I have now practiced law in Miami-Dade County for over 40 years. My non-lawyer friends are surprised when they learn that Judges in Florida do not use gavels. Twenty five years ago when my wife Myriam was invested as a judge, she received several gavels from numerous associations and organizations. From the Cuban-American Bar to the Dade County Bar, she received gavels made of everything from marble to glass. Even though they adorn her chambers nicely, she has never used one, except maybe as a paper weight.

In the movies, judges use gavels to bring order to a rowdy courtroom. This has never been necessary in all of my years of practice since judges have always been respected and litigants showed some degree of decorum. Sadly, it looks like we may need to bring the good old-fashioned wooden gavel into service in Florida.

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