Court Administration honored employees today for their incredible dedication to the 17th Judicial Circuit with a special milestone ceremony. Thirty staff with a range of five, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30+ years of service were recognized, representing more than 375 years of collective experience!
Congratulations and thank you all for your hard work, commitment, and service to our community. We couldn’t do this without you! #teamwork
It’s that special time of year! Judge Mindy Brown’s annual “Thank You” luncheon for courthouse employees kicked off in style on Friday with carolers, cookies, and plenty of delicious food.
For the 15th year, Judge Brown stood at the head of the serving line, dishing up meatballs, macaroni, salad, and sweets to hundreds of courthouse employees. Thanks to her holiday tradition, more than 250 people enjoyed a festive lunch.
Judges Jill K. Levy and John D. Fry also rolled up their sleeves to help serve, joining a dedicated group of volunteers who worked hard to make the celebration shine. The afternoon was filled with hugs, smiles, and heartfelt appreciation.
“It’s my way of saying ‘thank you’ to everyone here,” Judge Brown shared, noting that the event celebrates the teamwork that keeps the courthouse running.
Thank YOU, Judge Brown, for your generosity and kindness. Happy holidays to all.
Judges and their Judicial Assistants rang in the holidays with a festive celebration filled with great food, fancy desserts, and plenty of laughter. Well-deserved!
Judicial Assistants are the behind-the-scenes powerhouses who answer phones, manage dockets, schedule meetings, coordinate calendars, and keep everything running smoothly for the judiciary. And despite heavy caseloads, they consistently manage to beat back chaos, bring order to long days, and make it all look effortless — always with a smile.
Happy holidays to the incredible Judicial Assistants of the 17th Judicial Circuit. We truly couldn’t do it without you!
A group of homeschoolers got an inside look at digital court reporting services during a recent courthouse tour, where Supervisor La Kita O’Donnell showed them how detailed records of in-progress court proceedings are made in real time. La Kita introduced them to CourtSmart, the recording program used by the 17th Judicial Circuit, and allowed them to listen to a playback of a DUI trial. They also observed digital court reporters in action, asked questions, and even peeked into active courtrooms through CourtSmart’s live-streaming video.
The 17th Judicial Circuit employs about 30 digital court reporters who actively tag and monitor proceedings at the Main Courthouse, as well as the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood, the North Regional Courthouse in Deerfield Beach, and the West Regional Courthouse in Plantation. It’s an impressive operation.
A special thank you to La Kita for taking so much time to show these students how modern court reporting works.
National Adoption Day at the Broward County Courthouse on Nov. 22 was filled with tears of joy, megawatt smiles, and plenty of laughter. Judges Jose Izquierdo, Yael Gamm, John B. Bowman and Stacy Schulman finalized 16 adoptions, creating forever homes for these wonderful children. Chief Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips was also on hand to lead the opening ceremony and offer congratulations to all the families who opened their hearts to adoption.
The celebration was full of fun — face painting, games, a robotic photo booth, food, cake, candy, balloons, and gifts. One attendee called it “the best day ever in the courthouse,” and by all accounts it truly was.
Congratulations to the children and their new families! #foreverfamily
National Adoption Day is just around the corner and preparations are underway for a day of festivities! Seventeen children ranging in age from toddlers to teens will be formally adopted this Saturday
during a fun-filled celebration at the Broward County Courthouse. The event will feature games, gifts and lots of joy. According to Judge John B. Bowman, “This is probably the most important day of their life.” The aim of National Adoption Day is to shine a light on this issue and stir interest in the children who are waiting to be placed in forever homes, while also celebrating those that have been adopted. Read our press release HERE.
