Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar

2022-06-24 12:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL, 32821, United States
Friday, June 24, 12:30–2:00 PM Selig I. Goldin Award Luncheon. We will be honoring Professor Jennifer Zedalis of the University of Florida Levin College of Law with the 2022 Selig I. Goldin Memorial Award. Registration for the luncheon is through the Annual Florida Bar Convention, and seating is limited. The luncheon will be held in the Floridian Ballroom Salon F, which is on the lobby level. Registration for the luncheon is required.
Jennifer M. Zedalis is the Director of Trial Practice at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and an Assistant Director of the Criminal Justice Center. She is the Co-Chair of the Gerald T. Bennett Public Defender/Prosecutor Trial Program and has served on the PPD faculty for 24 years. She teaches trial practice, pretrial practice, and intro to lawyering, and has also taught mental health litigation and the criminal defense clinic. She is the faculty advisor for the trial team. She serves as Chair of the Peter T. Fay Jurist in Residence Program. She has practiced criminal defense for thirty years and continues to do pro bono trial work as time permits. She was formerly an assistant public defender in the Fifth and Eighth Judicial Circuits and ran a solo law practice from 1998 to 2003. She has handled all types of criminal cases, including capital cases, appeals, and post-conviction proceedings in addition to trials. She has lectured in the United Kingdom, Poland, and Costa Rica in the areas of American trial procedure, evidence, and criminal practice. She has been called as an expert in Florida criminal law in the Canadian Court of Immigration, and her article on “Justice Worthy Closing Arguments” has been published by the ABA Trial Evidence Committe

2022-09-16 09:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
The CLS Executive Council will meet virtually on September 16, 2022. The Zoom will open at 8:30 AM for virtual coffee and connecting. The meeting will begin at 9 AM.
Click here to register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. We hope to see you online.

2022-09-30 09:00 - 17:00 | Stetson Law Center, 1700 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL, 33602, United States
POSTPONED DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. We will notify you when this program is rescheduled.
(6209) Misdemeanor Madness 2022—September 30, 9 AM–5 PM—Live (Stetson Tampa Law Center) and Live Webcast.
Don’t miss this! The Criminal Law Section is proud to present Misdemeanor Madness, a must-attend CLE for all county court practitioners—state and defense—that will benefit misdemeanor lawyers of all experience levels. *In-person at Stetson Tampa Law Center and live webcast.* Criminal Law Section members register for only $205.
The program covers navigating direct and cross-examinations; misdemeanor driver license consequences; error preservation and other misdemeanor matters on appeal; presentation of computer, audio/video, and cell phone forensic experts in county court; best practices on negotiating misdemeanor cases to resolution; a case law update; and a special judicial panel discussing misdemeanor ethics, civility, and professionalism.
Course 6209 is approved for 8 General CLE credits, .5 of which may be applied toward Ethics; 1.5 Technology and .5 Professionalism. Certification Program (max credit: 8.0 hours): 8 credits each in Appellate Practice, Criminal Appellate, Criminal Trial Law and Juvenile Law.
In-person live event: REGISTER

Criminal Law Section member – $205
Non-section member – $235
Full-time law college faculty/student – $138
Fee waiver – $40 (Requires discount code). Must meet qualifications. For more information, email accounting@floridabar.org.

Live Webcast: REGISTER

Criminal Law Section member – $255
Non-section member – $285

SCHEDULE
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Welcome
L. Lee Lockett, Program Chair, Jacksonville Beach
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
Case Law Update – With a Misdemeanor Twist
E. Michael Isaak, Tampa
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
A Discussion of County Court Decorum: Misdemeanor Ethics, Civility and Professionalism — Pet Peeves and Dos and Don’ts
Moderator: L. Lee Lockett
Panelists:
Hon. Kelly E. Eckley-Moulder, County Court Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Jacksonville
Hon. Erika Quartermaine, County Court Judge, 12th Judicial Circuit, Sarasota
Hon. Kerra A. Smith, County Court Judge, First Judicial Circuit, Pensacola
11:00 AM – 11:10 AM
Break
11:10 AM – 12:15 PM
Tips From the Top: Suspension, Cancellation, Revocation, and Disqualification: An Important Discussion on Understanding Misdemeanor Driver License Consequences
Tom Moffett, Deputy Chief Counsel, FLDHSMV, Tallahassee
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Navigating Direct and Cross Examinations for Some of County Court’s Most Frequently Called Witnesses
Elliott A. Wilcox, Tampa
1:50 PM – 2:40 PM
Misdemeanor Matters on Appeal: Proper Issue Preservation When Moving Beyond County Court
Michael R. Ufferman, Tallahassee
2:40 PM – 2:55 PM
Break
2:55 PM – 4:05 PM
Yes, You Can Use Experts in County Court, Too: A Conversation About Computer, Audio/Video, and Cell Phone Forensics
Andrew Garrett, CEO, Garrett Discovery, Orlando: eDiscovery/Computer/Mobile/Video/Audio Expert
Brian Bowman, Midwest Lab Director, Garrett Discovery, Orlando: Forensic Expert
Anthony Nelson, Garrett Discovery, Orlando: Audio and Video Forensic Expert
4:05 PM – 5:00 PM
Best Practices to Negotiate Cases in County Court: A Discussion on When, Where, and How to Get Case Resolution Going
AnneMarie R. Rizzo, Sarasota

2022-10-07 12:15 - 13:45 | Zoom
Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal—October 7, 12:15–1:45 PM—Free CLE for Criminal Law Section members. Live on Zoom. Presented by Carissa Byrne Hessick, Director, Prosecutors and Politics Project; Anne Shea Ransdell and William Garland “Buck” Ransdell, Jr. Distinguished Professor Law, UNC School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC, and moderated by H. Scott Fingerhut. Course classification: Intermediate. Course number 6515 is approved for 2 General CLE credits and 2 certification credits each in Appellate Practice, Criminal Trial Law, Criminal Appellate Law, and Juvenile Law.
Scholars Corner is a CLE series presented by the Criminal Law Section bringing you legal experts and educators from across the country to discuss their latest work and speak with us about matters that are critical to our delivering better, fairer justice for all.
“This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to tackle mass incarceration, by one of the country’s most thoughtful scholars.” ~ Rachel E. Barkow, author of Prisoners of Politics: Breaking the Cycle of Mass Incarceration
The Criminal Law Section is privileged to welcome Professor Carissa Byrne Hessick to Scholars Corner to discuss her latest book, Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal (Abrams Books, 2021), which has been called “a provocative and timely exploration of how plea bargaining prevents true criminal justice reform and how we can fix it.”
From the publisher’s site: “When most Americans think of the criminal justice system, the image that comes to mind is a trial—a standard courtroom scene with a defendant, attorneys, a judge, and most important, a jury. It’s a fair assumption. The right to a trial by jury is enshrined in both the body of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It’s supposed to be the foundation that undergirds our entire justice system.
“In Punishment Without Trial, Professor Hessick shows that the popular conception of a jury trial couldn’t be further from reality. That bedrock constitutional right has all but disappeared thanks to the unstoppable march of plea bargaining, which began to take hold during Prohibition and has skyrocketed since 1971, when it was affirmed as constitutional by the Supreme Court.
“Nearly every aspect of our criminal justice system encourages defendants—whether they’re innocent or guilty—to take a plea deal. Punishment Without Trial showcases how plea bargaining has undermined justice at every turn and across socioeconomic and racial divides. It forces the hands of lawyers, and defendants, turning our legal system into a ruthlessly efficient mass incarceration machine that is clogging our jails and punishing citizens because it’s the path of least resistance.
“Professor Hessick makes the case against plea bargaining as she illustrates how it has damaged our justice system while presenting an innovative set of reforms for how we can fix it.
“Punishment Without Trial will change the way you view the criminal justice system.”

Carissa Byrne Hessick joined the Carolina Law faculty in 2016. She serves as the Anne Shea Ransdell and William Garland “Buck” Ransdell, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law and as the director of the Prosecutors and Politics Project. Her teaching and research interests include criminal law, the structure of the criminal justice system, criminal sentencing, and child pornography crimes. Hessick is the author of multiple law review articles, essays, and op-eds on plea bargaining, the powers and selection of prosecutors, Sixth Amendment sentencing rights, and criminal statutes. Her work has appeared in the California Law Review, the Cornell Law Review, the L.A. Times, the UCLA Law Review, and the Virginia Law Review, among others. She founded the Prosecutors and Politics Project in 2018. And she currently serves as the Reporter for the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s Sentencing Standards Task Force.
Hessick attended Yale Law School, where she was an editor of the Yale Law Journal and winner of the Potter Stewart Prize for the Morris Tyler Moot Court of Appeals. After graduating from law school, she clerked for Judge Barbara S. Jones on the Southern District of New York and for Judge A. Raymond Randolph on the D.C. Circuit. She also worked as a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York City. Before joining the faculty at Carolina Law, Hessick taught on the faculties at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law. She also spent two years as a Climenko Fellow at Harvard Law School.

2022-10-14 09:00 - 17:00 | FL
Immigration Law Matters in Criminal Court: Everything You Need to Know About Crimmigration originally was presented on October 14, 2022, 9 AM–5 PM—Live, In Person (InterContinental Miami) and Live Webcast. Course number 6410 is approved for 7 General CLE credits and 7 certification credits (7 max) in Appellate Practice, Criminal Appellate Law, Criminal Trial Law, Immigration & Nationality, and Juvenile Law. The course soon will be available for online purchase 24/7 through The Florida Bar InReach as an on-demand seminar and downloadable audio.

If you’re a member of The Florida Bar who practices Criminal and/or Immigration Law, this program is for YOU. Our outstanding roster of presenters includes Federal Public Defender Michael Caruso, Detention Program Americans for Immigration Justice Director Andrea Jacoski, Southern Poverty Law Center Immigrant Justice Project’s Gracie Willis, some of the nation’s top criminal law and immigration law experts, and a special keynote address by United States District Judge Roy K. Altman.
Immigration Law Matters in Criminal Court: Everything You Never Knew You Needed to Know about Crimmigration is an educational must to fully appreciate the many complexities of how criminal cases impact and are impacted by our country’s immigration system. For criminal law practitioners and judges, it’s inevitable that immigration and criminal law and procedure will intersect. Our day-long program will provide in-depth training on key topics at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels of handling criminal cases having immigration consequences—for both prosecution and defense. You will learn the most up-to-date case law and legal arguments in pursuing the best possible resolutions for noncitizen-defendants facing criminal charges.
Special thanks to Program Chair Maggie Arias and Moderator H. Scott Fingerhut.

SCHEDULE9 – 9:05 AM
Welcome
H. Scott Fingerhut, FIU College of Law and H. Scott Fingerhut, P.A., Miami, CLE Co-Chair, Criminal Law Section

9:05 – 9:10 AM
Introduction
Maggie Arias, Arias & Pereira, PLLC, Coral Gables, Program Chair

9:10 – 9:30 AM
Opening Remarks
Hon. Michael Caruso, Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida, Miami

9:30 -10:20 AM
Crimmigration 101: “But I’m not an immigration lawyer….”
Dominique Pando Bucci, Pando Bucci Law, PLLC, Miami Beach
Adonia R. Simpson, Director of Policy and Pro Bono, ABA Commission on Immigration, Washington, D.C.

10:20 – 10:35 AM
Break

10:35AM – 12:15 PM
Crimmigration 201: When Criminal Cases Cause Immigration Harm
John Gihon, Florida Bar Board Certified, Immigration and Nationality Law, Shorstein, Lasnetski & Gihon, Altamonte Springs
Sean B. Mendez-Catlin, MC & J, PLLC, Orlando
Linda M. Osberg-Braun, Florida Bar Board Certified, Immigration and Nationality Law, Osberg-Braun Immigration, Miami
12:05 – 1 PM
Lunch (provided)

1 – 1:30 PM
Keynote Address
Hon. Roy K. Altman, United States District Judge, Southern District of Florida, Miami

1:30 – 1:45 PM
Break

1:45 PM – 3 PM
Crimmigration 301: The Ins and Outs of Immigration Court
Hon. Denise Noonan Slavin, Immigration Judge (ret.), Baltimore, Maryland
Gracie Willis, Southern Poverty Law Center, Immigrant Justice Project, Atlanta, Georgia

3:10 – 3:25 PM
Break

3:25 – 4:05 PM
Crimmigration 401: Post-Conviction Relief in the Immigration Context: Will it Help or Hurt?
Raymond Bolourtchi, Cofman & Bolourtchi, LLC, St. Louis, Missouri
Michael S. Vastine, Director of Clinical Programs and Professor of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law, Miami Gardens

4:05 – 4:55 PM
Crimmigration 501: Case Law Update
Mark A. Prada, Prada Urizar, PLLC, Miami
Rebeca Sanchez-Roig, Sanchez-Roig, P.A., Miami
Benjamin S. Waxman, Florida Bar Board Certified, Criminal Appellate Law, Black, Srebnick, Kornspan & Stumpf, P.A., Miami

4:55 – 5 PM
Conclusion
Maggie Arias, Arias & Pereira, PLLC, Coral Gables, Program Chair

2022-11-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
The Executive Council met virtually on Friday, November 18th, 2022.

2022-12-09 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Originally presented on December 9, 2022. UFFERMAN FILES Series Webisode 1: A Lunch Conversation with Judge Alice M. Batchelder of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Originally presented on November 14, 2022, on this inaugural webisode of UFFERMAN FILES, host Michael Ufferman is joined for a very special conversation by Judge Alice M. Batchelder of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Their conversation explores a wide range of topics, including Judge Batchelder’s perspectives on our criminal justice system—and our courts in general—the process for selecting and confirming federal judges, and the importance of an independent judiciary. H. Scott Fingerhut, Moderator.
Course Description

CLE Course Number: 6766, CLE Hours: 1.0 General

The Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar is proud to present UFFERMAN FILES, a series of important conversations and presentations on all things criminal justice, featuring host Michael Ufferman of the Michael Ufferman Law Firm in Tallahassee.

Judge Batchelder, who was considered by President George W. Bush as a potential nominee for Justice Sandra Day O’connor’s seat, has served on the federal bench for almost 40 years. She was appointed to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 1983, elevated to the federal District Court in 1985, and then to the federal Court of Appeals in 1992, serving as Chief Judge for the Sixth Circuit from 2009 to 2014. Their conversation promises to explore a wide range of topics, including Judge Batchelder’s perspectives on our criminal justice system — and our courts in general — the process for selecting and confirming federal judges, and the importance of an independent judiciary.

Each live Zoom webinar is free for Criminal Law Section members; non-members register for only $30, which includes section membership.

Michael is a Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Appellate Lawyer and author of Thomson Reuters’ Florida Criminal Practice and Procedure, a comprehensive guide to pretrial criminal procedure, investigation of criminal offenses, and stages of trial. Before private practice, Michael clerked for Justice Major B. Harding at the Supreme Court of Florida. He is a past president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a former board member of the Innocence Project of Florida, a current member of The Florida Bar’s Criminal Law Certification Committee, and a member of the Criminal Law Section Executive Council.

2023-01-09 11:30 - 13:00 | Zoom
Originally presented on January 9, 2023. UFFERMAN FILES Series Webisode 2: A Discussion on Race and Our Criminal Justice System. Free Zoom CLE for Criminal Law Section members; non-members register for only $30, which includes section membership. Course number 6767 is approved for the following credits: CLER Program (max credit: 2.0 hours)—General: 2.0 hours, Bias Elimination: 2.0 hours. Certification Program (max credit: 2.0 hours)—Appellate Practice: 2.0 hours, Criminal Trial Law: 2.0 hours, Criminal Appellate Law: 2.0 hours, Juvenile Law: 2.0 hours.
The Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar is proud to present UFFERMAN FILES, a series of important conversations and presentations on all things criminal justice, featuring host Michael Ufferman of the Michael Ufferman Law Firm in Tallahassee.
On Webisode 2 of UFFERMAN FILES, host Michael Ufferman will moderate a panel discussion on race in our criminal justice system. His distinguished guests are NACDL President Nellie L. King, ethics lawyer Brian Tannebaum (former FACDL president and author of “The Practice“), and criminal defense lawyer Brice Aikens (Florida Bar board certified in Criminal Trial and former division chief for the Orange County Public Defender’s Office). The panel will discuss if — and how — race continues to be a factor in our system, in areas including pretrial detention, jury selection, trial arguments, and sentencing. This 90-minute presentation will be both provocative and educational for prosecutors, defenders, and judges alike.

Each live Zoom webinar is free for Criminal Law Section members; non-members register for only $30, which includes section membership.

Michael is a Florida Bar Board Certified Criminal Appellate Lawyer and author of Thomson Reuters’ Florida Criminal Practice and Procedure, a comprehensive guide to pretrial criminal procedure, investigation of criminal offenses, and stages of trial. Before private practice, Michael clerked for Justice Major B. Harding at the Supreme Court of Florida. He is a past president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a former board member of the Innocence Project of Florida, a current member of The Florida Bar’s Criminal Law Certification Committee, and a member of the Criminal Law Section Executive Council.

2023-01-19 09:00 - 16:45 | Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32819, United States
(6783) Advanced Federal Practice 2023—originally presented on January 19, 2023—in-person (Orlando) and live video webcast. Now available to purchase in online seminar (on-demand) and downloadable audio formats. Criminal Law Section members may purchase either format for only $250. Also available in CD ($225) and DVD ($280) formats.
The Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar proudly presents (6738) Advanced Federal Practice 2023, the Bar’s preeminent CLE offering for bench and bar adjudicating criminal cases in federal court. This year’s program features timely topics, from pretrial to trial, sentencing, and appeal, and presenters specializing in the intricacies of federal criminal prosecution and defense.
Featured topics include deep dives into federal forfeiture proceedings, recent Eleventh Circuit case law, district court issue preservation for matters in the appellate pipeline, theories of mass prosecution, and an inside look at the U.S. Sentencing Commission. We also are privileged to present a very special judicial panel on trying high-profile and emotionally charged cases.
Course number 6738 is an advanced-level program that is approved for 7 General CLE credits and 7 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate and Criminal Trial Law.

SCHEDULE (January 19, 2023)

9–9:10 AM Welcome
Margot Moss, Markus/Moss PLLC, Miami, and Marissel Descalzo Tache, Bronis and Descalzo, P.A., Miami, Program Co-Chairs
9:10–10 AM Pipeline Issue Preservation: Preserving Issues in District Court That Are Working Their Way To and Through The Eleventh Circuit
Lauren Field Krasnoff, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida
10–10:50 AM Eleventh Circuit Update: The Bad, The Ugly… Is There Any Good?
Tracy M. Dreispul, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida
10:50–11:05 AM Break
11:05–11:55 AM From 6/1 to 1/6: Theories of Mass Prosecution
Michael R. Sherwin, Kobre & Kim LLP, Miami, and A. Margot Moss, Markus/Moss PLLC, Miami
11:55 AM–1:10 PM Lunch
1:10–2 PM Show Me The Money: The Government’s Relentless Pursuit of Forfeiture
Steven R. Welk, Senior Counsel, Steptoe & Johnson LLP, Los Angeles, California

2–2:50 PM Judicial Panel: Trying The High-Profile, Emotionally-Charged Case
Panelists: Hon. Roy K. Altman, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami; Hon. Paul G. Byron, United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, Orlando; Hon. Raag Singhal, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale. Moderator: Marissel Descalzo Tache, Bronis and Descalzo, P.A., Miami

2:50–3:05 PM Break

3:05–3:55 PM Speaking From The Heart(land): Kathleen Grilli on the U.S. Sentencing Commission
Kathleen J. Grilli, General Counsel, United States Sentencing Commission, Washington, D.C., and Michael Caruso, Federal Public Defender, Southern District of Florida, Miami
3:55–4:45 PM Anatomy of a Winning Defense: A Deep Dive Into U.S. v. Walton
Vincent A. Citro, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Law Offices of Horwitz & Citro, P.A., Orlando
4:45 PM Conclusion
Margot Moss, Markus/Moss PLLC, Miami, and Marissel Descalzo Tache, Bronis and Descalzo, P.A., Miami

2023-01-20 09:00 - 12:00 | Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL, 32819, United States
Executive Council meeting during The Florida Bar Winter Meeting in Orlando.

2023-04-14 | Zoom
Topic: CLS Executive Council Meeting
Time: Apr 14, 2023, 9:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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2023-04-20 08:30 - 2023-04-21 17:00 | Live Webinar
FACDL’s Criminal Law Review & Board Certification Tips is a two-day, must-attend seminar for criminal law practitioners of all experience levels. Whether you’re a veteran criminal law attorney who has applied to take the May 12 Criminal Appellate or Criminal Trial certification exam or a new associate seeking training in this practice area, this CLE is for you. From testing tips and federal appeals to ethics and Florida sentencing, this cutting-edge program offers an array of topics that will enhance your practice and help hone your skills. The presenters are some of the most well-known and respected practitioners and judges in Florida. Hosted by the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and sponsored by the Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar. CLE credit: General 16.5, Ethics 1.0. Certification Credits: Criminal Appellate Law 16.5, Criminal Trial Law 16.5, State and Federal Government and Administrative Practice 16.5.

FACDL Member $280
FACDL Member Government Employee $180

Non-FACDL Member $375
Government Employee $200 (email facdl@facdl.org to register at this price)

2023-04-21 09:00 - 16:15 | Zoom
(6929) Navigating Juvenile Waters: A Closer Look at Florida Juvenile Delinquency Practice was held on April 21, 2023, from 9 AM–4:15 PM on Zoom, with 90-day, on-demand access. Course number 6929 is approved for 6 CLE, 1 Mental Illness Awareness, and 6 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate, Criminal Trial Law, and Juvenile Law. Course Level: Intermediate. This program is available to buy online 24/7:

Downloadable Audio
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
CD
DVD
Course Book (CLE credit not awarded)

The Florida Bar Criminal Law Section is proud to present Navigating Juvenile Waters: A Closer Look at Florida Juvenile Delinquency Practice. This daylong CLE program on all things juvenile criminal justice provides an overview of the practice of law in Florida juvenile delinquency courts as well as an up-to-date report on the latest juvenile practices and procedures. Our expert presenters will explore the similarities between juvenile delinquency and adult criminal court, and discuss issues unique to juveniles, including risk assessment detention rubrics, competency and sanity evaluations and mental health treatment, direct file and other forms of discretionary juvenile-to-adult-court review, cross-over youths subject to both our child welfare and juvenile justice systems, imposing juvenile sanctions, including disposition reports, hearings, and commitment levels, and more. Designed for bench and bar alike, Navigating Juvenile Waters is a must-participate CLE program you won’t want to miss.

SCHEDULE & PRESENTERS
February 10, 2023

9 AM – 9:10 AM
Welcome by the Program Co-Chairs
Hon. Angelica D. Zayas Miami-Dade Circuit Judge, Miami
Joel M. Silvershein, State Attorney’s Office 17th Circuit, Fort Lauderdale
9:10 AM – 10 AM
The Ins and Outs of Juvenile Detention Hearings
Tamara Gray, Assistant Public Defender, Miami Dade County, Eleventh Circuit
10 AM – 10:50 AM
New Juvenile Mental Health Rules and Procedures
Cheo A. Reid, Assistant State Attorney, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, West Palm Beach
10:50 AM – 11:05 AM Break
11:05 AM – 11:55 AM
Nuances of Prosecuting and Defending Juveniles in Delinquency Court and Why They Matter
Tara Khani, Assistant Public Defender, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade
11:55 AM – 1:30 PM
Lunch (Provided)
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Dually-Involved Youths and the Intersection of the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems
Irene M.G. Maslanik, Board Certified in Juvenile Law, Assistant State Attorney, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa
2:20 PM – 3:10 PM
Juveniles to Adult Court: Transfers, Direct File Review, Discretion, and Other Considerations
Travis J. Coy, Assistant State Attorney, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa
3:10 PM – 03:25 PM
Break
3:25 PM – 4:15 PM
Juvenile Sanctions: Predisposition Reports, Disposition Options, and Disposition Hearings
Kywa Hammond, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Orland

2023-05-04 08:00 - 2023-05-05 17:00 | AC Hotel by Marriott Tampa Airport, 4020 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33607, United States
Masters of DUI 2023: Top Gun Teaching for Cutting-Edge Advocacy was held May 4–5, 2023—Live (AC Hotel Tampa Airport) and Live Webcast. This program is a comprehensive, cutting-edge look at the prosecution and defense of alcohol- and drug-related vehicular offenses. Get ethics credit. Get technology credit. Learn from the Top Guns. And become one yourself.
Course number 6422 is approved for 15 General CLE credits, 3 of which may be applied toward Ethics; 1 Technology credit; and 15 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate Law and Criminal Trial Law. The program is available to buy online 24/7:

Downloadable Audio
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
CD
DVD
Course Book (CLE credit not awarded)

This year’s program promises to be our best yet and is designed for basic, intermediate, and experienced practitioners. Our top-gun faculty members—judges, lawyers, and industry experts—are some of the best legal and scientific DUI minds, all gathered to bring you up to speed on the latest in alcohol-related prosecution and defense, and to answer all of your questions on how to improve the quality of your DUI advocacy. Special thanks to Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville.
Topics include primers on case preparation, issue spotting and motion practice, proper protocols for breath and laboratory testing, the ins and outs of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles administrative hearings, collateral consequences of DUIs on professional licensure, expert trial skills instruction, spotlights on DUI with serious bodily injury and DUI manslaughter cases, a case law update, a special presentation on DUI ethics by Judge Roberto Arias of Jacksonville, and more. The 2023 Masters of DUI is a one-of-a-kind CLE program you won’t want to miss.
~ ~ ~
Day One: Thursday, May 4, 2023
9-9:10 AM
Welcome
Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville
9:10-10 AM
Case Law Update: Knowledge is Power
Leslie M. Sammis, Sammis Law Firm, P.A., Tampa
10-10:50 AM
Issue Spotting: Putting the Power of Knowledge to Work
Tara A. Anderson, Assistant Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Clearwater
10:50-11:05 AM
Break
11:05-11:55 AM
Preparing a Case: You’re Never Too Old for Homework
Keeley R. Karatinos, Karatinos Law, PLLC, Dade City
11:55-12:30 PM
Lunch (included)
12:30-1:20 PM
Good Things Happen When You File Motions
E. Michael Isaak, Isaak Law, PLLC, Tampa
1:20-2:10 PM
Spotlight on Ethics: A Judicial Perspective
Hon. Roberto Arias, Duval County Judge, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Jacksonville
2:10-2:25 PM
Break
2:25-3:15 PM
Technology and Practice: Analyzing the Death Star Plans
Elliott A. Wilcox, The Wilcox Law Firm, P.L., Tampa
3:15-4:05 PM
Professional Licensing Issues: Those Pesky Collateral Consequences
Kevin M. Griffith, McIntosh Law, Sarasota
4:05-4:55 PM
Ethics Panel: Staying Honest While Advocating
Moderator: Brian L. Tannebaum, Brian L. Tannebaum, P.A., Miami
Panelists:

Michael J. Kessler, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial, Kessler Law Firm, Ft. Pierce
Nicki A. Mohr, Assistant State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa
Hon. Margaret R. Taylor, Hillsborough County Judge, 13th Judicial Circuit, Tampa

4:55-5 PM
Conclusion
Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville
~ ~ ~
Day Two: Friday, May 5, 2023
9-9:10 AM
Welcome
Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville
9:10-10:15 AM
Nuts and Bolts of Administrative Hearings
Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville; Thomas J. Moffett Jr., Chief Counsel, Bureau of Administrative Reviews, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Tallahassee
10:15-11:05 AM
Direct Examination: Every Story Paints a Picture
Timothy R. Bussey, The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., Colorado Springs, CO
11:05-11:20 AM
Break
11:20 AM-12:10 PM
Cross-Examination: Painting a New Picture
Mark Thiessen, Thiessen Law Firm, Houston, TX
12:10-12:45 PM
Lunch Break
12:45-1:35 PM
Breath Testing Issues: The Number is Just the Beginning
Robert N. Harrison, Robert N. Harrison, P.A., Venice
1:35-2:25 PM
Lab Protocols and Quality Control: You Mean the Analyst Report is Not Gospel?
Janine Arvizu, Certified Quality Auditor, Albuquerque, NM
2:25-2:40 PM
Break
2:40-3:30 PM
Motion Practice in DUI SBI/Manslaughter Cases: The Best Trial Lawyer is the Best Pretrial Lawyer
Robert S. Reiff, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Law Offices of Robert S. Reiff, P.A., Miami
3:30-4:20 PM
DUI SBI/Manslaughter Ethics and Trial Tactics: From Both Sides: When All Else Fails
John G. Kalinowski, Assistant State Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Jacksonville
Aaron M. Wayt, Pumphrey Law, Tallahassee
4:05-4:10 PM
Conclusion
Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville

2023-06-22 09:00 - 17:00 | The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 33432
Criminal Law Update was held Thursday, June 22, 9 AM–5 PM, live (in person) at The Boca Raton and live video webcast with 90-day, on-demand access. Course number 7408. Read The Florida Bar News write-up here. The program is available to buy online 24/7:

Downloadable Audio
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
CD
DVD
Course Book (CLE credit not awarded)

Course number 7408 CLE Credit: 7.5 General, 1 Technology, 1 Mental Illness Awareness. Certification Credit: 7.5 Criminal Appellate, 7.5 Criminal Trial, 1 Immigration & Nationality, 7.5 Juvenile Law.
Featuring Justice Jorge Labarga, Hank Coxe, Roy Black, and a very special presentation by Justice Peggy Quince.
The program includes our traditional “updates”—on recent developments in Florida and federal criminal case law, new legislation, and legislation on the horizon, and updates in the all-important worlds of DUI and “crimmigration,” the intersection of our nation’s immigration policies and criminal justice systems.
To begin the morning, Justice Labarga shared the very personal story of his rise to the bench, and how things Florida criminal justice “look” from where he sits.
Our spotlight presentation updated us on the arrest, prosecution, and treatment of those suffering issues with mental health, brought to us by the statewide leader in the field, Judge Steve Leifman.
We also welcomed Professor Christopher Slobogin of Vanderbilt Law School on his latest—and most timely—work, Virtual Searches: Regulating the Covert World of Technological Policing.
Our afternoon session kicked off with the one and only Justice Quince, who spoke passionately on our mutual, professional obligation not merely to serve, but to rescue our democratic Republic.
We ended the day with the panel discussion of all panel discussions: the wise voices of our era, speaking blunt truth to power about “where we are” in Florida criminal justice, how we got here, and, most importantly, what are we going to do to ensure brighter, better criminal justice tomorrows for us all—featuring Justice Quince, joined by Roy Black, Judge Kevin Emas, and Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Public Defender Carey Haughwout, and our moderator of all moderators, Hank Coxe.
SCHEDULE & PRESENTERS
9:00 AM–9:05 AM
Introduction
Professor H. Scott Fingerhut: Program Chair, Co-Chair of the Criminal Law Section CLE Committee, FIU College of Law, and H. Scott Fingerhut, P.A., Miami
9:05 AM–9:10 AM
Welcome
Honorable Samantha L. Ward, Chair, Criminal Law Section, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Hillsborough Circuit Judge, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Tampa
9:10 AM–9:30 AM
Feature Presentation: Criminal Justice System Update
Honorable Jorge Labarga, Justice, Supreme Court of Florida, Tallahassee
9:30 AM–9:45 AM
Break
9:45 AM–10:35 AM
Case Law Update
Michael R. Ufferman, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law, Michael Ufferman Law Firm, P.A., Tallahassee
10:35 AM–11:25 AM
Scholars Corner: Virtual Searches: Regulating the Covert World of Technological Policing
Professor Christopher Slobogin, Milton R. Underwood Chair in Law, Director, Criminal Justice Program, Vanderbilt Law School, Nashville, Tennessee
11:25 AM–11:40 AM
Break
11:40 AM–12:30 PM
Immigration Law Update
Linda M. Osberg-Braun, Florida Bar Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law, Osberg-Braun Immigration, Miami
12:30 PM–1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM–1:45 PM
Feature Presentation: Democracy at Peril
Honorable Peggy A. Quince, Justice, Supreme Court of Florida (ret.), Tampa
1:45 PM–2:35 PM
DUI Law Update
Fleming Kanan Whited, III Whited Law Firm, Daytona Beach
2:35 PM–3:25 PM
Spotlight Presentation: Florida Criminal Justice Mental Health Update
Honorable Steven Leifman, Miami-Dade County Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami
3:25 PM–3:40 PM
Break
3:40 PM–4:55 PM
Wisdom of Ages: A Blunt Criminal Justice Discussion About What’s Going On in Florida and What We Are Going to Do About It
Moderator: Hank Coxe, Past President, The Florida Bar, Florida Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Bedell, Dittman, DeVault, Pillans & Coxe, Jacksonville
Panelists:
Roy Black, Black Srebnick, Miami
Honorable Kevin Emas, Judge, Florida Third District Court of Appeal, Miami
Honorable Carey S. Haughwout, Florida Bar Board Certified in Criminal Trial Law, Public Defender, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, West Palm Beach
Honorable Peggy A. Quince, Justice, Supreme Court of Florida (ret.), Tampa
4:55 PM–5:00 PM
Conclusion
Professor H. Scott Fingerhut: Program Chair, Co-Chair of the Criminal Law Section CLE Committee, FIU College of Law, and H. Scott Fingerhut, P.A., Miami

2023-06-22 18:30 - 20:00 | The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 33432
The Criminal Law Section’s Executive Council held its 2023 Awards Reception during the Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Thursday, June 22, 2023, 6:30-8 PM
The Boca Raton Royal Palm Ballroom I
The reception was open to all Criminal Law Section Members and Judges.
In addition to the Section’s member awards, three Florida law school students received the Criminal Law Section’s Student Scholarship Awards during our Awards Reception. Read The Florida Bar News write-up here. The cash scholarships are awarded to incoming third-year law students who have shown dedication to and interest in the criminal justice system as trial and appellate practitioners:

Haley Kinart, Stetson University College of Law
Skyler Jackle, Stetson University College of Law
Victoria Thacker, Florida International University College of Law

2023-06-23 09:00 - 12:00 | The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 33432
The Criminal Law Section’s Executive Council meeting was held during the Annual Florida Bar Convention in Estate Ballroom II at The Boca Raton. The call was hosted through Zoom.

2023-06-23 12:30 - 14:00 | The Boca Raton, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 33432
This event was held on Friday, June 23, 2023, in Royal Palm Ballroom X at The Boca Raton. The Criminal Law Section Selig I. Goldin Award and Criminal Procedure Rules Committee Joint Luncheon honoring 2023 recipient James E. Felman, Kynes, Markman & Felman, P.A., Tampa. Read The Florida Bar News story here.

James E. Felman has concentrated his practice of law in the defense of complex criminal matters and related civil litigation for over 30 years. Mr. Felman represents clients in federal and state matters in every phase of the criminal process — investigation, trial, sentencing, appeal, and post-conviction proceedings. He has represented clients in a wide range of matters, including allegations of bank fraud, health care fraud, mail and wire fraud, securities fraud, public corruption, environmental crimes, antitrust violations, synthetic/illegal drugs, illegal gambling, child abuse/pornography, and murder. Mr. Felman has also devoted a significant portion of his professional efforts to legal reform and policy work. He has testified on an array of topics before the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and Sentencing Commission, and has given more than 100 presentations on criminal justice policy issues. He is a Past Chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the American Bar Association. From 2014-2017 he served as a member of the Steering Committee of the Clemency Project 2014. Mr. Felman is a graduate of Wake Forest University, B.A. cum laude, 1984, and Duke University, M.A. Phil. and J.D. with high honors (Order of the Coif), 1987. Following law school, he was a law clerk to Judge Theodore McMillian of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

2023-07-23 13:00 - 2023-07-27 11:30 | University of Florida Levin College of Law, 309 Village Dr., Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
The University of Florida Levin College of Law and The Florida Bar Criminal Law Section proudly presented the 2023 Gerald T. Bennett Prosecutor/Public Defender Trial Training Program on July 23 – 27, 2023. View the event brochure here.
SUNDAY, JULY 23

1:00-1:45 PM—REGISTRATION
2:00–2:30 PM—Welcome & Opening Remarks
2:30–5:30 PM—Case Analysis and Voir Dire
5:30 pm–7 PM—Faculty/Participant Mixer

MONDAY, JULY 24

9:00 AM–5:00 PM—Opening Statements and Direct & Cross Examination

TUESDAY, JULY 25

9:00 AM–5:30 PM—Direct & Cross Examination of Witnesses and Faculty Demonstrations/Expert Witness Discussion

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26

9:00 AM–5:00 PM—Professionalism & Ethics, Closing Arguments, and Faculty/Participant Reception at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville

THURSDAY, JULY 27

9:00–11:30 AM—Courts & Technology and Convocation & Awards

2023-10-05 12:00 - 18:00 | Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, 505 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33304, United States
The Criminal Law Section hosted its first (to be annual) legislative update on October 5 in Fort Lauderdale. “Inside the Florida Legislature” was an in-person and live-streamed CLE and a reception. The program is available to buy online 24/7:

Downloadable Audio
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
Inside The Florida Legislature BOOK (CLE CREDIT IS NOT AWARDED FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE COURSE BOOK ONLY)

This program will provide the criminal law practitioner with an update on relevant changes to Florida law in 2023 and a preview of what to expect from the 2024 legislative session. Highlighted by a panel discussion featuring ranking members of criminal justice and judiciary committees from the Florida House and Senate, this four-hour CLE will include a presentation on the Florida budget, a recap of the 2023 legislative session by the Criminal Law Section’s lobbyist, and an ethics presentation by the Florida Ethics Institute Director.
The legislative update was in conjunction with the Criminal Law Section’s Executive Council meeting on October 6 from 9 AM–12 PM, in person at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort.
Course number 8027 is approved for 4.5 CLE credits, 1 of which may be applied toward Ethics, and 4.5 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate Law and Criminal Trial Law.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS

12–12:55 PM—Ethics
Caroline Klancke, Esq., Founder and Executive Director of the Florida Ethics Institute

12:55–1:35 PM—2023 Legislative Update
Natalie Kato, Esq., Kato Law

1:35–2:30 PM—The Florida Budget
Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Miami-Dade County

2:30–2:40 PM—Break

2:40–4 PM—Preview of 2024 Legislative Session
Sen. Jonathan Martin, Rep. Keith Truenow, Rep. Toby Overdorf, Rep. Mike Gottlieb

2023-10-06 09:00 - 12:00 | Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, 505 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33304, United States
The Criminal Law Section held an Executive Council meeting on October 6 from 9 AM–12 PM, in person at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. A virtual option was provided.

2024-03-07 08:30 - 2024-03-08 16:10 | Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel, 4200 Jim Walter Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33607, United States
Originally presented on March 7 and 8, 2024, the Criminal Law Section’s Masters of DUI 2024 is a comprehensive, cutting-edge look at the prosecution and defense of alcohol- and drug-related vehicular offenses. This year’s theme is Becoming the Lincoln Lawyer: Learning to Think Creatively and Yield Results Like a Master. This two-day program is designed for basic, intermediate, and experienced practitioners. Topics include case preparation, issue spotting, jury selection, lab protocols, implicit bias, Florida’s administrative suspension process, jury selection, visual aids, cross-examination, the judicial perspective, technology, urine testing, drug DUIs and DRE, a case law update, and more. Our prestigious faculty members—judges, lawyers, and industry experts—are some of the best legal and scientific DUI minds in the nation. Each segment is intended to boost your knowledge and improve your skills in this highly specialized practice area to improve the quality of your DUI advocacy.
Course number 8155 is approved for 14 CLE, 1 Technology and 14 certification credits each in Criminal Appellate and Criminal Trial. The program is available to purchase 24/7 online:

Downloadable Audio
Online Seminar (On-Demand)
CD
DVD

The 2024 Masters of DUI is a one-of-a-kind CLE event. Special thanks to Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville.

AGENDA AND PRESENTERS
Masters of DUI 2024 – Becoming the Lincoln Lawyer: Learning to Think Creatively and Yield Results Like a Master
Day One: Thursday, March 7
8:30–9:00 AM Check-In and Late Registration
9:00–9:10 AM Welcome (Program Co-Chairs Susan H. Cohen and David M. Robbins, Epstein & Robbins, Jacksonville)
9:10–10:00 AM Staying One Step Ahead – Case Law Update (Eilam Isaak, Tampa)
10:00–10:50 AM Just the Facts – Florida’s Administrative Suspension Process (Tom Moffett, Chief Counsel, Bureau of Administrative Reviews, Tallahassee)
10:50–11:05 AM Break
11:05–11:55 AM Using the Facts to Your Advantage to Navigate the Administrative Suspension Process (David Robbins & Susan Cohen, Jacksonville)
11:55 AM–12:25 PM Lunch (provided with in-person registration)
12:25–1:15 PM Because We Can Handle the Truth: Reviewing the Evidence and Spotting Issues (Tara Anderson, Assistant Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Clearwater)
1:15–2:15 PM What Would Claire Kincaid Do? Preparing a Case (Keeley Karatinos, Dade City)
2:15–2:30 PM Break
2:30–3:20 PM You Too Can Be Perry Mason: Motions to Suppress (Eilam Isaak, Tampa)
3:20–4:10 PM Playing War Games With Joshua – Computers Don’t Make Mistakes…. Or Do They? Technology and Practice (Elliott Wilcox, Tampa)
4:10–5:00 PM Finding Twelve Angry Men – The Art of Jury Selection (Robert Reiff, Miami)

Day Two: Friday, March 8
9:00–9:10 AM Welcome (Program Chairs David Robbins & Susan Cohen, Jacksonville)
9:10–10:00 AM Herding Cats; The Reality of Interacting With Attorneys – The Judicial Perspective (Deborah Carpenter-Toye, County Court Judge, Broward County)
10:00–10:50 AM Echoes of To Kill A Mockingbird … Implicit Bias – It’s All Around Us! (Phyllis Kotey, Clinical Professor of Law, Florida International University, Miami)
10:50–11:05 AM Break
11:05–11:55 AM Following the Science – Lab Protocols and Quality Control (Janine Arvizu – Lab Auditor, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
11:55 AM–12:25 PM Lunch (provided for in-person registrants)
12:25–1:15 PM Channeling Your Inner Vincent Gambini Using Visual Aids, Stories and Analogies to Win Your Case (Mark Thiessen, Houston, Texas)
1:15–2:05 PM Bringing Out the Truth Ben Matlock Style – The Art of Successful Cross-Examination (John Collins, Little Rock, Arkansas)
2:05–2:20 PM Break
2:20–3:10 PM Does it Pass the Abby Sciuto Test? The Forensics of Urine Testing (Anne Marie Rizzo, Sarasota)
3:10–4:00 PM Applying the Science – Drug DUIs and DRE (Aaron Wayt, Tallahassee)
4:00–4:10 PM Conclusion (Program Chairs David Robbins & Susan Cohen, Jacksonville)

2024-06-20 18:30 - 2024-06-21 14:00 | Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln, Orlando, FL, 32821, United States
Please join your Criminal Law Section friends and colleagues at the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek for our events during the Annual Florida Bar Convention.
Thursday, June 20
6:30-8:30 PM: Membership Reception & Awards Ceremony (Jackson)
Friday, June 21
8:30 AM-12 PM: Executive Council Meeting (Dade)
12:30-2 PM: Selig I. Goldin Award and Joint Luncheon with Criminal Procedure Rules Committee (Florida Ballroom F)
The Honorable Stanford Blake will receive the Criminal Law Section’s 2024 Selig I. Goldin Memorial Award. After 22 years as a highly respected judge who presided over many high-profile trials and complex cases, he now serves as a mediator. Stan has been honored by the Family Bar with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers “Jurist of the Year” and by the Civil Bar with the Judge Steve Levine Award for Fairness, Integrity and Professionalism. He received many other awards while on the Bench including, but not limited to, the Judge William Hoeveler Lifetime Achievement Award, the Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence, the Conference of Circuit Judges Chair’s Award, the Justice Gerald Kogan Judicial Distinction Award, the Alan Schwartz Judicial Excellence Award, the League of Prosecutors Justice Award and the University of Miami Law Alumni Achievement Award. He was also honored to receive the highest bar approval rating ever of the Dade County Bar Association of almost 99% exceptionally qualified/qualified in 2012.
Stan has always been involved with teaching. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law teaching Litigation Skills for nearly 20 years and teaches at the New Judge’s mandatory program yearly. Stan has also been a regular instructor for the Circuit Court Conference and Advanced Judicial Studies during his tenure on the Bench. He was a presenter for the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts 48th Annual Conference and a lecturer for the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. for a national symposium on indigent defense in the United States.
Stanford Blake has also served our community for many years. He was the President of the Board of Directors of the Haven School for the Developmentally Disadvantaged President of the Kiwanis Club of Biscayne Bay as well as a Board Member of Lauren’s Kids. Having donated a kidney to his brother in 1996, Stan became active in the Transplant Foundation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This year, the Criminal Law Section will award four $2,500 cash scholarships. The annual scholarships are awarded to students or law school graduates who have shown dedication to and interest in the criminal justice system as trial and appellate practitioners.
Emma Hirschy is a recent Florida State University of Law graduate, where she was President of the Association for Criminal Justice, Secretary and Advocate for the Trial Team, and Secretary of the Federal Bar Association. She was honored as the 2023 Trial Team Best 2L Advocate and the 2023 Georgetown White Collar Crime Trial Competition Outstanding Advocate. She has worked a legal intern for the Milwaukee Justice Center and as a senior law clerk for the Pumphrey Law Firm in Tallahassee. Emma also has worked full-time as a Certified Legal Intern at the Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, and after passing the bar exam will transition into a role there as an Assistant State Attorney.
Sarah Tanner is a recent Thomas M. Cooley Law School graduate and will take the bar exam in July. She will serve as an Assistant State Attorney for in the 13th Judicial Circuit, where she has worked as a Certified Legal Intern. During law school, she was the Executive Managing Editor for the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review and an Affiliate Student Representative for The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division. She earned several scholarships: the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review Dawn C. Beachnau Award, the Thomas M. Cooley Alumni Memorial Scholarship, and the Thomas M. Cooley Merit-Based Scholarship. Sarah is a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and the Federal Bar Association.
Fabrizia Wade is a recent Florida State University College of Law graduate, where she was a member of the Association for Criminal Justice and the Black Law Student Association. She also served as President of the FSU College of Law Trial Team, where she was named Trial Team Best 3L Advocate. Fabrizia participated in the FSU Alumni Affairs Office Spring Fundathon all three years of her law school career and has volunteered for Legal Services of North Florida and the Institute for Family Violence Studies. She received an FSU College of Law Office of Student Affairs Outstanding Pro Bono Hour Award for completing more than 40 pro bono hours. After passing the bar exam, she will become an Assistant State Attorney in the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
Arianna Diaz Wightman is a recent University of Miami School of Law graduate. During law school, she participated in the Miami Law ACLU, OUTLaw, and Trial Team, and received a Marcos A. Vazquez Scholarship. She worked as a Certified Legal Intern at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office, and after passing the bar exam will return to the Defender’s Office as a full-time attorney. She has worked as a Guardian ad Litem in the Miami-Dade Guardian ad Litem Office, a law clerk for the Prisoners Legal Advocacy Network in New York and Your Insurance Attorney, PLLC in Miami, and a pre-litigation legal assistant for Marin, Eljaiek, Lopez, and Martinez, P.L. in Miami.

2024-07-21 13:00 - 2024-07-26 11:30 | University of Florida Levin College of Law, 309 Village Dr., Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States
Brought to you by The Florida Bar Criminal Law Section with support from The Florida Bar Foundation.

WHEN: July 21-26, 2024
WHERE: University of Florida Levin College of Law
WHO: Prosecutors and Public Defenders with 1-5 years of experience
SCHEDULE:

Sunday, July 21: 1 – 6:30 PM
Monday, July 22: 9 AM – 7 PM
Tuesday, July 23: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday, July 24: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday, July 25: 9 AM – 8 PM
Friday, July 26: 9 – 11:30 AM

** Please contact Lindsay Hanson, Staff Attorney UF Law, with any questions or concerns: hanson@law.ufl.edu

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE FLORIDA BAR 2024 GERALD T. BENNETT PUBLIC DEFENDER/PROSECUTOR TRIAL TRAINING PROGRAM:
1. A $300 registration fee (PO, check, or credit card) will be invoiced by The Florida Bar after the program. Please provide the appropriate contact person for this below.
2. Payments are to be made payable to THE FLORIDA BAR.
3. PARTICIPANTS’ OFFICES SHOULD MAKE HOTEL RESERVATIONS BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF JUNE 23, even if you have not finalized the number or names of participants you will be sending.
4. You may always cancel hotel reservations, but you may not add to a closed block of rooms. Hotel reservations are the responsibility of the attendee’s office.
5. The participants’ room block is at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville. Rooms are available for single/double occupancy at a rate of $159, not including taxes and fees.

HOTEL INFORMATION:

University of Florida Hilton
Address: 1714 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32607
Rate: $159.00/night, not including taxes and fees (Sun 7/21 to Friday 7/26)
DEADLINE TO RESERVE HOTEL ROOM: June 23, 2024 at 5:00 pm
CLICK HERE TO BOOK HOTEL

2024-08-20 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
“Evidence Collection and Maintaining Chain of Custody in an Animal Cruelty or Animal Fighting Case” took place on August 20, 12–1 PM. It was a FREE CLE (open to all) hosted by the Animal Law and Criminal Law sections of The Florida Bar. This program offers an overview of crime scene processing, evidence collection, animal identification, and maintaining chain of custody when responding to an animal cruelty or animal fighting case. Presented by Nathan Zilak, Esq., ASCPA National Criminal Practice Counsel in the Legal Advocacy & Investigations Division, and ASCPA Forensic Analyst Jonesta Nolan, MS, CSCSA.
Course number 8587 is approved for 1 CLE, 1 Criminal Trial Law certification credit.
Nathan and Jonesta will walk through a warrant execution on a sample animal cruelty/animal fighting case. They will discuss how evidence can be collected, animals can be identified, and chain of custody can be maintained to preserve the potential criminal case.
Nathan Zilak, Esq. is National Criminal Practice Counsel in the Legal Advocacy & Investigations Division at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). In his role, he supports law enforcement and prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of animal cruelty and animal fighting cases throughout the country. He is a former Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 6th Judicial Circuit, and a longtime volunteer with the Pinellas Humane Society.
Jonesta Nolan, MS, CSCSA, is a Forensic Analyst at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in Gainesville, FL. With over 16 years of experience in the forensic field, she has held significant positions with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the Denver Crime Laboratory, and the Dallas Police Department’s Crime Scene Response Section. She is a certified Senior Crime Scene Analyst by the International Association for Identification (IAI).

2024-09-27 09:00 - 12:00 | FL
The September 27 CLS Executive Council Meeting was held virtually.
Here are the dates of upcoming Council meetings:

January 17, 2025, at 9 AM (virtual)
April 11, 2025, at 9 AM (virtual)
June 27, 2025, at 9 AM (in person at The Boca Raton, 501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton. Breakfast starts at 8:30 AM)

2024-10-01 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
October 1, 12-1 PM live Zoom webinar presented by Ralph DeMeo, Guilday Law, and hosted by the Criminal Law and Animal Law sections of The Florida Bar. Course number 8688 is approved for 1 CLE, and 1 certification credit each in Civil Trial, Criminal Trial, and Criminal Appellate.
The program will examine applicable Florida Constitutional sections, statutes, and regulations relating to marine and land wildlife, including the management of the Florida Black Bear, the use of gill nets for fishing, and other current issues. Civil and criminal wildlife laws will be discussed, including animal cruelty laws. It also will highlight 2024 legislation which proposed an amendment to the Florida Constitution that codifies the right to hunt and fish as the preferred means of wildlife management, which will appear on the November statewide ballot.

2024-11-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Originally presented on November 22, 2024, by Jessica Collins from the U.S. Sentencing Commission, course number 8798 is approved by The Florida Bar until approximately May 22, 2026, for 1 General CLE credit and 1 certification credit each in Criminal Trial Law, Criminal Appellate Law, and Juvenile Law. Criminal Law Section members may log in to the website to watch the recorded video at no charge.
Free CLE is a benefit of membership in the Criminal Law Section of The Florida Bar. This webinar will inform federal criminal law practitioners about the 2024 amendments to the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which went into effect on November 1, 2024. Collins will provide an overview of the amendment process and the 2024 Promulgated Amendments. Attendees will learn how key changes from the 2024 guidelines amendments affect acquitted conduct, rules for calculating loss, and youthful offenders.

2024-12-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
The Criminal Law Section’s popular Ufferman Files series is back and better than ever. Michael Ufferman hosted “A Conversation with Three of the Best: Brian Cavanagh, John Frusciante, and Jeff Harris.” Criminal Law Section members may log in to the website to watch the recorded video at no charge.
Originally presented on December 13, 2024, course number 8791 is approved by The Florida Bar until approximately June 13, 2026, for 1 CLE and 1 certification credit each in Criminal Appellate and Criminal Trial.
View the presenter bios here.
During “A Conversation with Three of the Best,” host Michael Ufferman moderates a panel discussion with distinguished guests Brian Cavanagh, retired Chief of the Homicide Trial Unit of the Broward State Attorney’s Office; The Honorable John Frusciante, former Circuit Judge for Florida’s Seventeenth Judicial Circuit; and criminal defense lawyer Jeff Harris; past president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Florida Bar board certified in Criminal Trial since 1987. The panel discusses how practicing criminal law in Florida has changed in the last 40 years. These three pillars of the criminal law community will provide their wisdom and insights for other lawyers—both young and old. This 60-minute presentation is provocative and educational for prosecutors, defenders, and judges alike.

FREE CLE: Guidelines About Guidelines
2025-02-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Live Zoom webinar by Alexander J. Gilewicz, Assistant State Attorney, 7th Judicial Circuit. Hosted by Alexa Cline, Assistant Statewide Prosecutor, Florida Office of the Attorney General, and Sarah Morris, Director of Operations, First DCA Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel. Course number 8891 is approved for 1 CLE, 1 Criminal Appellate, and 1 Criminal Trial. FREE CLE for Criminal Law Section members.
Are you up to speed on the ins and outs of criminal code scoresheets? If you’re new to handling felony cases in Circuit Court, don’t miss “Guidelines About Guidelines,” useful information and tips for prosecutors and defense attorneys. Seventh Circuit Assistant State Attorney Alexander J. Gilewicz will share insights and best practices.
A criminal code scoresheet is required for all felonies subject to the Criminal Punishment Code. The scoresheet forms are the primary source of key data for the Florida Department of Corrections and the Criminal Justice Estimating Conference—necessitating consistent, unambiguous definitions and uniform accurate scoring procedures.

Alexander J. Gilewicz is an Assistant State Attorney with the 7th Judicial Circuit working in Putnam County. His caseload includes a wide range of felony charges including those punishable by life in prison. Alexander spent eight years in the United States Marine Corps before moving to Florida to attend law school. He graduated from Florida Coastal School of Law in 2015 and began his legal career as a criminal defense attorney before moving across the aisle. Alexander is an Associate member of the St. Augustine Inns of Court and a member of the Putnam County Bar Association.
