Mmmm. Greasy.

I feel vaguely guilty about the lack of blogging.  But only vaguely.

Felonies continues apace, with my caseload vacillating as cases come in and close out.  One of the odd quirks about my courtroom is that I'm the only "C" felony attorney.  (C felonies correspond to 3rd degree felonies, but I also have a handful of 2nd degree and 1st degree cases - mostly thefts and drug cases.)  Usually, the C cases are spread amongst C attorneys, who use more experienced training attorneys as their co-counsel and trial partners on the case.  Because we're so short handed though, some of the B Felony attorneys, the A Felony attorneys and the major crimes attorneys have taken C cases in my courtroom.  That means I'm pretty much their de facto trial partners.  So instead of having half the C cases in the courtroom assigned to another C, with whom I would not go, those cases should usually involve me as a second chair.  Which, needless to say, from a personal development point of view, is pretty awesome.  In a systemic resources sense, it's rather silly to take someone with 31 years trial experience, someone who has handled murders, and put them on possession of cocaine (personal use) C felonies.  But the office has no choice - and I at least get to pick the brains of some fine attorneys while the system is crumbling.  So that's one bright note. 

A darker note is that a lot of the programs (e.g., Mental Health, Addictions) that used to help divert people in some ways are losing their funding.  So we're in a Bad Economy =s More Crimes + Less Resources spiral. 

In terms of practice, Felonies is like much of what I've done before, but writ larger.  Had I not done any of my prior three stops (Jail Division, regular County Court division, Juvenile division) I don't think I'd be as remotely well prepared for what I'm now experiencing. 

Everyone is looking to April, when we can expect some indication as to whether or not our caseloads are going to drop down to manageable levels. 

Until then we just preserve the record and do the best we can.

***

In non PD news, I had, in the past few weeks, 3 groups of people planning to visit me.  They all canceled for various reasons.  Boo!  I very much enjoy playing tour guide when I have the time to do it right.  But alls well that ends well, as a friend of a friend is going to visit, and I have my vacation days still open from one of the other canceled visits.  I feel like I need to develop new Miami haunts.  The mission is to show the visitor "real Miami" as the friend of a friend is thinking of maybe moving down.  I know what my real Miami is - I wonder if it's anyone elses.

In other news, I got all domesticky this weekend, which is good, because when I'm overwhelmed with cases, cleaning the kitchen sink can be a stretch, let alone the bathroom.  I have not lived this slovenly in years.  Perhaps there's fun blogging to be had with that.  Or perhaps not.  So much of my time is eaten up by the "must do" stuff.  Some of that must do stuff is fun and engaging, like motorcycle and bicycle maintenance.  Some, like cleaning the fridge, is not.  I think I've just let the nots build up recently.

But speaking of motorcycle maintence, I finally, after a two day long epic struggle resolved with a two foot cheater extension for the ratchet, took off the rear wheel of Bess to lube her splines.  While the splines sorely needed it, there was no actual damage to either of the drive shaft couplings, which is great.  If that one piece had failed, it's an $800 rebuild or so.  As usual, it's the power of the internet that saves my ass.  In this case, the friendly guys who frequent the web forum focused on my now-not-longer-produced bike, the Kawasaki Vulcan 750.  Like the Volvo 200 car series, the Vulcan is kinda funky looking but basically bulletproof.  As the man once said, "She might not look like much kid, but she's got it where it counts."  The few troubles are well documented and a litte preventative maintainence goes a long long way.  I have only a few things left to do.  Next project is putting in a some fuses to protect the stator.  I love it when people share knowledge just because they can. 

Bess's naked ass:  (Don't blush!)

Comments

[Bryan]

You should "trick it out" with a bmx bike tire

[Anne Gibert]

I am enjoying your blog. I needed some youth in my repertoire.

[JT]

With the way law firms, and even municipalties, are laying off lawyers these days, I don't know if your caseload will get any lighter in the coming months!