JNC Names Six Finalists for County Judicial Seat

Pictured above from a Fox News Photo is Brenda DiIoia, now a finalist for the county judicial seat being vacated by Judge Robert Zack. Word is the governor will make the appointment by next week when he comes to Fort Lauderdale for newly elected Jack Seiler's swearing in ceremony as Mayor.

But Brenda is by no means alone in this race. We just had her photo. The other competent finalists are Melinda Brown, Jorge Hurtado, Ed Merrigan, Christopher Pole, and Michael Robinson.

Can't guess how many times Pole has made the final ranks but you almost got to believe the guv knows the guy by now. Anyway, good luck to all.

JNC: Six Names to Gov for County Court

Brenda Di Ioia, from her promo shot with Fox, on tv show, 'Speeders Fight Back,' now a finalist for a county court seat vacancy.

The Judicial Nominating Commission has selected six finalists for an opening on the Broward County Court.

The remaining finalists include well respected litigators, in alphabetical order, have had thier names submitted to the Governor: Melissa Brown, Brenda DiIoia, (pictured), Jorge Hurtado, Ed Merrigan, Christopher Pole, and Michael Robinson.

Governor Christ, who has been insisting on more diversity on the bench, should make an appointment in the next week. It is to fill a position created by Judge Robert Zack's resignation. He will vacate his seat on May 1, 2009. Not known yet if the former restauranteur will reopen a new Tony Roma's but if he does, you can bet Chris Roberts won't be drinking at the bar.

Review Report: New County Judges Selected

A report in the Daily Business Review by Jordana Mishory details the background of the newest judicial selections by Governor Crist:

Fort Lauderdale solo practitioner Carlos Rodriguez has been appointed to the Broward bench, which saw three Hispanics unseated in the last election cycle. Gov. Charlie Crist appointed Rodriguez and General Magistrate Barbara McCarthy as the county’s newest Broward Circuit judges Tuesday.

McCarthy and Rodriguez will fill vacancies left by the October deaths of Judges Howard Zeidwig and Charlie Kaplan. The two new judges interviewed with Crist on Tuesday. Rodriguez was born in Cuba and came to Florida with his family when he was 6. He said in an interview that if his father hadn’t been smart enough to get out of Cuba after Fidel Castro took over, he would have been cutting sugar cane instead of practicing law.

Rodriguez said he is most looking forward to giving back to the community in his new role as judge. “When I say I want to give back to the community, there’s some debts to it because of that experience,” Rodriguez said of the people who helped him succeed. Rodriguez worked at the Broward public defender’s office from 1980 to 1985 before joining Fazio Dawson for 2½ years. He has been a solo practitioner since, handling criminal and insurance defense work and personal injury and medical malpractice cases. He primarily represents plaintiffs. Rodriguez becomes a judge after being selected as a finalist five times by the Judicial Nominating Commission — three times in the late 1980s and twice last year.

In a written statement, Crist commended Rodriguez for his years working in both the civil and criminal arenas. “He is also very active and involved in the Broward County community, and I believe he will use those experiences to judge cases with restraint and balance,” Crist wrote.

McCarthy has served as a general magistrate for nearly five years. She has worked in the family, dependency and civil division. Currently she hears circuit and county civil cases, and also complex business cases. Prior to becoming a general magistrate, McCarthy practiced municipal law with the city of Fort Lauderdale. She also worked as a prosecutor with the Broward state attorney’s office and a 4th District Court of Appeal clerk for then Judge Barry Stone. McCarthy, who grew up in Long Island and went to college in Massachusetts, spent nearly eight years as a special education teacher before going to law school at St. Thomas.

McCarthy said being a judge was a “long-time dream” and said she was both honored and elated when she was appointed. Her interview with Crist on Tuesday, followed by her subsequent appointment, was the first time she met the governor. “Barbara McCarthy’s proven track record as an educator and as an attorney handling a variety of civil and criminal cases makes her an ideal choice for this post,” Gov. Crist said. “I am confident she will use her experiences in the classroom and the courtroom to rule from the bench with patience, humility and fairness.”

These two appointments come in the midst of a major push for diversity on the bench by the governor’s office. Crist has twice rejected a list of nominees for the 5th District Court of Appeal because it contained only white attorneys and judges. He has encouraged JNCs around the state to provide him with a diversified slate of finalists to choose from. But in Broward, judges with Hispanic names did not fair well at the polls in 2008. Many lawyers complained that the Hispanics were being unfairly targeted. All three Hispanic judges who drew challengers — Pedro Dijols, Catalina Avalos and Julio Gonzalez Jr. — lost during the August primary. Gonzalez was the highest-rated judge in a Broward County Bar poll of lawyers.

4th DCA JNC Seeks Candidates for Vacancies

Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission continues to accept applications to fill Judge Larry Klein's judicial vacancy and now announces that it is accepting applications to fill the vacancy on the Fourth District Court of Appeal created by the resignation of Judge Jorge Labarga.

The application deadline for both vacancies is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009.Applicants must have been members of The Florida Bar for the preceding ten years, registered voters and must reside in the territorial jurisdiction at the time of assuming office.

Applications can be downloaded from The Florida Bar's Web site, www.flabar.org, or can be obtained from the office of the Chair: Kara Berard Rockenbach, Chair Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission1401 Forum Way, Suite 500 West Palm Beach, FL 33401The original completed application plus nine copies and all attachments must be delivered to the Chair at the above address no later than 5 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27.

Submission of a photograph is encouraged. Applications received after the noticed deadline will not be accepted for consideration by the commission in accordance with Amended Local Rule III of the Judicial Nominating Commission, Fourth District Court of Appeal Local Rules.

If an applicant previously applied for Judge Klein's vacancy and wishes to be considered for Judge Labarga's vacancy, please send a letter to the Chair indicating this request for consideration for both vacancies by the stated deadline.

If an applicant previously submitted an application to this commission within the past three months for prior judicial vacancies, the applicant has the option of reactivating his/her prior application by sending the Chair a letter by the stated deadline specifically requesting consideration for one or both vacancies.

With the letter, the applicant may provide any supplemental information to be considered by the commission. All materials must be submitted by the deadline published in this notice.Members of the bench, Bar and the public are encouraged to contact members of the commission concerning applicants for judicial positions.

A list of the Fourth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission members is available on The Florida Bar's Web site or by contacting Chairman Rockenbach by phone, e-mail at krockenbach@gprmpa.com or letter to the above address.