Posted on 05/02/2005 5:06:09 AM PDT by Quaker
NEW PORT RICHEY - Pinellas- Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer, who was thrust into the national spotlight and scrutinized by pro-life advocates during the Terri Schiavo case, was a consistent judge who followed the law, colleagues say.
His professionalism and integrity was punctuated by the way he handled the Schiavo case, said Alan Scott Miller, a New Port Richey lawyer and member of the West Pasco Bar Association.
As part of Law Week, which kicks off today, the association will award Greer, 63, its Special Justice Award.
``He's getting this award for all of his contributions on the bench, not just the Schiavo case,'' Miller said. ``It's like a lifetime achievement award for an actor.''
Greer will receive the award during a banquet Thursday at the Heritage Springs Golf and Country Club, 11345 Robert Trent Jones Parkway.
For years, Greer presided over the politically and emotionally charged Schiavo case, which ended when the 41- year-old woman died March 31, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed a third time on a court order.
Some doctors said Schiavo was in a persistent vegetative state since suffering brain damage after her heart stopped in 1990.
Her husband, Michael, fought for years to have her feeding stopped, saying his wife didn't want to be kept alive by artificial means.
Her parents, hoping she would recover, fought him in court after court.
Eventually, Florida's governor and Legislature and then Congress took up the battle.
Supporters and detractors watched as Greer made rulings backing Terri Schiavo's purported wishes and received threats on his life.
``I don't think anyone could ever say his decisions were unlawful,'' said Joan Nelson Hook, president of the West Pasco Bar Association. ``They were very thoughtful. His decisions were meticulous.
``We admired his ability to sustain the pressure not to follow the law. ... I think that shows his character.''
Steve Doran, association president-elect, echoed Hook's thoughts on Greer's handling of the Schiavo case.
``His decisions in that unfortunate case withstood the test of every appellate court in the country,'' Doran said. ``Those who are criticizing him are not seeing the big picture.''
When the association voted this month on this year's recipient of the Special Justice Award, the result was almost unanimous for Greer.
``He's a man of integrity. He's followed the flow. He's done an excellent job on the bench,'' said Miller. ``That's why he's getting this award.''
In addition to Greer's award, the Law Week celebration offers events that allow the community to get a closer look at what the West Pasco Bar Association and the law profession are about, Hook said.
``It's an opportunity to interact with all levels of the community,'' she said.
``It's not just about battles; law is a way of life.''
Here are some events:
* Representatives of the association will be at Gulf View Square mall in Port Richey offering free legal advice from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.
* All week, 22 lawyers will visit Pasco schools to discuss the law and this week's national theme, ``The American Jury: We the People in Action.''
* The 2nd District Court of Appeal will hold a special session at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the West Pasco Government Center, 7530 Little Road, in county commission chambers.
* Business suits, shoes and accessories will be collected at area law offices for Connections, a not-for-profit organization that helps people looking for jobs.
The following law offices are collecting men's and women's apparel:
The Law Offices of Attridge, Cohen & Lucas, 7136 Little Road, New Port Richey; The O'Conner Law Group, 9735 U.S. 19, Suite 2, Port Richey; Pejot Law, 11911 Pine Forest Drive, New Port Richey; and The Law Offices of Gay & Ehrhardt, 5318 Balsam St., New Port Richey.
Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083.
88As part of Law Week, which kicks off today, the association will award Greer, 63, its Special Justice Award. **
Huh?
For making the murder of an innocent woman legal. Revolting thought.
Any place we can FReep this organiztion?
"A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" -Proverbs 15:23
It must be a great comfort to you in your little fantasy land. I must admit, I haven't always been educated in these matters. There was a time when I was blissfully ignorant of the harm being done. I wasn't exactly like you though. I didn't pretend to know things I didn't really know. I guess that's why I was able to learn the truth. By recognizing the fact that there were things I didn't know, and then evaluating the evidence that was presented. I wouldn't recommend that for you though. You're probably a lot happier not knowing.
You and I are in heated agreement. Did my post make you think otherwise?
- knightshadow.
So, you would agree that the posters and others who advocate violence, vigilantism, use the term Nazis, et.al. are the radical fringe of the Terri supporters? And you don't support their tactics?
"We admired his ability to sustain the pressure not to follow the law ... NOT TO FOLLOW THE LAW? Am I missing something here?
It's not about you.
I agree, it's about you imposing your orthodoxy on everyone else including me.
No offense whatever meant, but you've taken this scripture out of context, both within the book it comes from, and within the entire story of Saul. Briefly, and as usual, Saul took the coward's way out, disobeying the commandments of God to the very end. His suicide is, in context, a dishonorable sin, as is another notable Biblical suicide, that of Judas. Judas had remorse, but he did not have repentance, and there is a huge difference. He could have, and asked the Lord for forgiveness.
Suicide, at least by someone in their right mind, is not an acceptable course of action based on scripture, as neither is murder - self murder included.
- knightshadow.
I am dismayed but I don't take it as seriously as you.
I was totally upset about this case, could not sleep and when people were outraged, I hoped it would fuel the powers that be to listen.
And I just don't care what the radicals say, we are too busy trying to get the message out about what is really happening here.
What has shocked me most was that many of my FR compatriots fought for MS. Made me totally question just who were these people I thought believed as I did.
So, it came down to which ones understood the outrage going on and which were unable to understand it. New lines were drawn across party lines. An amazing feat in itself.
And another amazing thing - why it is so hard for so many to understand why we are upset and that is the most unsettling of all.
We are talking a major shift in America to one where the state can kill a non-dying person.
We are giving life and death power to end-of-life panels and lawmakers that will mean legal extermination of those deemed unfit to live.
This will change forever the America we leave to our next generation and we are a step closer to nazism under a different name.
It has also identified out there the strong belief by many that some people OUGHT to be done away with as they are "useless eaters". And, many of these proponents are "conservative" freepers.
So, we now are seeing what is in future for all of us and it is enough to make us speak up.
Quit making up lies about me. Would you at least give me hint why you're telling that lie about me?
You aren't polite but given that you're self-admittedly unbalanced I'm pretty sure that, on all the issues discussed, I can just rest my case.
Actually, I agree with the parallels drawn to Nazism. What was done to Terri was in line with the exact same philosophical 'reasoning' as launched the extermination campaign of the Hitlerites that we now refer to as the Holocaust.
Really got rolling as far back as 1920, ramped up bigtime in '39, and continued until Germany was smashed and was totally repudiated at Nuremberg.
Repudiated til now, anyhow.
Never again?
Hmmm...
:-)
Incredible, isn't it? I think most of us are getting it just fine. The only question left is, what is justifiable punishment? Ya know?
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