Judge Hope Bristol, Administrative Family Judge in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, coordinated a local training in Broward County on March 16th to address the opioid crisis. Showing how influential a judge can be as a convener, with less than two months’ notice, Judge Bristol was able to gather over 60 attendees, including judges, magistrates, court staff, attorneys, child protective investigators, community-based care case managers, guardian ad litem representatives, and service providers. Two national consultants, Pam Baston and Dr. Vicky Weisz, as well as an expert judge from Miami, Judge Jeri B. Cohen, and a doctor from Palm Beach County who treats patients with opioid use disorder, Marc Schlosser, presented the training. As a result of attending, participants were able to:
·         Name at least two opioid substances commonly used by families involved in child welfare and judicial systems.
·         Identify at least two connections between parental opioid use and specific harms to children.
Describe how medication—in conjunction with counseling along with psychosocial and recovery support—is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder.
Judge Bristol was able to provide this training through a combination of reaching out to experts in neighboring counties and leveraging specific opioid-related federal resources through a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant.

Judge Bristol also plans to tackle this crisis on a statewide level in her capacity as chair of the Dependency Court Improvement Panel. The panel will meet in April to develop a statewide court response to the opioid epidemic.

Judge Florence Barner was awarded the Key to the City of Lauderdale Lakes during a City Hall Commission Meeting Tuesday, March 27th. Congratulations on your honor!

Florida Supreme Court Justice Alan Lawson was the guest speaker at the South Broward Bar Association’s Annual Installation Dinner last week. The well-attended event included a swearing in of new officers by Chief Judge Jack Tuter.

A grand opening celebration was held today in the Central Courthouse to welcome the addition of Broward County Kidspace, a secure, nurturing environment with trained, qualified YWCA staff to supervise children ages 6 months – 13 years while their parent/legal guardian attend a domestic violence related court proceeding or filing. Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Broward County Kidspace is open to children by referral only, through the Clerk of Courts, Domestic Violence Clerk. For more information, call (954) 831-5570 or email BrowardKidspace@YWCA-Miami.org.

Pictured here for the ribbon cutting ceremony are: Alphonso Jefferson, Assistant County Administrator; Commissioner Nan Rich, Broward County Board of County Commissioners; Philip Harris, Administrator of the Children’s Services Administration Section; Brenda D. Forman, Clerk of Courts; Chief Judge Jack Tuter; Chief Paul O’Connell, Broward Chief’s of Police Association.

As a member of the Dania Beach Lions Club, Judge Andrea R. Gundersen participates in the quarterly cleanup of the group’s adopted street.

Governor Rick Scott appointed Tarlika Nunez Navarro to the Circuit Court Bench on Monday, March 12, 2018. Prior to her appointment, she was a managing partner in private practice and previously served as an Assistant State Attorney for the Seventeenth Circuit. Judge Navarro received her law degree from St. Thomas School of Law.

The Seventeenth Circuit welcomes Judge Navarro to the bench!