I find it unethical for a lawyer to be giving campaign contributions to a judge before whom he is practicing, but hey, that's just my opinion, and the case I laid out is not dependent on this.
With regards to the denial of a stay on the federal level, the dissenting of Judge Wilson says it a lot more thoroughly than can I, but I can paraphrase by saying the law demanded a de novo review; the failure to issue a stay made a de novo review; therefore the judiciary deliberately flouted the clear intent of the law. If they did it on a technicality (a stay not being mandated) it doesn't make it any less a nullification of the clear intent of the legislature.
- a GAL or attorney for Terri was not appointed. Sorry, that's just false. Three were appointed and executed their duties.
- Judge Greer served as a health-care surrogate. Sorry, that is required by Florida statutory law in the circumstances presented.
- Judge Greer made decisions that Terri is PVS without personally seeing Terri. Sorry, the Judge is not a doctor. If doctors are telling him she is PVS, how is he supposed to challenge that diagnosis by seeing Terri? In addition, Judges make all kinds of decisions without eyeballing the subject of the decision. If you create a right out of this, you will change the entire face of jurisprudence in this country. For example, I work in the construction field. You know how often I have judges make decisions without actually eyeballing the building in question?
- Terri wasn't given "notice" of proceedings. I'm guessing you aren't really hanging your hat on this one.