Mary Hladky

May 12, 1999 | Law.com

Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Hoeveler last week decided to deny new trials to two lawyers convicted of essentially crossing the line and becoming part of their clients' drug enterprises. Hoeveler did, however, dismiss two drug charges against the lawyers. And he set a May 25 hearing on whether the defendants' racketeering conspiracy convictions should stand. Defense lawyers said they will appeal Hoeveler's decision on the new trial to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

By Mary Hladky

3 minute read

May 20, 1999 | Law.com

In Florida, the odds are good that prosecutors will do a criminal background check -- on potential jurors. The new tactic came as a surprise to some of Miami's best criminal defense lawyers, working in a recent corruption case. They were none too happy when assistant U.S. attorney Anita Gay revealed the results of those checks near the end of jury selection late last month. The checks showed that as many as eight of the prospective jurors might have lied.

By Mary Hladky

4 minute read

August 24, 1999 | Law.com

Organizations providing legal assistance to Florida's poor face a very grim year while the outlook is brighter in Georgia. Although foundation officials in Florida have been able to dip into reserves to keep from reducing grants, the pool is empty and cuts are looming.

By Mary Hladky

6 minute read

October 22, 1999 | Law.com

U.S. District Court Judge Edward B. Davis in Miami appointed 10 lawyers to a committee to screen gripes and give jurists feedback on improving efficiency. Lawyers with a complaint or suggestion can speak with individual members or the entire group, which will pass along the comments to a particular judge or the entire federal bench when warranted. The names of the lawyers will be kept confidential. "We don't get feedback," Davis said. "This to me is something that causes great difficulty."

By Mary Hladky

4 minute read

July 16, 1999 | Law.com

A little-noticed provision among the sweeping changes in civil justice procedures that become effective Oct. 1 allows Florida litigants to hire private judges to handle their cases outside the courthouse. They can elect to have the case decided by the private judge or by a jury, with the private judge presiding. Like traditional judges, private ones can issue subpoenas to force documents to be produced and witnesses to testify, and can make rulings on the law and evidentiary disputes.

By Mary Hladky

6 minute read

January 07, 2000 | Law.com

The Florida Supreme Court shot down many of the Florida Bar's most sweeping and controversial proposals to restrict lawyer advertising. In a long-awaited decision, the court ruled lawyers cannot be prohibited from using trade names for their firms, such as the Ticket Clinic or AmeriLaw. The Bar contended such trade names confuse the public and are misleading.

By Mary Hladky

5 minute read

June 21, 1999 | Law.com

Six weeks into the Port of Miami corruption trial, the judge threw out the case against Ca. financier Calvin Grigsby, longtime seaport director Carmen Lunetta and port businessman Neal Harrington, saying prosecutors had presented insufficient evidence for a jury to convict the three on charges they had stolen $1.6 million of public money from Miami-Dade County. The ruling put a wrenching halt to the government's highest-profile assault on South Florida public corruption in recent years.

By Mary Hladky

11 minute read

June 07, 1999 | Law.com

A Florida federal judge has cut the heart out of a controversial drug trafficking case which accused two defense lawyers of racketeering. Attorneys William Moran and Michael Abbell were charged with being part of the infamous Cali cartel's vast drug importation and distribution enterprise, even though, defense lawyers contend, there is no evidence the two had ever brought drugs into the United States or joined in the cartel's other illegal activities.

By Mary Hladky

8 minute read

November 19, 1999 | Law.com

Less than a month after Florida Gov. Jeb Bush staunchly denied allegations that he was trying to pack the state's courts with judges who share his political ideology, new concerns arose in the wake of his decision not to reappoint three workers' compensation judges. A fourth judge, awaiting word on whether he would be re-appointed, resigned. The development renewed fears that Bush is injecting politics into what is supposed to be a nonpartisan judicial selection process.

By Mary Hladky

6 minute read

July 19, 1999 | Law.com

Two operators of a bogus weight loss program have been ordered by a federal judge in South Florida to reimburse thousands of defrauded consumers $8.3 million. U.S. District Judge Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. in Fort Lauderdale also has all but put Frank J. Sarcona and Robert Wyman out of the weight loss business for good. "We had hundreds of letters saying the product did not work or had an adverse impact," said Miami lawyer Mark F. Raymond. "They prey on people who are desperate."

By Mary Hladky

4 minute read