Abramson Back in the Saddle Again

It was one of the most bizarre situations I had ever heard of in my 35 years as a lawyer. Yeah, 35 years, since 1975.

William Abramson, a Boca attorney, brazen, bold, controversial, cutting edge, gives up his law practice to run for judge. He wins a bitterly contested close race after some crazy recount issues.

The guy he beats is none other than the jurist who pissed him off at trial, and who he then ran against. But the judge has the last laugh, at least up until now. He filed Bar complaints against Abramson's courtroom conduct, accusing him of significant acts of misbehavior. The Bar buys into it. Our own Tom Lynch is the referee. He suggests sanctions but nothing all too severe. The Bar says no, we want blood, and Abramson gets hammered with a suspension, greater than 90 days, requiring him to redo the whole deal, bar exam, rehab, groveling and the works.

But worse, now you have a court that says, hey dude you are no longer an attorney, so you are therefore barred him from taking the Palm Beach Circuit judicial seat you won. Tough break. You no be attorney, you no can be judge. Truly, one of the weirdest and wildest legal episodes in South Florida jurisprudential history, more exciting than old Joe Price shooting out a clock in his courtroom or dear June Johnson not wanting to deal with a metal detector cause it impacted on 'her aura.'

Well, Abramson is back, though I don't know where he is going to be. Cut his hair to run for judge. Don't know if he grew it back. Don't care. But the Florida Supreme Court entered an order last week stating Abramson’s law license was reinstated, and he was placed on 12 months probation, probably mowing x-Judge Wennet's lawn.

Anyway, I always felt Abramson got burned by the Supreme Court ruling; that while he should have been denied his seat by virtue of his temporary disbarment, he ought to have it back when he was reinstated- that whoever the Governor appointed should have been limited to a term as a placeholder, equivalent to Abramson's incapacity to 'hold office'. Thus, now that he is reinstated, I am not sure he is not entitled to that judicial seat he won in an election. He should try suing for it. What has he got to lose. Maybe Wennet could do the mediation.

I have no idea if Abramson will run again for judge, he is still pretty young, but I would not want to oppose him. Gotta believe he has a score to settle. Here is a link to our old links.

http://browardlawblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/supreme-court-has-ruled-against.html