Posted on 05/11/2004 11:19:38 AM PDT by phenn
Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) -- One of the circuit court judges who has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Terri Schiavo is facing a challenge in his bid for re-election. Judge George Greer ruled last year that Terri's estranged husband Michael could remove her feeding tube and now voters will be able to decide if they approve of his decisions in the case.
Just hours before the filing deadline last Friday, Jan Govan, an attorney in Clearwater, Florida, threw his hat in the ring. The race will be Greer's first since being elected to the judgeship twelve years ago.
While Govan is careful to not directly say that he disagrees with Judge Greer's decisions in the years-long legal battle over Terri's life, the case prompted him to run.
"I will serve impartially and without any predisposition," Govan told LifeNews.com in an interview.
Govan told LifeNews.com that Greer's judicial decision-making progressed to a point where the state legislature had to get involved and authorize Governor Jeb Bush to ask doctors to re-insert Terri's feeding tube.
"Then I see my courts identify what the legislature and the Governor are doing ... as unconstitutional," Govan said. "So now I have a situation where I can't talk to the court, the legislature's expression has been denied by the court, and the judicial and legislative systems are at odds. All three branches are at a stalemate."
"This is the least healthy situation I have ever seen in regard to our government," Govan said.
While Terri's supporters are unable to express their opinion to Judge Greer other than protesting outside his chambers, Govan said his candidacy allows people to express their "passion" about Terri's plight.
"For quite awhile I would come to my office and see people lined up with signs and flags and different information," Govan explained. His office is located a block away from the courthouse where supporters of Terri have rallied on numerous occasions.
"It's improper for anyone to speak to a judge, so we don't have a direct voice," Govan explained. "I want the people who have a passion" to be able to have a choice in the election. Without his candidacy, "the opportunity to vote would have been eliminated."
Pat Anderson, the leading attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler, Terri's parents, tells LifeNews.com that she isn't surprised by Govan's candidacy.
"I don't know this challenger, and as far as I can tell he has no connection to the Schiavo case," Anderson told LifeNews.com. "However, I have heard from a number of people over the last few years about their unhappy experiences in Judge Greer's courtroom, so I guess it was inevitable that someone would conclude he was vulnerable in this election and decide to run against him."
Govan will have an uphill battle.
According to the Division of Elections at the Florida Department of State, Greer has already amassed more than $55,000 in campaign donations from top area attorneys. Govan has yet to begin fundraising for the August 13 election.
Greer told the St. Petersburg Times newspaper that he was surprised by Govan's filing but that he would not be "unprepared" to defend his seat on the bench.
Anderson said Govan's candidacy is good for area residents.
"It takes courage, I'll tell you that, to challenge a sitting judge," Anderson told LifeNews.com. "The power of incumbency is very powerful, indeed, when you're talking about judges. But I think it's a good thing for the voters to have a choice. No public official should take the job for granted."
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By CHRISTINA K. COSDON© St. Petersburg Times, published May 8, 2001 Among those honored are Circuit Judge George W. Greer and the founder of the Greenwood Community Health center.CLEARWATER -- Circuit Judge George W. Greer of the family law division and Willa Carson, founder of the Greenwood Community Health Resource Center in Clearwater, were among those honored at the Clearwater Bar Association's 40th annual Law Day awards and installation luncheon.
In addition to the induction of new officers and directors, the program Friday at the Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa included the presentation of the John U. Bird Distinguished Jurist Award, the Liberty Bell Award and President's Awards, as well as cash awards and a trophy to local high school students who participated in the association's annual Great Debate.
The bar association includes members from the Largo area north to Pasco County. Greer received the Judge John U. Bird award, which honors judicial competence and service, high ideals and personal character.
FV SAYS: If someone wants to check the polishing their image thread to see if the Greenwood Community Health Center is one of the reasons Clearwater is in the running, I'll do the same... I'll be over at that thread if it MATCHES UP. One more feather removed from George of the Bungle's hat for being a POLITICIAN INSTEAD OF A FAIR JUDGE.
Trumpet America www.trumpetamerica.org
All-Points Florida TOWN CRIERS and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thread
101 [[[ Posted May 12, 2004 at Trumpet America ]]]
102 Hi, Bud,
103 I live in Pinellas County where the Terri Schindler- 104 Schiavo case has been fought for over 13 years in the 105 courts and more recently through peaceable assembly 106 on the streets, sidewalks and at courthouses or 107 hospice facilities.
108 Please help us out - Terri has her own base. Any 109 candidate would love her demographics.
110 Terri's Law was not the fix to save Terri's life. The 111 Judges are determined to pull her feeding tube and 112 starve-dehydrate her until she is dead. Terri had no 113 Living Will and her parents and siblings want to take 114 care of her and get her therapy so she can enjoy 115 quality of life. She's not in a coma or brain dead. 116 She is not hooked up to machines.
117 Please visit www.terrisfight.org and try to pick up 118 the BANNER DOWNLOAD back to the url. That's the 119 official web site.
120 World Net Daily has excellent archives re: Terri 121 Schiavo. The effort to save Terri ALL THE WAY is a 122 global effort.
123 She deserves liberty and her right to pursue 124 happiness whether she's handicapped or able to 125 participate in the Olympics for example.
126 If you google for Terri at freerepublic.com, there's 127 a lot of facts there but maybe TOO MUCH INFORMATION.
128 Please HIGHLIGHT TERRI'S FIGHT somehow, somewhere on 129 your great site. Please give her some space until we 130 learn that the coast is clear and that Terri's with 131 her loving family.
132 Yes, death and taxes are certain but forced exit is 133 immoral, and wrong. Even atheists and agnostics are 134 helping Terri's fight to keep her feeding tube. 135 Feeding tubes should not be categorized as life 136 support but the Florida Statutes made it so.
137 The silent killings of the disabled and elderly in 138 Florida is all state sponsored, i.e. per the 139 Florida's Exit Protocols as written by Senate 140 President Jim King. He's a Hospice Hall of Famer. The 141 lobby for forced exit or in their words "letting them 142 go" has a real friend in Jim King of Jacksonville, 143 FL. Thousands have been killed already and how can 144 there be rhyme or reason? THEY ARE SILENT KILLINGS.
145 Until Terri's parents stood up and basically said 146 "Terri would never choose death."
147 WE ARE APPALLED, ONE MILLION AND COUNTING...
148 The GOOD NEWS is that for the first time in his 149 twelve year career as Judge of guardianships and 150 probate, George Greer has a challenger. The candidate 151 running against Greer is the beginning of rolling 152 back an out of control judiciary here in the Sixth 153 Circuit.
154 I AM BACKING ATTORNEY JAY GOVAN for Pinellas-Pasco 155 Judge, Sixth Circuit. As soon as his Campaign is 156 underway, I'll send you his web link. He's the 157 underdog against the establishment candidate but we 158 are working this on many levels. JAN GOVAN is correct 159 that the judicial architecture in our Sixth Circuit 160 is out of whack.
161 We have tolerated judicial tyranny long enough. JAN 162 GOVAN can win with national and statewide support.
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