by James Moseley, Jr.
One of the polemical issues confronting our Bar Association for many years has been the Judicial Poll. It is an issue that our research indicates that our members have strong opinions on both sides of the question and is split evenly. It should also be pointed out that some of our esteemed members on the bench also disagree on the efficacy of polling lawyers on the performance of our judges.
For many years, the Jacksonville Bar Association has taken different approaches to the Judicial Poll. The poll has been altered on numerous occasions as well as been canceled. Because our membership is greatly interested in this issue, our Board decided earlier this year to study all of the issues pertaining to the poll.
For this reason, a special subcommittee of the Judicial Relations Committee was formed to study this issue over many months. This subcommittee has now brought a proposal to the Jacksonville Bar Board of Governors which has now been approved and will be the policy of our Association for years to come.
Lanny Russell chaired the Judicial Poll Committee. We certainly appreciate his leadership and guidance on this issue. The subcommittee was made of both judges and lawyers. Members of the Bar included A. Graham Allen, Ronald Ray Austin, Audrey Moran, A. Jay Plotkin, Joel Toomey and JBA executive director Diane Gill. Judges participating on this Committee were The Hon. Judge Timothy J. Corrigan, the Hon. Judge Ronald P. Higbee, and the Hon. Judge Bernard Nachman. Our Bar Association certainly appreciates the participation of all members of this Committee.
This Committee addressed whether the poll should be kept as a program of the Jacksonville Bar Association, and if it was kept, what improvements were needed to make it better. The Committee solicited input from members of the Bar and judiciary by way of announcements in the Bar Bulletin, Bar meetings, and this column. Members of the judiciary were also contacted for their input. While the input received was indeed modest, all input was given serious consideration.
In addition to reviewing input from our members, the Committee also surveyed and studied other Bar Associations both inside and outside the State of Florida. By undertaking this study, it was the opinion of the subcommittee that the Jacksonville Bar Association should issue a judicial poll but also make improvements.
The subcommittee found that one of the deficiencies of the previous judicial polls was that it would generate a mathematical score which was not the clear intention of the poll. The poll was revised to allow for maximum feedback by a lawyer who appeared in front of a judge while also being respectful of the judiciary. The poll also provides this feedback to judges who will have an opportunity to review same. A sample ballot appears below on this page.
Based upon the study of this subcommittee and the revision of the ballot that appears below, our Board of Governors approved the recommendation of the Judicial Poll subcommittee and will begin the process of reinstituting the judicial poll below. Our Board owes the subcommittee and those who gave the subcommittee input a debt of gratitude. Thank you for your participation.
Colombian Supreme Court justice
On Friday, March 19, we will join the Federal Bar Association, the Chamber of Commerce, Florida Coastal School of Law and other organizations in welcoming Colombian Supreme Court Justice Dr. Hermon Galan Castrellanos. Dr. Galan is the president of the Criminal Chamber of the Colombian Supreme Court, the highest judicial official in Colombia. Dr. Galan is coming to Jacksonville from meetings he is attending in Washington, D.C. to discuss the joint U.S.-Colombian fight against organized crime. A luncheon will be held at The River Club on Friday, March 19 at noon. I encourage you to sign up to attend this very interesting event by contacting Phillip Buhler at 356-1306.
Annual Meeting
One of the highlights every year is our annual meeting where we have the opportunity to elect officers and “discuss“ matters of a general Bar interest which have occurred during the year. It has been our tradition to hold the annual meeting directly after the golf and tennis tournaments. We have been fortunate enough to have a venue which could hold the golf and tennis tournaments as well as provide for a dinner afterwards. For the last 10 years, we have been holding the annual meeting at Deerwood Country Club. As many of you know, Deerwood is undergoing extensive renovations and was not available for this year.
This year, we have chosen to have the golf tournament at Windsor Park Country Club on May 20. Unfortunately, Windsor Park does not have the facilities to hold our annual meeting, which can sometime number in excess of 200 people. It should also be pointed out that for years some of our members have complained of holding an annual meeting at a country club away from downtown. For these reasons, it appeared that this year would be a good opportunity to have an annual meeting downtown separate from the golf and tennis tournaments. Therefore, I am pleased to advise that the annual meeting and election of officers will take place on the evening of May 27 at the Omni. It promises to be a fun occasion as in the past and I hope you will make every attempt at being there. Further information concerning reservations will be forthcoming.