and JA’s, may not all be able to work remotely due to secure computer networks, but can’t they be put on rotating schedules, or as candidate for Clerk Paul Backman wrote on his election Facebook page, utilized in skeleton crews until the crisis has passed?

Take a look below at what Backman wrote, and offer your own suggestions. The health and safety of all public employees is paramount, so let’s see what can be done.

Time is of the essence …

SDFLA Blog – Chief Judge Moore issued the following order, which in effect puts the District on “telework” except for a skeleton crew …

THE HILL – ACLU CALLS ON JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

CLICK HERE FOR SIEGEL MEMO*

*We respectfully disagree with VFO’s not qualifying … they can admit and ask for bond whenever they want, are entitled to the bond hearing, and the Court should take the admission and then set the Danger Hearing if there’s no finding during the admission hearing … however, it’s understood that the Danger Hearing itself is set at the mercy of the Court’s schedule, so it is what it is …

WEEKEND WARRIOR AO

Pictured above is Hillsborough County’s proactive order giving Leo’s discretion to release new arrestees on charges up to 3rd degree felonies.

It’s an important step, and hopefully will be considered here.

Full jails mean potential outbreaks, and outbreaks mean transports to local hospitals for treatment. BSO is preparing a response to our request concerning medical capabilities in the jail, but it’s safe to say there are no ventilators in the jail. A full response is in the works, which we will post when available.

Full jails also mean dangerous overcrowding if there are extended closures and social unrest, and jails need to be able to accomodate violent offenders. New arrests, of course, are also a major concern for the introduction of the virus into the existing population, which is why it’s hoped Jack Tuter will consider an order similar to the one executed in Hillsborough.

STAY TUNED …

PALM BEACH CLOSURE AO

VOTE HERE FOR BOARD OF GOVERNORS UNTIL MARCH 23RD

No Social Distancing For You!

15th Circuit chief judge Krista Marx is in the process of fashioning an AO to reflect the closure changes ordered by the Supreme Court yesterday, according to her office and PIO. We will post when it arrives. In the meantime, there is reportedly a bit of scrambling this morning, with last-minute cancellations going on necessary to comply with the Supreme Court directive. In the meantime, the 15th Circuit website still displays the message below, as of 9:30 AM.

Check out the Supreme’s order, linked here, and below on the prior post from yesterday. It seems to indicate requests for bond hearings can’t be denied at the Court’s discretion, emergency or not. That would go for VFO cases as well, so expect a lot more confusion if the SAO won’t stipulate “not a danger,” and the client wants to enter an admission for bond.

**Lastly, we’re told DOC is not accepting admissions at this time, which could impact the jail population as well …**