1. It was my first time attending the 11th Circuit conference, and it did not disappoint. This year it was in Point Clear, Alabama. It was nice to see the judges without their robes and courtrooms. Chief Judge Pryor put on an entertaining set of speakers, including Judge Kevin Newsom interviewing Sarah Isgur. Justice Thomas headlined the event, and his speech got some news.
The flight back on Friday night was delayed 3 hours, and half of the federal bench and bar was on the flight, and still in good spirits! (That's me at the way back of the picture).
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2. The previous weekend was the big FACDL-Gala. I'm so proud of my partner Lauren Krasnoff for being sworn in as President of the organization and of Michael Caruso for being honored (that's him with a bunch of former defenders, including Judge Kathy Williams, who introduced Michael).
3. This weekend I posted the candidates for the two open magistrate judge slots. See the post below. I didn't want it to get lost as it is important.
3 comments:
Media picked up reports of Justice Thomas's remarks at the conference- wondering if this is accurate and how the remarks were received. They seem very tone deaf, at a minimum, in light of other conference subject-matter.
The press coverage was that in complaining of criticism about his ethics related to lavish gifts from "donor-friends," Justice Thomas said that “reckless” people in Washington will “bomb your reputation”.
“They don’t bomb you necessarily, but they bomb your reputation or your good name or your honor,” Thomas said. “And that’s not a crime. But they can do as much harm that way.”
Earlier that day, Justice Thomas sat through and seemed to be moved by two former Judge Vance clerks describing the mail bomb that killed their former boss, in a string of bombings that killed other prominent lawyers as well as targeted the 11th Circuit in Atlanta.
Justice Thomas is one of enumerable examples of judges and justices of all stripes that exemplify the need to end life tenure under Article III. A 15 year term seems like a good number.
On that subject, Magistrates should be limited to one statutory term, members of the house to maybe 5 terms (10 years for the math handicapped), and senators to 2 or 3 terms.
One of the best Federalist Society events I have ever attended.
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