15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION CERTIFICATION OF NOMINEES

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2020
CONTACT:  Robert J. Harvey, Esq.
Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE:  (561) 303-2918

 

15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION

CERTIFICATION OF NOMINEES

 

The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) takes pleasure in certifying the following nominees to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the resignation of Judge Jessica Ticktin, pursuant to the Governor’s Letter to Convene dated April 10, 2020:

  1. Judge Paige Gillman
  2. Judge Bradley Harper
  3. Laura Laurie
  4. Judith Levine
  5. John Parnofiello
  6. Schnelle Tonge

A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.

If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at [email protected]

FLORIDA’S CHIEF JUSTICE ISSUES NEW PANDEMIC ORDERS LAUNCHING A REMOTE CIVIL JURY TRIAL PILOT PROGRAM, SETTING NEW HEALTH SAFETY MEASURES, & AMENDING PRIOR EMERGENCY ORDERS

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TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady issued an order late on May 21, 2020, creating a new pilot program for civil jury trials to be held using remote technology. It will explore ways to let one of the most central parts of the state justice system – jury trials – begin again using health-related distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

All jury trials in Florida have been halted, and a backlog has developed, since March 13, 2020. This occurred because of the danger of spreading coronavirus in the close quarters used in standard jury procedures. Florida has relied on an in-person jury system for 175 years since it achieved statehood in 1845. Jury trials are required by both the federal and state constitutions in certain instances.

Under the pilot program, the statewide COVID-19 Workgroup will develop requirements and will select up to five Florida trial circuits to participate in the pilot. At this point, trials will only be civil, non-criminal cases and all parties must consent to participate in the pilot.

In other actions last night, Canady also took the following measures:

  • Issued a separate new order establishing health & safety precautions to be used in Phase 2 of the expansion of court operations. These precautions are based on a report issued by a statewide advisory COVID-19 Workgroup.
  • Amended an earlier order called SCAO20-23 that provides comprehensive emergency procedures for use in courts in the pandemic. The amendments incorporate the new Phase 2 safety procedures contained in the COVID-19 Workgroup report.

Phase 2 is the time when limited in-person contact will be authorized in courts and court proceedings, but protective measures still will be required. It will be followed by Phase 3, when in-person contact is more broadly authorized, and Phase 4, when coronavirus no longer presents a significant risk.

Transition to Phase 2 in the Florida state courts will occur when each trial and appeals court has:

  • Met five benchmark criteria: (a) no COVID-19 cases in the courthouse within 14 days or the use of deep cleaning if such cases have occurred; (b) local and state restrictive orders permit the activity; (c) the community shows at least 14 days of improvements in case reporting; (d) adequate testing programs are in place; and (e) other building occupants and justice system partners have been consulted.
  • Developed an operational plan addressing implementation of the COVID-19 Workgroup’s report. The plan must be updated regularly to reflect advancements in best practices.

Florida’s State Courts currently are in Phase 1, the time when the most restrictive limits are placed on in-person contact to avoid possible coronavirus infections.

The Chief Justice will review these and other COVID-19 orders as the pandemic emergency develops and will modify or extend them if needed.

Statewide and local court emergency orders and advisories are available on the Florida Supreme Court’s website: https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Emergency

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO APPLY FOR FLORIDA LEGAL SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS VACANCY

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 1, 2020
CONTACT: Kristen Wilson, [email protected]
The Florida Bar
TELEPHONE: (850) 561-5757

 

The Board of Directors of Florida Legal Services, Inc., is seeking one lawyer to serve a three-year term beginning July 1. The 15-member board provides judicial advocacy through co-counseling with local program attorneys and volunteer pro bono attorneys and provides legislative and administrative advocacy on policies affecting the legal rights of the poor, as well as providing civil legal assistance to people who are indigent and who would not otherwise have the means to obtain a lawyer.

Attorneys interested in applying for this vacancy may download the Application for Special Appointment or call Florida Bar headquarters (850) 561-5757 to obtain the application form.  Completed applications must be received by the Executive Director, The Florida Bar, 651 East Jefferson St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2300 no later than the close of business on Friday, June 12. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of the required application. The Board of Governors will review all applications and may request interviews.

15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION NOTICE OF INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

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15TH CIRCUIT JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION
NOTICE OF INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2020
CONTACT:  Robert J. Harvey, Esq.
Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission
TELEPHONE:  (561) 303-2918

 

The Fifteenth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission (“JNC”) received 26 applications for nomination to fill the vacancy for a Circuit Court Judge position created by the resignation of Judge Jessica Ticktin. On May 22, 2020, the JNC will interview the following applicants:

9:15 a.m.         Sarah Cortvriend

9:30 a.m.        Jonathan Giddens

9:45 a.m.        Judge Paige Gillman

10:00 a.m.     Judge Bradley Harper

10:15 a.m.      Nicole Hunt Jackson

10:30 a. m     Break

10:45 a.m.     Robert Ostrov

11:00 a.m.     John Parnofiello

11:15 a.m.      Jorge Perez

11:30 a.m.     Jeremy Zubkoff

11:45 a.m.     JNC Deliberations

 

The above interviews will be conducted in person at the Palm Beach County Bar Association (“PBCBA”), 1507 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33406. Each applicant will be allowed a two minute opening statement. All persons entering the PBCBA are required to wear face coverings and social distancing measures will be strictly enforced. The interviews will be transcribed by Phipps Reporting pro bono.

JNC proceedings are open to the public, except for deliberations. However, senior citizens and individuals with a significant underlying medical condition (such as chronic lung disease, moderate-to-severe asthma, serious heart conditions, immunocompromised status, cancer, diabetes, severe obesity, renal failure and liver disease) are strongly encouraged to stay at home and take all measures to limit the risk of exposure to COVID-19. See, Governor’s Executive Order Number 20-112 https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2020/EO_20-112.pdf .

The JNC has not eliminated any applicant from consideration. The following applicants interviewed by the JNC on November 13, 2019, may submit a written statement updating the JNC on anything they wish to share about themselves and their work experience since their last interview. Such statements are limited to 1,000 words and must be received at [email protected]  by 5:00 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, May 18, to be considered. Those applicants are:

  1. Peter Bassaline
  2. Elizabeth Berkowitz
  3. Marsha Bunn
  4. Melanie Casper
  5. George Lagos
  6. Abigail Langweiler
  7. Laura Laurie
  8. Judith Levine
  9. Ilana Marcus
  10. Jean Marie Middleton
  11. Angela Prudenti
  12. Ori Silver
  13. Joseph Small
  14. Alcoyla St. Juste
  15. Stephanie Tew
  16. Schnelle Tonge
  17. Kevin Walsh

A list of members of the Fifteenth Circuit JNC is available at https://www.flgov.com/judicial-and-judicial-nominating-commission-information/.Members of the bench, the Bar and the public are urged to contact the members of the Commission concerning applicants for judicial positions. If you have any questions, please call Mr. Harvey at (561) 303-2918, or email at [email protected]

FLORIDA’S CHIEF JUSTICE EXPANDS LIST OF COURT PROCEEDINGS TO BE HELD REMOTELY DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND EXTENDS JURY TRIAL SUSPENSION TO EARLY JULY

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Florida’s Chief Justice expands list of court proceedings to be held remotely during the coronavirus pandemic and extends jury trial suspension to early July

 

TALLAHASSEE – Acting on the recommendations of a statewide Court Continuity Workgroup, Florida’s Chief Justice Charles Canady issued a new emergency order May 4 increasing the list of proceedings state courts will accomplish by remote technology during the coronavirus pandemic.

It also extends the current suspension of jury trials in Florida until July 2. It makes corresponding changes to some legal deadlines by pushing them back until the Monday after the July 4 holiday weekend. In-person jury trials pose a special hazard because they can expose jurors and other courtroom participants to a risk of infection. Future extensions will be considered if needed.

For first-degree murder cases, the new order suspends until July 2 some requirements for in-person preliminary hearings and a requirement that defendants be automatically released from custody if prosecutors are unable to file charges within 40 days.

The order especially focuses on increasing the resolution of cases by shifting as many of them as possible into a virtual environment with remote technology. In addition to work already required under an April 6 order, the amended list now adds the following:

  • Non-jury trials, except that all parties must agree to remote non-jury proceedings in criminal, juvenile delinquency, and termination of parental rights cases;
  • Alternate dispute resolution cases;
  • Status, case management, and pretrial conferences in all case types;
  • Non-evidentiary and evidentiary motion hearings in all case types;
  • Arraignments and pleas in absentia in county court misdemeanor cases;
  • Hearings in juvenile delinquency cases;
  • Hearings in noncriminal traffic infraction cases; and
  • Problem-solving court staffings, hearings, and wellness checks.

Case types on this list will be held by telephone or other electronic means unless prohibited by the constitution or other law, or where one of the participants is unable to take part because of a lack of required technology or staffing problems caused by the pandemic.

Canady’s order embodies the first set of recommendations from the Workgroup on the Continuity of Court Operations, created by an April 21 order. The Continuity Workgroup was asked to submit recommendations as they are developed to guide a phased return to full court operations.

The expanded list of essential proceedings adds to earlier efforts to mitigate the impact of coronavirus while letting courts operate in a way consistent with public safety. Florida’s courts have followed emergency guidelines since a March 13 order, when Canady suspended jury trials and took other actions restricting in-person proceedings to enforce social distancing. Subsequent orders extended these limits through the end of May, subject to future orders made necessary by the pandemic.

Chaired by Orlando-area Circuit Judge Lisa Taylor Munyon, the 17-member Continuity Workgroup’s mission includes examining the current status of all court proceedings statewide that have been delayed by the pandemic. Where warranted, the Workgroup will propose methods for resolving cases with remote technology and other new procedures. Information about the Workgroup and its meeting minutes are available on its web page.

The move toward more virtual proceedings is a major historical shift in state court operations, which have relied heavily on in-person hearings in the 175 years Florida has been a state. Canady also has asked the Continuity Workgroup to make suggestions for remote procedures that can continue even after the pandemic is over.

All state-court coronavirus emergency orders and advisories are linked on the Florida Supreme Court’s website: https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Emergency