Senior Judge Joel Lazarus was honored with the Florida Law Related Education Association’s 2013 Outstanding Service Award for his many years of dedication to educating Florida’s youth. The award recognizes “lifetime achievements in the advancement and promotion of law related education and exemplary leadership in Florida’s high school mock trial program.”  

Throughout his legal career, Judge Lazarus has been active in many community education programs and initiatives both locally and state-wide, from the beginning of Fort Lauderdale High School’s Mock Trial program to advising and judging competitions all over Florida. His advice to young attorneys and law students is the same he follows himself…”The best way to get involved is through education.”

Congratulations Judge Lazarus!

The 17th Judicial Circuit today announces the creation of three judge panels to preside over county to circuit civil appeals. Beginning July 1, 2013 all county civil appeals appealed from the county court to the circuit court will be heard by three judge panels. In addition to county civil appeals, three judge panels will also preside over petitions for extraordinary writs seeking mandamus, quo warranto, certiorari, prohibition or habeas corpus whether the appeal originates from county civil or county criminal.

Three judge panels provide a more efficient and timely disposition to pending appeals; assure more streamlined and consistent decisions; and bring the 17th judicial circuit in line with every other circuit in this state.
Effective July 1, 2013 individual civil division judges will no longer handle county to circuit appeals. All cases will be decided by three judge panels.

Administrative order 2013-25 Gen creating and establishing three judge panels can be found at www.17th.flcourts.org.

Peter M. Weinstein was chosen to lead the 17th Judicial Circuit today for a second appointment as Chief Judge of the state’s second-largest circuit court system. Voted in by a majority of the 90 judges serving Broward County, Judge Weinstein officially begins his new term July 1, 2013. 
First elected as Chief in February 2011, Judge Weinstein brings a wealth of experience and leadership to his role. “I’m very proud of the advances we’ve made over the last two years, including the creation of a Veterans Treatment Court and implementing electronic filing,” he says. “As Chief Judge, I plan to continue efforts to improve the online capabilities of our courts, and work on new initiatives such as Homeless Court.”
Of the vote of confidence his re-election signifies, Chief Judge Weinstein says, “I am truly honored to once again lead the distinguished judges and magistrates of this circuit. The many accomplishments this court has seen is a clear reflection of their dedication to our justice system.”

Nine new judges were officially sworn in to serve the 17th Judicial Circuit in an afternoon robing ceremony, Friday, January 18, 2013. Chief Judge Peter M. Weinstein presided over the ceremony, welcoming both circuit and county court judges to the bench.  
Those honored are:
Circuit Judges – Tim Bailey (Family); Ari Abraham Porth (Mental Health/Drug Court); Lynn Rosenthal (Criminal); Michael I. Rothschild (Criminal); Elizabeth A. Scherer (Juvenile Dependency); Laura M. Watson (Family)
County Judges – Christopher Pole (Criminal); Kathleen McHugh (Domestic Violence); Olga Levine (Criminal) 
The 17th Circuit welcomes all our new judges!

The 17^th Judicial Circuit is proud to recognize Senior Judge Joel Lazarus and County Court Judge Gisele Pollack, who were honored at the Broward County Crime Commission’s 33^rd annual Criminal Justice Dinner on October 18, 2012.

Receiving the Frank R. Pinter Lifetime Achievement Award was Judge Lazarus, who was cited as the “consummate Criminal Justice representative in Broward County” for his many years of service in the legal field, including his time as a prosecutor and the nearly two decades he’s spent on the bench.

Judge Pollack received the Justice Leadership Award for her role as the circuit’s misdemeanor drug court judge.