Detours: a country in search of direction
On the eve of the election, a reporter and photographer set out for Washington, via America. We tell stories from seven towns, touching on seven issues from politics and real life.
Friday Night Rewind It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.
Game show themes
These themes are probably going to make some of you have flashbacks to wasted mornings or afternoons spent sprawled in front of the TV.
TALLAHASSEE — Quietly and with little public notice, more than 250 judges as well as two dozen state attorneys and public defenders won re-election Friday as the qualifying period for judicial offices ended.
Among the winners are Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe and Public Defender Bob Dillinger, and Hillsborough State Attorney Mark Ober and Public Defender Julianne Holt.
They and hundreds of judges should all thank former Miami Dade Circuit Judge Martin D. Kahn, a veteran jurist who was defeated by 2,700 votes by a political newcomer when he sought re-election in 2000.
Kahn's defeat ginned up so much sympathy among state lawmakers that they quietly tucked a little amendment in an elections bill as it passed on the final night of the 2002 legislative session.
Instead of qualifying for public office with other state candidates in July of every year, the judges would file their paperwork in May, when federal candidates qualify.
Former Rep. Dudley Goodlette, R-Naples, offered the measure as part of a larger amendment. Contacted earlier this week, Goodlette said the issue had been raised because of Kahn's defeat. Sitting judges wanted time to clear their calendars and campaign if they faced opponents, Goodlette said.
"The rumor was that if they moved judicial qualifying, then maybe nobody would notice," recalled Secretary of State Kurt Browning, who was Pasco elections supervisor in 2002 and lobbying lawmakers for improved elections laws.
For the qualifying that closed Friday, there were 283 circuit judge positions statewide. Twenty-three of those are open seats and will be contested.
Of the 260 remaining seats, only eight will be contested. The other 252 won unopposed.
Brad King, the state attorney in Hernando, and Howard "Skip" Babb Jr., the public defender, also drew no opposition.
Two of the state's top prosecutors, Lawson Lamar of Orange County and Norm Wolfinger of Brevard County, qualified to seek re-election. Wolfinger is unopposed and Lamar drew a little-known criminal defense lawyer as an opponent.
Lamar and Wolfinger are among the state's top double dippers.
Lamar "retired" in 2005 without leaving office. He collected $514,927 in lump sum benefits, plus a $115,752 a year pension, plus an annual salary of $153,140.
Wolfinger followed suit in 2007. He collected $447,834 in lump sum benefits, plus an $83,484 a year pension, plus an annual salary of $153,140.
Circuit judges are paid $145,080.
Only two incumbent circuit judges in the Tampa Bay area drew opposition, both in Tampa: Judge Kevin Carey is opposed by lawyer Catherine M. Catlin, and Judge Martha Cook drew opposition from Constance Daniels.
The other contested races are for open seats.
Few incumbents have lost since Florida began electing judges in nonpartisan races in the 1970s, but the early qualifying date lets even more avoid opposition, according to a review of election results over the past 12 years.
Judges frequently escape opposition because only lawyers can run for the jobs, and few lawyers are willing to risk angering a judge before whom they must appear. In recent years few incumbent circuit judges have faced opposition, and only five have been defeated.
In 2005, lobbyists for the state's prosecutors and public defenders got legislators to move their qualifying to May as well, putting all judicial system races up for grabs much earlier than the traditional qualifying period, which usually begins in July.
This year, qualifying for other state candidates begins June 16 because primaries are Aug. 26, a week earlier than in past years.
Supreme Court and District Court justices run under a merit retention system. No judge has been denied another term since the merit retention system was adopted in the 1970s.
On the Supreme Court this year, only Justice Charles T. Wells faces voters. Twenty-three judges from the five district courts of appeal will also be on the ballot.
Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Lucy Morgan can be reached at lmorgan@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.
>>fast facts
Sixth Circuit
Incumbents re-elected without opposition
State Attorney Bernie McCabe
Public Defender Bob Dillinger
Circuit Judges
Lauren Laughlin
Raymond O. Gross
W. Lowell Bray Jr.
Pamela A.M. Campbell
Walt Logan
Mark Shames
Stanley R. Mills
Shawn Crane
Linda H. Babb
Jack R. St. Arnold
Anthony Rondolino
Bruce Boyer
Tim Peters
John A. Schaefer
Daniel D. Diskey
Linda Allan
George M. Jirotka
Walter L. Schafer Jr.
Thane Bobbitt Covert
Circuit Judge races
Group 6, open seat
Violet M. Assaid
Mary Handsel
Bruce G. Howie
Group 8, open seat
Kenneth Foote
Susan L. Gardner
Robert Angus Williams
>>fast facts
Fifth Circuit
Incumbents re-elected without opposition:
State Attorney Brad King
Public Defender Howard "Skip" Babb Jr.
Circuit judges
Richard Tombrink Jr.
Mark J. Hill
William Jack Singbush
Jonathan D. Ohlman
Don F. Briggs
Jack Springstead
G. Richard Singeltary
Sandra Edwards-Stephens
T. Michael Johnson
Brian D. Lambert
Curtis J. Neal
Steve Rushing
Carol A. Falvey
Mark A. Nacke
Circuit Judge races
Group 11
Richard A. Howard, incumbent
Rhonda Portwood
Group 3, open seat
Sandy Hawkins
Michael Lamberti
Denise Lyn
>>fast facts
13th Circuit
Incumbents re-elected without opposition
Mark Ober, State Attorney
Julianne Holt, Public Defender
Circuit Court
Manuel Menendez Jr., Chief Judge of the Circuit Court, Group 19
Marva L. Crenshaw, Group 4
Daniel L. Perry, Group 5
James Arnold, Group 8
Greg Holder, Group 9
Rex Martin Barbas, Group 10
Ralph C. Stoddard, Group 11
Charlene Edwards Honeywell, Group 12
Jack Espinosa Jr., Group 13
Claudia Rickert Isom, Group 15
Chet A. Tharpe, Group 18
Sam D. Pendino, Group 20
Vivian Corvo Maye, Group 27
William P. Levens, Group 28
Wayne S. Timmerman, Group 29
Richard A. Nielsen, Group 31
Katherine G. Essrig, Group 33
James M. Barton II, Group 34
Herbert J. Baumann, Jr., Group 35
Michelle Sisco, Group 38
Steven Scott Stephens, Group 39
Christopher C. Sabella, Group 40
Daniel H. Sleet, Group 41
County Court
Cheryl K. Thomas, Group 2
Eric R. Myers, Group 7
John N. Conrad, Group 9
Margaret Taylor Courtney, Group 16
Lawrence Lefler, Group 17
circuit judge Races
Group 1
Caroline J. Tesche
Jason Montes
Group 2
Samantha Ward
Miriam Velez
Group 7
J. Kevin Carey (incumbent)
Catherine M. Catlin
Group 21
Lisa D. Campbell
Linda Courtney Clark
Group 30
Martha J. Cook (incumbent)
Constance Daniels
[Last modified: May 05, 2008 01:54 PM]
Comments on this article
by annoyed
May 5, 2008 1:54 PM
Oh Chip, for heaven's sake! Before you jump all over the judiciary, read the article. Lamar and Wolfinger are not Judges.
by Carol
May 5, 2008 1:34 PM
Public defenders need more training before they take on important cases. My nephew's PD told him to make a plea agreement. Turns out the "evidence" against him was ALL hearsay from questionable witnesses. PD's treat this as their
by non-marxist
May 5, 2008 10:17 AM
good lord. i can't believe i keep reading this site/paper. i've never seen such anti-establishment, pro-proletariat views. i feel nauseous.
by Allan
May 5, 2008 9:27 AM
Though my last post met the 250 limit, I was cut off. My pointing to Karl Marx's prediction that police statism in politics follows centralization of capital in economics was to say, whoops!, here it is, no real electoral competition allowed.
by kb
May 5, 2008 9:27 AM
if nobody is running against them, they run unopposed. i don't see it as being a problem. this is democracy in action.
by Robert
May 5, 2008 9:25 AM
This article is not worthy of the reporter, who has had a long and illustrious career. It is snide and appears to be factually inaccurate; the Division's website states 13 incumbent circuit judges are opposed. And,lawyers know the qualifyi
by Keith
May 5, 2008 9:15 AM
Hold on a minute Lucy. Lawyers are not aware of the May judicial qualifying .... really? And lawyers are not willing to risk angering judges they might have to appear before. Where did this theory come from? Please include some back-up informat
by Chip
May 4, 2008 11:37 PM
Boy, no wonder Lamar and Wolfinger want this to fly under the radar. They are making a killing off of taxpayers. Another excellent job, Lucy Morgan. Maybe you can start digging into their rulings and see how effective they are at justice.
by Tim
May 4, 2008 12:31 PM
If the SP Times is so concerned about unopposed jurists and prosecutors, why do you do this piece on the day after qualifying. Sounds like you want an issue more than more than opposition for incumbants. You people think we're stupid.
by Tom
May 4, 2008 12:30 PM
The public outcry is underwhelming.
by Mac
May 4, 2008 12:11 PM
Hope Ric Howard loses his election AND about $250,000 of his own money in his election campaign. He should set aside a couple of dollars for the employment agency he'll need after election.
by Peso
May 4, 2008 12:10 PM
I can't believe that some of our esteemed honorable law professionals are involved in the art of double dipping. I am astounded.
by Nath
May 4, 2008 12:10 PM
Anyone honestly seeking a judgeship begins the campaign at least in January, well before the qualifing date,rather than sandbagging until July. The public might not know the new qualifying date, but all judicial candidates certainly do. Media hype!
by Tom
May 4, 2008 12:02 PM
Thank goodness someone is running against that nutcase judge Rick Howard in Citrus county. He needs to go. Justice would be served by his removal.
by Ray of Sunshine
May 4, 2008 11:52 AM
The election process is not the problem, it's the appointments. Under Jeb the rules changed to the governor appointing all of the nominating committee. Political hacks who had never seen a courtroom became judges and now you can't get rid o
by nosear (reason spelled backwards).
May 4, 2008 11:47 AM
the heading is so biased. Who would want a lawyer that didn't research the filing date for qualifying to run, what an idiot he would be. As for the comments about rumor that is just rumor, a game children play,rumors have no value and carry no
by Pete
May 4, 2008 11:45 AM
This makes a mockery of democracy. "Secret" Elections? I was the victim of a felony that Mr McCabe refused to prosecute. I intended to tell my fellow citizens in the election but now find it was held in secret! This is ridiculous.
by Sim
May 4, 2008 11:45 AM
Politicians protecting each others backs. There is nothing worse then a judge or any politician that feels invincible in office. They should all be opposed.
by Pete
May 4, 2008 11:45 AM
Looking at the annual salaries and pensions of thse fat cats at the top of the judicial system, it's easy to see where the bulk of our tax dollars go in providing justice in this state.It's time to change the legislation governing judges sa
by tash
May 4, 2008 11:43 AM
i noticed you highlighted two of the "top" double-dippers, but you didn't mention whether any locals are also double-dipping. pure cowardice.
by rick
May 4, 2008 11:39 AM
I heard about lawyers (fear) of opposing a sitting judge should they lose. We have so real jerks ass judges. The other tactic used is to overload voters with too much to think on-so they escape scrutiny. Reports as the Times did, keep
by Allan
May 3, 2008 1:08 PM
Karl Marx predicted that capital would centralize into a tiny class of hands. Politics would, in his view, follow. Gradually, from "democracy," a centralized police state in the interests of a handful of the ruling rich would result. Her
by Adam
May 3, 2008 1:03 PM
This is confusing. If lawyers run for judgeships, wouldn't they know when the qualifying date is? I'm not sure changing the date 8 years ago caused so many unopposed elections this year.
by Jim
May 3, 2008 1:03 PM
You'll get about 250 comments on the Bucs' practice squad additions, but probably just a handful on something that matters like this. A sad commentary on our society.
by edna
May 3, 2008 12:56 PM
Sorry, I respectfully disagree with the slant this article has. Of course only lawyers can run for judge! What, you want doctors or truck drivers? Also, anyone eligible to run for a judge spot (ie lawyers) knows when the cutoff is.
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery
of the St. Petersburg Times.