Nova Southeastern University and the NSU Trial Association at the Shepard Broad College of Law held their Fifth Annual Trial Advocacy Summer Institute (TASI) on August 9, 2019, with sixty four law students participating. Leading up to the final trials on Friday, several local trial attorneys and Judge Diaz taught trial skills to the students throughout the week. During final trials, close to 100 local attorneys served as jurors and ten county and circuit court judges presided.

The Broward County Bar Association hosted a continuing legal education course last Friday regarding the Mission United Veterans Pro Bono Legal Project. The lunchtime crowd heard from a panel of speakers about the program, including the Seventeenth Circuit’s Judge Usan and Judge Alspector.

Congratulations to Circuit Judge Raag Singhal who has been nominated by the President to serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida!

The Seventeenth Circuit’s 97th felony drug court graduation ceremony was held on July 25, 2019. We celebrated 206 participants who successfully completed the program!
Since its inception, drug court has helped thousands of people in the court system overcome their addictions. The ceremony was hosted by Drug Court Judges MicheleTowbin-Singer and Ari Porth and Magistrate Philip Schlissel, as well as their staff.

For the next two weeks, staff from the Department of Health Broward County will be on-site at City Hall during the Community Court dockets, offering free Hepatitis A vaccines.

Eleven young ladies from Girl Scout Troop 10115 visited the central courthouse last week, to take a tour, observe court, and have one-on-one time with a judge. Clerk of Courts Brenda Forman greeted the group with an overview of the role her office plays in the court system. After touring various courtrooms, and the jury room, the group went to Judge Tim Bailey’s courtroom for a hearing and to talk with the judge. The 5th grade scouts were there to learn about the government, in general, and the 8th grade scouts were there to earn their mediation badges.