About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

22 Fla. B. News 1 (1995)

handle is hein.barjournals/flabn0022 and id is 1 raw text is: &I U.g ) n. 00 Q DQ. 5 7 g MM P)C~ By Gary Blankenship Associate Editor Overall, the budget for Florida's gov- ernment tripled between the 1984-85 and the 1994-95 fiscal years. Florida's court system should have done so well. On November 23, Florida TaxWatch, a nonprofit government watchdog and research group based in Tallahassee, released a report showing state govern- ment spending tripled in 11 years, while Floridian's spendable income only doubled. Separate data researched by the Bar News showed for the same period the budget for the court system doubled- while inflation ate up much of that increase and rising caseloads and de- mands increased pressures on courts. Here's what figures showed. In the 11 fiscal years between 1984-85 and 1994- 95, Florida's budget grew from $13.3 billion to $38.8 billion, or slightly less than tripling. At the same time, the amount spent on county and circuit courts, district courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court went from $87.7 million to $179.9 million-just more than dou- bling. The state budget for state attorneys went from $78.2 million to $191.1 mil- lion, while public defenders' budget went from $42 million to $88.2 million. If you think that's a generous raise, consider this: According to Mike Ross, the TaxWatch staffer who prepared the report, inflation over the 11 years was 42.7 percent. That means, generally, what cost the courts $1 in 1984-85 costs See ludge% page 14 Year 1984-85 1985-86 1986-87 1987-88 1988-89 1989-90 1990-91 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 Percentage Increase State Budget (in billions) $13.3 $14.7 $16.6 $18.5 $21.3 $23.2 $27.7 $28.9 $31.7 $35.5 $38.8 192 Court Budget* (in millions) $ 87.7 $ 95.0 $104.4 $120.1 $140.0 $144.2 $155.2 $160.5 $163.4 $168.4 $179.9 105 St. Atty. Pub. Def. $ 78.2 $42.0 $ 84.3 $45.5 $ 94.4 $51.0 $116.7 $59.2 $131.1 $66.4 $150.9 $73.7 $165.4 $80.0 $163.3 $83.5 $163.5 $84.4 $171.7 $86.7 $191.1 $88.2 *This figure includes what the state spent on the court system. It does not include expenses paid by counties. and Continuing Edmaton Gid January 1, 1995 a Vol. 22, Mo. 1 1994 in review Dade County young lawyers' Kids Club matches volunteers with at-risk youth year-round. Representatives from nine local young lawyer groups attended the Young Lawyers Division 1994 Affili- ate Outreach Conference December 9 in Ft. Lauderdale. The conference is an annual meet- ing of local bar leaders for the purpose of disseminating information about young lawyers' programs and activi- ties, according to Greg Snell of Day- tona Beach, conference co-chair. The event also establishes a liaison be- See Projects, page 4 [,11a , 1 -3s2 [1KSu ? SEVERAL IMPORTANT changes to Bar rules will be considered by the Board of Governors next month, and are summarized in an official notice. Pages 2-3 MEMBERS AND CHAIRS have been picked for law-related commit- tees in the Florida Legislature. Page 7 MERIT SELECTION, Supreme Court jurisdiction, and court finances occupied the Article V Task Force at a public hearing in Orlando. Page 16 YOUNG LAWYERS Division Board of Governors members J. Kevin Carey and Matthew J. Comisky are running for division president-elect. Page 18 MEMBERS OF judicial nominating commissions discussed problems and ways to improve the appointing of judges at the recent 18th Institute for JNCs. Page 22 By Gary Blankenship Associate Editor There were the expected continuing le- gal issues, such as battles over the unli- censed practice of law, lawyer adver- tising, and the operation of the volun- tary pro bono plan. There were some new faces, including on flhe Flnridp. Supreme Court. A normally quiet agency, the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, found itself at center stage. Court decisions, notably on lawyer advertising and judicial elec- tions, were important. And for The Florida Bar itself, it was a year less of new initiatives than in finding new ways to reach and listen to members, and of reemphasizing basic Bar goals. That's how 1994 went, a mix of new and old problems and challenges, some high spots and some low. Meet the Court Perhaps the tone for the year was set early, during the January Midyear Meet- ing. At the All Bar Conference, the first day of midyear, participants as usual de- bated topical questions. But the after- noon session was devoted to a first-ever session with the full Florida Supreme Court. Lawyers at the conference could ask any question they wanted of the seven justices, who oversee the Bar, its opera- tions, and the rules governing the prac- tice of law. Many of the queries focused on the pro bono program and mandates on practicing lawyers. The justices emphasized they have to consider the public, the legislature, func- ,aning (if the cc_.!E, zr other issue when making Bar and court rules. Our number one goal:' Justice Parker Lee McDonald said, is how the public is go- ing to be best served. One topic receiving attention was the new pro bono plan. The court-ordered plan sets a voluntary goal of annually providing 20 hours of service to the poor or donating $350 to a legal aid office. While the program is voluntary, Bar members are required to report on the dues statement whether they met the goal. Justices told the lawyers the program was not intended Lo force lawyerS to do charitable -work; but to improve access to the court for the poor. Both lawyers and justices praised the meeting after it was over. See Review, page 8 Bar lawyers, State Attorney .- .... ~close 'Constitutional Court' A Tampa father and daughter team stitutional Court of We the People. who had set up their owvn court have gone Driver had been appointed by the Su- to jail for violating a Florida Supreme preme Court as the referee in the case. Court order to cease the practice. This really is a classic example of Emilio L. Ippolito and Susan L. The Florida Bar protecting the public:' Mokdad were sentenced to 160 days in Bar President Bill Blows said. 'These in- the Hillsborough County Jail by Sixth dividuals have preyed upon the weak- Circuit Judge B.J. Driver on a contempt nesses of those in society who are the charge for violating the Supreme Court disadvantaged, the poor, the unedu- order. The court had ordered the pair, cated, the misinformed. They inflamed and their associates, to cease activities the prejudice of those people against the connected with their self-proclaimed Con- See , pZ 6 THE 1995 Media-Law Conference will be March 3-4 in St. Petersburg. See the brochure in this News for the schedule and registration information. V, F (f v di a's ! B, - r sm t, a, ou o u v u d g s i o,

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most