An icon. 98 years old and was on the federal bench since 1970... one of the longest serving ever.
From Judge Moreno:
Judge King
died this morning. He was a great trial judge particularly in his first 4
decades of service. I tried several cases , including a murder trial in the
early 80s and can attest how fair he was pre trial and even at sentencing. He
was a great Chief Judge, got the buildings for Miami. Appointed by Nixon in
1970 he served as an active judge until he took senior status as soon as he was
eligible to help the court get a replacement in those busier days. He was no
longer
taking cases because of illness but served for 55 years. May he rest in peace.
FAM
I will post other comments here as well.
5 comments:
A true gentleman, a great Judge, a pleasure to try a case before. One of the best. May you rest in peace your Honor.
Judge King was special and made the practice of law in SDFL a little more of a hometown endeavor in the best ways. His longtime presence on the bench served as a bridge for later generations. To my mind, he was at his prime in Key West or after a good day of trial.When he came to the well of the courtroom after a long trial day and told a story or two about trying cases in Old Miamuh, he exhibited a sense of humor and a love for the craft of lawyering that explained, at least in part, his long time dedication and service to this community.
Both comments are right on point. It occurs to me that he outlived many of the very fine trial attorneys on both sides of the aisle who appeared before him. One thing I loved was his short circuiting of the whole PSR rigamarole and just getting to the sentencing when the case called for it. How can you not love a judge who cut through the bureaucracy BS? He was one of a kind. A “Miamuh” original for sure.
When I was a reporter at The Review thrity-five years ago, Judge King was one of those judges who welcomed me into his chambers on virtually a walk-in basis. If he saw me in the gallery during a trial or hearing, I could give him a look, he'd give me a nod and, on a break, I could go to chambers and he would explain what was happening and why. He never once came close to breaching any confidence, to signaling a ruling, to telling me anything I shouldn't have been able to access. But his patient explanations and, even more, his incisive Socratic questions. ["And why do think THAT is, Mr. Kuntz?" was a favorite.] helped steer me away from dumb conclusions and shallow reasoning many times.
He and his wife were avid world travelers and, when I told him I was getting married and we were planning a honeymoon of three weeks on the cheap in France and Spain, he enthusiastically offered what turned out to be fantastic advice and sincerely asked to see photos when we returned. The picture of me and my lovely bride at Carcassonne sits on my desk today, and we went there at Judge King's specific recommendation.
When I told him I was thinking of leaving journalism to stop covering lawyers and become one, he told me it was "about time" and offered sincere encouragement. A few years later I was before him for the first time. No invitation into chambers then, of course, but warm acknowledgment that he was pleased to see me "on my side of the bar." (And he promptly ruled against me.)
Not many judges ever serve in a building named for them. Judge King deserved that distinction.
Judge King's opinion in HRC v. Civiletti remains one of the most meticulous examinations of due process in the refugee context ever written. He exposed the systemic failures that denied Haitian asylum seekers even the most basic procedural protections. He recognized that fairness is not a luxury reserved for the powerful but a right owed to all, especially to those with no voice and no political constituency. And he did so with clarity and moral seriousness that left no doubt: the judiciary has a duty to stand as a bulwark
against arbitrary government power.
As two of the lawyers who litigated this case, Judge King's decision was more than a legal victory. It was a vindication in the belief that the law can still be a refuge for the oppressed. We remember the long nights preparing the case, the stories of the refugees who placed their trust in us, and the weight of knowing that their fate depended on whether the courts would listen. Judge King listened. He understood not only the legal arguments but the human beings behind them.
His opinion changed lives. It halted mass deportations. It forced the government to confront its own failures and constitutional blunders. And it affirmed, in unmistakable terms , that the Constitution applies even-especially-when the government insists it does not.
Judge King's legacy endures in the generation of lawyers, scholars, and advocates who continue to cite his opinion as a model of judicial integrity. It endures in the Haitian community, which remembers him as the rare federal judge who saw their humanity. And it endures in us. We remain grateful for his intellect, his courage, and his unwavering commitment to justice.
We often say that law is only as strong as the people entrusted to interpret it. Judge King was the rare judge who lived up to that duty. He reminded us that the judiciary can be a force for fairness, that constitutional rights are not theoretical, and that even in the most politically charged cases, a judge can choose principle over expedience. For that, and so much more, we honor him.
Irwin Stotzky & Ira Kurzban
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