Last Monday, I posted about Judge Paul Huck's decision to take senior status. Today, the DBR has more on the story:
District Judge Paul Huck in Miami will take senior status at the end of the month, opening a third seat on the federal bench in South Florida. Huck is the second South Florida judge to announce he’ll take senior status in the past month. U.S. District Judge Alan S. Gold will be going senior in January. Public Defender Kathleen Williams has been nominated to replace U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley, but judicial confirmations are on a slow track in the U.S. Senate.
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Huck, 70, was appointed to the bench a decade ago by thenPresident Bill Clinton, following a 36-year career as a lawyer. Huck said he is going senior because he is able to do so under the court’s “rule of 80.” Under the rule, when a judge’s age, added to his or her years on the bench, totals 80, the judge has the option of staying put, going senior or retiring. The judge receives the same pay for all options. Huck, who is known as one of the hardest-working judges on the bench with a penchant for moving cases to resolution, still plans on working full-time. But he hopes to help out busy districts in other states and to do more teaching at the law schools of the University of Miami and University of Florida — his alma mater — and in high school civics classes. Huck has been hosting high school students in his courtroom to teach them about civics and turned his hallway on the 13th floor of the Miami courthouse into a civics training area with enlarged copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. “I want to try some cases in some other places,” he said. “Some of our districts are overloaded with long trials and need help, such as in Houston. Plus, I’m getting old.”
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Huck did say he wants to “allow the position to open up and bring another person on.” Huck also said his decision does not signify any frustrations with the job, saying: “This is the best job in the world. It brings me a great deal of satisfaction. I wrestled with this for awhile.”
In addition to all the comments about Judge Huck being hard-working, the guy is also a mensch. He tries to go to every bar function and to all the going-away parties for PDs and AUSAs. You can tell that he loves the law and being around lawyers.
David, you ran out of time for this post at this point:
ReplyDelete"Huck, 70, was appointed to the bench a decade ago by then President Bill Clinton, follow..."
Judge Huck is not pleased with your loquaciousness.
Huck also informed the president he has until Friday to nominate a replacement and the Senate has until the end of the month for confirmation.
ReplyDelete"No motions for continuances or extensions of time will be entertained."
FYI David- you can turn off the word verification because Google added a spam filter to the comments section on their own. Turn off the word verification and check it out.
ReplyDeleteHR
I have tried three civil cases in front of Judge Huck and I have to say he's one of the best I have ever seen. Tough as nails but absolutely fair and his work ethic is impressive.
ReplyDeleteClassic line about the deadline, Rump.
M. Feiler
Tried a products liability case in less than 14 months after date of incident before Judge Huck. Set the matter for trial sua sponte. Incredible. Sad to see him and Gold take Senior Status.
ReplyDeleteHe's not going anywhere, he's just taking senior status. Plenty of opportunities to go to trial with him because anyone appearing before a judge with a backed-up schedule will likely appear before Judge Huck.
ReplyDelete