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.
by AARON SHAROCKMAN, St. Petersburg Times
May 7, 2005
CLEARWATER - The judge at the center of a worldwide frenzy over the life and death of Terri Schiavo was honored by colleagues for refusing to bend to the intense political assault the case brought. Circuit Judge George Greer was chastised by politicians in Washington and Tallahassee after ordering Schiavo's feeding tube removed March 18.
He received death threats and e-mails calling him a murderer.
Yet he stood his ground based on the law, said F. Wallace Pope Jr., chairman of the Clearwater Bar Association's awards committee.
To celebrate Greer's resolve, the lawyers group created the George W. Greer Judicial Independence Award on Friday as part of its annual Law Day luncheon.
It then awarded the honor to another local judge who came under fire during the Schiavo case, Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird.
"In Clearwater, we have been in the vortex of the greatest assault on judicial independence that most of us have seen in our lifetime," Pope said, announcing the new honor. Lawyers and elected leaders in the room gave Greer a 45-second standing ovation.
Greer did not speak publicly. Later, he thanked his colleagues.
"I've had better years," said Greer, a former Pinellas County commissioner who became a judge in 1992. "But this is very gratifying, for sure. These are the folks that know what the rule of law means. When they appreciate the fact that you've done a good job, it is humbling."
Baird, the first recipient of the award, ruled "Terri's Law" unconstitutional in 2003. The law had allowed Gov. Jeb Bush to force doctors to reinsert Schiavo's feeding tube. Baird's decision was upheld on appeal.
Greer, 63, also was honored Thursday by the West Pasco Bar Association. At that evening dinner, Greer was met by about a
dozen protesters. There were no protesters at the Clearwater luncheon Friday; his honor had been kept secret, even from him.
"I hope that future generations and future lawyers will cite Schiavo," said George Felos, the attorney who represented Schiavo's husband, Michael. Felos attended Friday's luncheon.
"At least they'll see that in our generation, the courts stood up to tests against freedom," he [Felos] said.
Oh that picture makes me want to throw up!!!!!!!!
Greer has been gloating over his victory. He was awarded for thumbing his nose at Congress and executing a disabled woman.
His reward will some like nothing once he meets the Lord on Judgement day!
I don't know about citations, but historians will probably note it, in the same context as Nuremberg, Hadamar, Tiergartenstrasse 4, Josef Mengele, etc. It probably won't be so much citation as condemnation, and rightly so.
"Our safety, our liberty, depends upon preserving the Constitution of the United States as our fathers made it inviolate. The people of the United States are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution." -Abraham Lincoln
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." -Fifth Amendment, U.S. Constitution
"Basic rights.--All natural persons, female and male alike, are equal before the law and have inalienable rights, among which are the right to enjoy and defend life and liberty, to pursue happiness, to be rewarded for industry, and to acquire, possess and protect property; except that the ownership, inheritance, disposition and possession of real property by aliens ineligible for citizenship may be regulated or prohibited by law. No person shall be deprived of any right because of race, religion, national origin, or physical disability." -Article One, Section Two, Florida Constitution
Nothing like gloating over the murder of an innocent woman, eh?
Pelt him with awards. He's still a murderer.
didn't we have a car accident in 1994 and you ran into me? If that was you, thanks a lot.
What was Felos doing at a luncheon, eating food? I thought he was the one who said death by starvation was just such a wonderful thing. What was he doing eating? If starvation as wonderful as he says it is, why wasn't he trying it out on himself?
Oh, I see. Wonderful for someone else other than himself. OK, I get it. Death is a great thing for Felos as long as it is someone else doing the dying. Sounds like he's nothing more than a miserable coward and a lousy, stinking hypocrite.
Did you own a white van? Sure you did.
What a big man to murder an innocent young woman.
Well, maybe it was your dad.
Anyway, Judge Greer's an ars.
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