Posted on 04/24/2005 10:02:02 PM PDT by IleeneWright
BAR PRESIDENT DENOUNCES ATTACKS ON JUDICIARY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 24, 2005 CONTACT: Francine Walker, The Florida Bar TELEPHONE: 850/561-5666
STATEMENT OF KELLY OVERSTREET JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA BAR
TALLAHASSEE -- The tragic and high visibility case of Terri Schiavo has resulted in an unprecedented and unjustified attack upon our judiciary. Regardless of anyone’s personal or political feelings about the Schiavo case, this is a critical time for Americans to recognize the vital role of the judiciary in maintaining the rule of law and the importance of the separation of powers among the three branches of government.
It is in times like these that we should recognize that our judges, on a daily basis and not just in high profile cases, have the duty and responsibility to protect the rights and liberties afforded to all of us by law.
Judges have no control over which cases come before them and they will inevitably be involved in deciding difficult and unpopular cases. When presiding over a case, judges make rulings based solely on the Constitution and other laws, and not their own feelings or personal beliefs.
While we may disagree with decisions and actions of public officials including judges, it is entirely unacceptable and unfair for our judges to be criticized and even vilified when no judicial basis for such criticism exists. Unfortunately that is what is happening as emotions heighten in the Terri Schiavo case.
Florida newspapers are now reporting that Circuit Judge George Greer has not only been accused of murder and terrorism by congressional leaders in Washington, but has received death threats and was pressured to leave his church.
Societal dilemmas should never be confused with constitutional responsibilities. Florida’s legal profession knows from polling that Floridians want nothing less than a fair and impartial judiciary.
Judge Greer is an ideal representative of the type of judge citizens want to hear their case. His rulings are based on laws, not emotions and not politics.
Indeed, his rulings have been repeatedly reviewed and scrutinized by many different courts on many different occasions. We must continue to have confidence in our legal system and expect our judges to act with the knowledge and integrity required of their position.
Judges are limited by duty to responding to such unfair criticism. But Florida’s editorial boards, community leaders and the 75,000-member Florida Bar are not. The Florida Bar joins many of the state’s major newspapers and democratic advocates in denouncing the unwarranted attacks on the judges and courts which serve everyone in this great country.
About The Florida Bar: The Florida Bar is the statewide professional and regulatory organization for lawyers. With more than 76,000 members, the Bar serves as an intermediary for attorneys, the courts and the public. Headquartered in Tallahassee, the Bar is a unified state bar by rule of the Supreme Court of Florida.
Membership in the Florida Bar is a necessary component of Supreme Court regulation for all lawyers licensed to practice law in Florida. The foundation for the organization is built on a philosophy of equity and ethics.
Through its programs and services, the Bar supports this philosophy with four pillars that function as the mission of The Florida Bar: providing public service, protecting rights, promoting professionalism and pursuing justice.
Yes they should but they won't and my guess is the reason they won't is Greer probably would have the legal standing to stare them down.
No, they don't. That's the whole problem.
Greer could have appointed another guardian or recused himself and chose to do neither....and that's hunky dory with the Fla. Bar. No food and water and that's okay too. I don't think so. We NEVER refuse to feed another human being.
"Oh PUHLEEEEEEZE!...Now DELAY has accused Greer of MURDER AND TERRORISM? She does think we're MORONS! lol"
"Right now, murder is being committed against a defenseless American citizen in Florida," DeLay said.
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/22/Northpinellas/Local_Republicans_bac.shtml
????
Crooks and thugs always close ranks to protect their own.
This is one of the most hypocritical, lying, screeds I've ever seen. It infuriates me in its hypocricy.
If this individual is the President of the Florida Bar, it isn't hard to understand why the Florida Judiciary has sunk so low.
Greer could have appointed another guardian or recused himself and chose to do neither....and that's hunky dory with the Fla. Bar. No food and water and that's okay too. I don't think so. We NEVER refuse to feed another human being.
Absolutely! Which is just another violation of Due Process! He'segally blind, yet he watched VIDEOS of terri? Terri never had any consistent legal representation on her belf and in her absence! The list is so long!!!!
And TERRORISM? Where's the link citing terrorism. delay was 100% correct! what do you call KILLING an innocent, disabled American? COMPASSION? Oh....let me guess: RULE OF LAW!
Well, had the RULE OF LAW been an important factor, Terri would not be DEAD today! We aren't going away! we will not just FORGET! It will NOT just blow over, as JEB BUSH arrogantly stated!
What do you expect from the AARP? It never had the best interestes of the elderly at heart. They are owned by an insurance company, for pete's sake. It's in their great financial interest for old folks to just die when they get sick. They collect the premiums for years, and then don't want to pay out at the end... typical.
Just wanted to make sure you didn't miss this spin job.
Well, if you knew how much the trial lawyers have paid Senator King, you'd know why they were spinning away. National and Florida attorneys.
Greer has a reputation and it's as a heartless, cruel, sinister, corrupt swamp judge who for a time had police powers that frankly, I don't know where in the Fla Constitution or his duties of office he was ever granted POLICE POWERS.
I calmly talked to the media for two weeks, held a sign or two, prayed some.
If I stood still, the police told me to move. If I moved, they would tell me to stand still.
If I was talking, they told me to stop talking. If I was on the other side of the street which they were not guarding, they crossed the street to interrupt a conversation I was having with Fox News to tell me to move. They walked at least 100 yards from guarding Hospice to do that, to interrupt a conversation. Why, a guy light in his loafers sent a woman cop way over there to bother me. I don't even remember how it ended but the cops went out of their way to harass us every single day.
Meanwhile, Terri was being tortured to death inside and their little police cruisers had their own tents so they wouldn't get rained on or dirty. Hospice was so pleased after they did her in that their new little plants survived the two week vigil. The plants look great!
Isn't funny how the media has done absolutely no investigation and they're REPUBLICANS even!
bttt
Good site: www.courtzero.org.
Their email address is: postmaster@courtzero.org.
That's because they are well-watered.
The Florida Bar endorses starvation, just like the Pinellas County GOP and Jim King's GOP machine in Tallahassee. That's only some of the great groups that endorse starvation. They call it Greer's a Fair Judge lol. I called it quite something else.
Many lawyers think that non-lawyers are stupid which makes them dumber than dirt.
Squash is produce.
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