3d DCA Watch -- Well Well Well?

Well well well let's first wish Judge Ramirez congratulations again for his service and best wishes in his new role as JAMS mediator.

It was a very nice retirement party -- Rudy Sorondo told a few tales, Chief Judge Wells quoted John Lennon (hey, so did I!), Judge R thanked his family, clerks, JAs and colleagues, in all it was a very lovely event.

Oh, and the Judge's portrait was revealed, very striking:

(Oops, wrong photo!)

I kid -- it was a very nice ceremony and we wish the Judge much continued success.

Speaking of Rudy Sorondo, here he is arguing for the appellants in a case where Judge Manno-Shurr struck the defendants' pleadings based on fraud on the court:

On August 13, 2010, the Bank filed its Motion to Strike, alleging the defendants schemed to defraud the trial court by submitting perjured deposition testimony, suborning and attempting to suborn perjury, and forging corporate documents, all in an effort to conceal the Cohens’ ownership interests in the Corporate Defendants and Offshore Entities. On October 1, 2010, the trial court commenced an evidentiary hearing on the Motion to Strike, and received evidence over a three-day period. After the hearing, the trial court concluded the defendants intended to defraud the Florida court, and struck their pleadings. Upon review of the case law and the voluminous record, we affirm in part, and reverse in part.

Basically, Judge Rothenberg's opinion goes into exquisite detail and upholds the lower court ruling, except as to one defendant (not represented by Rudy).  It ends this way:

While we are mindful of Florida’s strong public policy favoring the resolution of cases on their merits, the judiciary cannot be, and is not, impotent against those wishing to corrupt the litigation process by employing fraud and deception at every turn. Accordingly, we affirm the default judgment as it pertains to the Cohens and the Corporate Defendants because the record evidence establishes, clearly and convincingly, that these litigants have engaged in a massive and unprecedented scheme to defraud the trial court below.

Not a pretty picture (I don't mean the hot tub -- I love that picture!).

This One's For You, Judge Ramirez!

I've received countless emails and notes from practitioners this morning genuinely upset to see blogger and "millennium" jurist Judge Ramirez departing from the 3d DCA bench.

But he won't be far -- he's helping to launch a Miami office of the big-shot mediation outfit JAMS:

"Basically, I decided I would leave on my own terms and my own schedule," he said. "I got a very nice offer from JAMS," short for Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services.

Founded in 1979, JAMS bills itself as the world's largest alternative dispute resolution service. It has 280 full-time "neutrals," primarily retired judges and attorneys, and 195 employees. The Irvine, California-based firm handles about 10,000 cases a year at its various locations. Last year it formed JAMS International to handle cross-border disputes.

JAMS announced last month that it would be opening a Miami office this spring. The branch will be on the 26th floor at 600 Brickell Ave. Its offices will include 10 conference rooms.

On behalf of your many friends, colleagues and admirers, thank you for your years of dedicated (and superior) public service.

Now you get to sit in a room and watch lawyers yell at each other!