VOLUSIA EXPOSED

In 2010 - then assistant county attorney Nancye Jones put in an application with the local 7th JNC. Jones secured a spot on the nomination list that was sent to the governor's office. It was no surprise that Jones' name made the nomination list - after all her fellow assistant county attorney Mary Jolley was a commissioner on the local JNC.

As is detailed in our - Commissioner Jolley was determined that her peer Jones was going to secure a position within Volusia's judiciary - so much so that she sent a to the attorney of a local power broker requesting the power broker's support and influence with the governor's office.

It was (is) our (VolusiaExposed.Com) OPINION that Jolley violated JNC's ethics rules by using her position as a JNC commissioner - in seeking the local power broker's influence with the governor. The then JNC Chairman - Bill Voges did conduct an investigation into whether Jolley had violated JNC ethic rules - but his investigation determined that the complaint was "legally insufficient".

Was the complaint "legally insufficient" - in our opinion NO - but we understand that it was easier for Mr. Voges to attack the complaint - than it was to deal with ethics violations lodged in that complaint.

So in October 2015 - it came as no surprise to anyone here at VolusiaExposed.Com - when Governor Rick Scott appointed Mary Jolley to a judicial seat within the seventh (7th) judicial circuit. (see above linked December 21, 2015 VolusiaExposed article)

In MaryEllen Osterndorf's recent JNC interview - Osterndorf openly admitted that she had sought out those influential individuals (power brokers) for their contacts with the governor, or his office - something she called "the dog and pony show". (see minutes 2:15 of attached video ---------------------->)

You see there is a hard truth that must be faced (spoken in the voice of actor from the movie - )... it's not the JNC - nor the governor - MaryEllen Osterndorf is correct - it's all really nothing more than a dog and pony show - the local power brokers are the real "judge makers". Knowing this - it's time to either get busy living (doing the dog and pony show) or get busy dying (not making the nomination list). A judicial candidate's chances of being appointed to the bench lives or dies on whether the candidate has kissed the rings of these power brokers (OPINION).

If we (VolusiaExposed.Com) are correct - and the local power brokers are the "real" king (judge) makers, the following question quickly arises - once these judges are on the bench - whom will have their (judges) allegiance? Will their allegiance be to the the public - to the law, or will their allegiance be to the power brokers - damning, if necessary, both the public's interest, and the law?

Mary Ellen Osterndorf

You Silly Rabbits
If They Own The Judiciary - Then They Own Florida

With that - maybe some citizens or groups that have filed lawsuits against the local power broker establishment, now have a better understanding of why their suits are rarely successful. Maybe - and it's just our OPINION - the should better appreciate that the power brokers - desire for the most part, to stop driving on the beach - regardless of the wants, needs and desires of the citizens / voters. You silly rabbits - don't you know - Trix are for kids - and power, at least within Florida, currently comes from the power brokers - and not from the ballot or jury boxes -- and if they own the judiciary - then they own Florida.

UPDATE TO ARTICLE BEGINS HERE - Now with the February 9, 2018 gubernatorial appointments of ASAs Cromartie and Miller to the Volusia County Court - allow us (VolusiaExposed.Com) to make some predictions. According to Florida law - both Cromartie and Miller will need to defend their judicial appointments during the next election cycle. We (VolusiaExposed.Com) predict that neither will ACTUALLY need to defend their appointment - more than simply filing their paperwork to be on the ballot. There is an unwritten rule within the legal community that VERY few attorneys will violate. Very few attorneys will run a political campaign against a seated judge. We predict that both judges will be re-elected by default (no political challenger) - thereby denying the voting public a chance to reject these gubernatorial appointments. Listen to Mr. Steven Gosney's interview (see below attached video) - he touches upon this unwritten rule.

and ran against recently appointed Judge C. David Hood. Initially Judge Hood filed a lawsuit attempting to have McNeilly removed from the ballot - how dare she violate this unwritten rule. Fortunately - Hood's lawsuit failed - McNeilly went on to win the election.

Here is yet another VolusiaExposed prediction - within the next couple of years - Judge McNeilly has a high probability of being removed from office by the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). The local power brokers don't particularly like being robbed of one of their cherished judicial positions. Like Judge Joe Will - the power brokers - and many within the legal community - much prefer appointed judges over judges elected by the people. Why is that? Well in our OPINION appointed judges give their loyalties to the corrupt political machine that made their appointments possible - while elected judges are in tuned that their authority was granted to them by the people (voters).

We (VolusiaExposed.Com) have little to NO faith in the veracity of the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC). Want to know more about our opinion of the JQC - . In short - our opinion of the JQC is that it is a tool of the power structure - to rid themselves of judges that will not tow the power structure line.

We (VolusiaExposed) are of the OPINION that the JQC operates outside the mandates of the United States Constitution - in particular, the U.S. Bill of Rights. We also believe that the JQC is very much aware of their unconstitutional operation - .

We suspect that Volusia County Judge Shirley Green's recent and sudden retirement was caused by a JQC action against her because she would not tow the power structure's line. Judge Green's judicial position has now been filled with the appointment of Mr. Cromartie.

We suspect that Judge Cromartie's high tolerance for police falsifications - will be more to the liking of the status quo - then was elected Judge Green's concern for the public's welfare. Judge Green was known to hold local landlords more accountable than some other judges. Unfortunate for Judge Green - the landlord community had the ears of our local power brokers.

- or have a heavily cooked up (our opinion) JQC complaint filed against her - in our OPINION a form of judicial blackmail. How is this possible? How can this be done without the public being able to confirm whether a JQC complaint had been filed against Judge Green? You silly rabbits - you are just citizens - you don't have the right to know whether there is (was) a JQC complaint or not - that is unless they (JQC) wish you to know. But hey - (VolusiaExposed.Com) - the whether Judge Green's sudden retirement was caused by a yet disclosed JQC action against her. With her (Judge Green's) quiet and sudden retirement - you silly rabbits (citizens) have no right to know if there was an actual judicial complaint filed - but the power structure does get to exercise it's option to replace an elected judge - with an appointed judge that will be more "understanding" regarding the power structure's positions (OUR OPINION).

END OF ARTICLE UPDATE

When Doing Your Job Becomes Too Confrontational To Be A JNC Nominee

Does our local JNC disqualify judicial applicants based on their (JNC) belief that the applicants are too confrontational with other members of the criminal justice system?

VolusiaExposed.Com came to know Mr. Steven Gosney due to his past assignment as a JNC commissioner. During his January 12, 2018 JNC interview - JNC Commissioner Katherine Miller questioned Gosney on whether his past demeanor with others within the justice system has caused him to have a disadvantage in having his name forwarded for gubernatorial appointment to the bench.

Steven Gosney
January 12, 2018

Public Defender
Andrew WeinStock
vs Judge John C. Murphy

Mr. Gosney works for the public defender's office - he is one of their appellant attorneys. Gosney is known for his aggressive defense of his clients. Gosney is also known within local legal circles for a rather loud and public disagreement with local State Attorney R.J. Larizza.

Gosney reminds us of former Brevard Assistant Public Defender (APD) Andrew Weinstock. In 2014 - while representing his clients in Judge John C. Murphy's Brevard County courtroom - APD Weinstock refused - for the convenience of Court and State Attorney's office - to waive his clients rights to their sixth amendment right to a speedy trial. This enraged Judge Murphy causing him to exit the bench to allegedly assault and batter Mr Weinstock just outside the view of the court's cameras. (see / listen to courtroom video - right of page)

As is covered in our and articles, the local court system, as well as the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) could NOT appreciate that Judge Murphy did NOT have the level of ethics to remain on the bench. It took the Florida Supreme Court to over ride the JQC's recommendation that Judge Murphy should remain on the bench.

In our OPINION APD Weinstock was both correct and righteous for defending his clients' U.S. Constitutional rights. We further opine that the assistant state attorneys present that day in Judge Murhpy's courtroom - became Judge Murphy's unethical co-conspirators when they continued their participation in hearings whereas the criminal defendants had no legal representation.

You see there is yet another hard fact that must be faced - the fact that some criminal justice practioners are of the belief that defense attorneys - with particular attention to public defenders - should not aggressively defend their clients.

Earlier we mentioned our conflict of interest concerns regarding JNC Commissioner Katherine Miller and her spouse's JNC judicial application. We (VolusiaExposed.Com) found it interesting that it was Commissioner Miller that was questioning Mr. Gosney over his alleged demeanor problems - given that at least one of Mr. Gosney's past difficulties was with her spouse's employer - State Attorney R.J. Larizza. (see video - upper right of page - minute 6:00)

There is an old adage - it goes something like this - "a friend will bail you out of jail - a very good friend will go to jail with you". We submit for your consideration that both Weinstock and Gosney are very good legal advocates - so much so - that they would NEVER qualify for a judicial appointment through the current politically charged and crippled JNC selection process.

The staff at VolusiaExposed.Com wishes the nominees the best of luck in the selection process. We will notify our readers of Governor Scott's choice, when that information becomes available. If you are so inclined, email Governor Scott with your suggestions and input regarding the nominees.

UPDATE TO ARTICLE BEGINS HERE

As noted earlier in this article - ASA David Cromartie and ASA Arthur Miller were appointed to the Volusia bench. We offer our congratulations to the two new judges and the corrupt power structure. We offer our sympathies to the citizens of Volusia County, Florida.

END OF ARTICLE UPDATE

If you found this article interesting and thought provoking - we invite you to review the below linked matters of interest. At the bottom of this page you will find the judicial nominees' interviews and judicial applications from the January 12, 2018 JNC hearing. Adios for now !