Wednesday, May 19, 2021

News & Notes

1.  Terrible news -- CA11 Judge Beverly Martin is retiring in September.  She's been a bright light on the 11th Circuit and she will be very missed.  Let's see if Biden can get it right with her replacement. 

Martin, one of the 11th Circuit’s more liberal members, noted that a person of color has yet to fill one of the court’s four judgeships allotted to Georgia. “I’ve read that the president is committed to diversity, so I’m happy to give him that opportunity here,” she said.

As for what’s next, Martin said she wants to do what she can to help reduce the nation’s prison population.

“There are too many people incarcerated who shouldn’t be,” said Martin. “It costs way too much.”

This includes many who are elderly, she said.

“Every year I’ve been here I’ve heard the stories of incarcerated people and I go to bed at night thinking about them,” Martin said. “We really do need to reevaluate who needs to be in prison and who doesn’t need to be there.”

2.  Marco Rubio has asked his separate JNC to provide finalists for Judge, U.S. Attorney, and Marshal.  Here's his letter to Carlos Lopez-Cantera.

3.  Meantime, the competing Congressional JNC is interviewing next week.  Here's a link to the list of interviewees and times.


18 comments:

Anonymous said...

A "Congressional JNC" with no input or support from either Senator is about as consequential as a fart in the wind, no matter who the President is.

Anonymous said...

Please tell me where the Constitution provides for a Senator-led pre-nomination committee to vet applicants.

Tattoodtiger1 said...

Hope they fill all the slots with quality POC candidates... the South is so backwards...

Anonymous said...

They're only interviewing one white man and one white woman, so you can expect they will be nominating no less than 4 POC assuming you consider latinos in Miami as POC.

Tattoodtiger1 said...

Yeah, even in Miami they count.

Anonymous said...

How many Asian Americans are being interviewed?

Anonymous said...

"Martin, . . . noted that a person of color has yet to fill one of the court’s four judgeships allotted to Georgia." MLK: let every person be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love how people who MLK as support against inclusion efforts. They probably would have called him a criminal if they were around for the marches.

Anonymous said...

At least she hasn't let her personal opinion on incarceration affect how she decides cases. Oh wait . . .
3:54--the Senate still honors blue slips for district judges. The Constitution does in fact require that judges be confirmed by the Senate. Representatives can form whatever commission they want and interview whomever they choose and propose whatever nominees they want-it doesn't make a difference if the nominees aren't acceptable to both of our Senators.

Anonymous said...

1019
Lol "inclusion efforts"

"We arent excluding whites, we're just only including blacks and Hispanics."


Anonymous said...

'I care about due process, incarceration...yata....yata...yata....yet, I will continue to affirm based on harmless error and not write scathing opinions when prosecutors misbehave.'

Complaining about fairness now rings quite hallow - 1 or 2 good opinions over the years fail to make up for a lack of dissents and critical analysis when your fellow panel members twist the record beyond recognition in criminal cases they want to find harmless error in because the defendant is a bad guy.

Goodbye and good luck. Thank you next. I hope the next appointee has enough energy and courage to write dissents that point out the bs that goes on in many of the majority/harmless error opinions.

Anonymous said...

Rumor has it there are 3 finalists for US Marshal. 2 of them GOP and associates of Rubio. The third one could be republican too. I just don't know his party status.

Anonymous said...

Sen Rubio's list of people reviewing applications for Marshal/Judge/US Attorney is interesting; it notes that the members of his JAC are roughly the same as when he was reviewing/agreeing with then-Senator Nelson. It is puzzling to see Renier Diaz de la Portilla, because he is not a distinguished attorney and he has a well-published reputation as having a nasty temper and as a misogynist.

Anonymous said...

Can't imagine any of the applicants meeting Rubio or Scott's criteria. Remember Will Thomas and Mary Barzee Flores. The only question is how Rubio and Scott try to tie up nominations this time.

Rumpole said...

Dear Carlos Lopez-Cantera ;
RE: Sen Rubio's request for nominations
If nominated I will not run
if selected I will not serve
Kindly act accordingly

H. Rumpole, Esq., blog proprietor.

Tattoodtiger1 said...

Probably waiting for their person(s) to pack their carpet bags and move to Miami....

Anonymous said...

I think Florida will be a state where Durbin will bypass the blue slip. I suspect that a lot of the Southern states will be the same way.

Anonymous said...

10:27--nobody has suggested the SENATE not confirm, just that the Senators from FL, not have veto power.