Thread: SUPREME COURT: Email Costs Judge $15,000+

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/ne ... 082193.htm
Posted on Fri, Jul. 08, 2005

FLORIDA SUPREME COURT RULING
E-mail costs judge $15,000+

The Florida Supreme Court ordered a two-week suspension and a fine for a Broward judge for an inappropriate e-mail.

By SARA OLKON
solkon@herald.com

A Broward judge will be suspended without pay for two weeks and pay a $15,000 fine for sending an anonymous e-mail to another judge in which he accused him of discriminating against Hispanic defendants.

The ruling, handed down by the Florida Supreme Court Thursday, centers on an e-mail that County Judge Robert F. Diaz sent to County Judge Lee Seidman in January 2004.

Diaz, using the sender address of Hispanicswhovote@aol.com, included an article about a Palm Beach Circuit Court judge who was criticized for reporting undocumented immigrant children and their families to the U.S. Border Patrol. ''Isn't this what you used to do in Hollywood?'' the e-mail asked Seidman, who worked in the South Regional Courthouse in Hollywood in 2002 and 2003. ``We remember.''

On Friday, the state's highest court followed the punishment as recommended by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the state agency that investigates claims of judicial wrongdoing. In addition to the suspension and fine, Diaz agreed to apologize to Seidman and the Hispanic Bar Association of Broward County. ''I will accept Judge Diaz's apology in the manner and spirit it is to be given,'' Seidman said Thursday. ''Furthermore, I look forward to working with Judge Diaz as a colleague on the bench in the years ahead.'' The Supreme Court's decision included a strongly-worded dissent from Judge Raoul Cantero. Cantero, whose name is being pushed for U.S. Supreme Court consideration by the Cuban American Bar Association, was joined by Chief Justice Barbara J. Pariente.

''I shudder to think what the JQC would have recommended had Judge Diaz not accepted responsibility,'' wrote Cantero. He said a written reprimand would have sufficed.

Judge Diaz referred a reporter to his lawyer, Jim Stark, who did not return calls for comment.

Carl Bober, treasurer and board member of the Hispanic Bar Association of Broward County, said the outcome was disappointing. He said the association neither required nor sought an apology from the judge.

``I know Judge Diaz is a dedicated and loyal servant to Broward County, both to the citizens of Broward County and to the Hispanic Bar.''

Herald staff writer Beth Reinhard contributed to this report.

for reporting undocumented immigrant children and their families to the U.S. Border Patrol.

What is wrong with that. IF they are in the justice system, they should be reported for being illegal.

If you are undocumented, you are breaking the law.

And this Diaz is a judge???? I wouldn't let him judge a lemonade contest.

Carl Bober:

''I know Judge Diaz is a dedicated and loyal servant to Broward County, both to the citizens of Broward County and to the Hispanic Bar.''

What a moronic thing to say. We have no use for judges who lack common sense and avoid enforcing the law.