Cafecitos on Capitol Hill

 By John R. Byrne

Each year, the Federal Bar Association heads to Capitol Hill to talk to lawmakers about issues facing our federal judges. The focus this year was an increase in funding for judicial security and getting more judgeships to deal with the rising caseload. The judgeships issue is somewhat of a political football--neither party wants the other one to get to fill the first set of new ones. So, we discussed another solution, increasing the amount of controversy for federal diversity cases. Congress, apparently, is toying with the idea of $150,000 or even, possibly, $500,000. Stay tuned.

An issue that wasn't controversial? The naming of the new federal courthouse in Broward. The plan is to introduce a bill to name it after Judge Dimitrouleas and all the staffers and reps we spoke with were enthusiastically on board with the dedication (and that was even after lawyer Oliver Ruiz spelled Judge D's entire name for the staffers). The bill, which Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is taking the lead on, could be introduced very soon.

One of the day's highlights was Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Congress's only Cuban-born representative, serving the Miami contingent his special brand of cafecito (pictured above). Best one I've ever had. Must be his secret weapon when trying to swing votes.