3rd DCA Finalists

Some of our federal practioners have made the cut to be considered for an appointment to the Third DCA, our state appellate court for Miami. The six finalists are AUSA Barbara Lagoa, Judge Israel Reyes, AUSA Lisette Reid, AUSA Hugo Black III, Sanford Bohrer and Douglas Stein. The JNC has put together a great group for consideration. This morning's DBR article by Carl Jones explores what sorts of questions are appropriate during interviews. Apparently Ms. Lagoa was asked about whether she could balance motherhood (she recently had twins) and work. Unbelievable that people are still asking these sorts of questions. Shame on them. Here is the beginning of Jones' article:

The issue of improper questioning of judicial candidates emerged anew during this week’s Judicial Nominating Commission interviews of applicants for a 3rd District Court of Appeal seat. During interviews on Tuesday, JNC member Hector Lombana, a Coral Gables lawyer, asked candidate Barbara Lagoa, a federal prosecutor who recently gave birth to twins, whether she felt she could balance motherhood and the workload of serving on the 3rd DCA. The JNC chair, Ramon Abadin, later called the question “inappropriate.” The panel subsequently chose Lagoa as one of six finalists it recommended to Gov. Jeb Bush.