Announcements
Judge Phoebee Francois was sworn in to office by Chief Judge Jack Tuter on Monday, July 2, three days after being appointed to the bench by Governor Rick Scott. Judge Francois is a former Hearing Officer in the Seventeenth Circuit.
Congratulations!
Seventeenth Circuit Judges Mary Rudd Robinson, Ilona Holmes and Michael Robinson were among those recently honored for being pioneers and leaders by the Virgil Hawkins Chapter of the National Bar Association. All were sworn in to the Florida Bar in the 1980’s.
The awards gala, sponsored by the Florida Bar and National Bar Association, was a special event at the Annual Florida Bar Convention, and was attended by hundreds of lawyers statewide, federal and state appellate judges and Supreme Court Justices.
Congratulations to all!
Judge Joel Lazarus celebrates 25 years on the bench the same week he is celebrating his birthday. Currently, he serves as a senior judge in the Foreclosure division.
Congratulations on your milestone, Judge Lazarus!
Chief Judge Jack Tuter swore in Edwina Kessler, the new president of the Broward County Bar Association, at the Association’s annual installation gala last weekend. She will serve the 2018-2019 term beginning July 1.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to Circuit Court Judge Raag Singhal, this year’s recipient of the Stephen R. Booher Award. Presented this weekend at the Broward County Bar Association’s annual installation reception, the honor recognizes jurists who display humanity, integrity, and dedication to the Bench, Bar, and Community.
Thank you for all you do, Judge Singhal!
The Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida last week presented a trial reenactment of Minoru Yasui, a Japanese-American lawyer who challenged curfew and travel restrictions put in place as a result of the United States’ response to the Pearl Harbor attacks. The trial that ensued, the guilty verdict, and the appeals that followed tell a powerful story of our nation’s constitutional jurisprudence.
The reenactment included video from that time in the 1940’s, as well as a condensed version of the trial and appellate decisions. Judges Singhal, Usan, Izquierdo, Fahnestock and Kollra all had participating roles in the reenactment event.
The Seventeenth Circuit’s 94th felony drug court graduation ceremony last week celebrated 141 participants who successfully completed the program! Since its inception, drug court has helped thousands of people in the court system overcome their addictions. This recent graduation ceremony honored one drug court graduate with an 8-year recovery medallion.
The ceremony was hosted by Drug Court Judges Michele Towbin-Singer and Ari Porth and Magistrate Phillip Schlissel, as well as their staff. Judge Mark Speiser was the Master of Ceremonies.
