FREE
November 5-11, 2020
The Mathis Report: Southern Grounds nears Avondale opening PAGE 4
jaxdailyrecord.com
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer THE COURTS ISSUE JACKSONVILLE
SOCIALLY DISTANCED
JEA board selects new CEO
Record & Observer JUSTICE
Jay Stowe worked for the TVA, Huntsville Utilities. BY MIKE MENDENHALL
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Changes are coming to the leadership at JEA. The board of the city-owned utility voted 6-1 on Nov. 2 to negotiate with industry executive Jay Stowe, 52, to become its next CEO and managing director. The board unanimously voted to allow JEA Chair John Baker II and Chief Legal Counsel Jody Brooks to negotiate the contract capped at $575,000 per year. S towe is founder and Stowe CEO of Stowe Utility Group LLC in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is the former senior vice president of resources and operations support for the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he worked from October 2016 to October 2019. Stowe also worked for nearly 11 years at Huntsville Utilities, the city-owned energy, water and natural gas organization in Alabama. Former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn and senior executives were fired after an attempt last year to sell the public utility to a private company. Voters also changed how JEA’s board is chosen Nov. 3 by approving a ballot referendum allowing City Council to split six of JEA’s seven board appointments with Jacksonville’s mayor, who previously appointed all members. The Council’s fourth appointment will come through an open application process.
Record & Observer THE JURY ROOM Fourth Circuit Chief Judge Mark Mahon in the jury assembly room at the Duval County Courthouse. Before COVID-19, as many as 400 summoned prospective jurors joined in the room most Monday mornings. Now, it’s set up for for social distancing and accommodates about 100 people.
Photo by Max Marbut
How the courts are coping with the pandemic. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
M
uch has changed at the Duval County Courthouse since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The building was closed to the public for more than three months beginning March 16. The courthouse is historically Jacksonville’s busiest public building. Nearly 1 million people
walked freely through front doors in 2019. They went through one of several security screening stations and proceeded into the building to conduct their business with the courts or the Duval County Clerk of Courts. Now, people are met on the steps and asked why they want to enter the building and only those with specific business are allowed to pass. They then have their temperature checked to ensure they don’t have a fever and answer ques-
Linda Lindenmoyer: A front seat to city economic growth PAGE 3 Restaurant notes: Dunkin planning a central bakery PAGE 6 Basch Report: Natural disasters hurt Rayonier PAGE 12
MORE INSIDE ■ Photos of COVID-19
safety measures inside the Duval County Courthouse. Page 9 ■ Report on two civil
jury trials done remotely. Page 10 ■ A directory of
Northeast Florida judges. Page 11
SEE COURTS, PAGE 8
MMENDENHALL@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MIMENDENHALL (904) 356-2466
THE BAR BULLETIN
Lawyers as peacemakers and builders of unity JBA president: Politics, law are linked. PAGE 15 VOLUME 3, NO. 23 • ONE SECTION
WHAT’S TRENDING
JaxDailyRecord.com JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER 2
|
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER 5, 2020 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER
|
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 1 JaxDailyRecord.com
Big news doesn’t break just on Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the top stories published over the past week online at JaxDailyRecord.com and in the Jacksonville Daily Record that you may have missed.
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
RETAIL
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Rooms To Go plans Town Center store
Rooms To Go said it bought the forHOW TO REACH US mer Toys R Us building at The Markets at Town Center on Oct. 30 and intends 121 W. Forsyth St., Suite 150, Jacksonville, FL, 32202 to renovate it as its new concept. (904)furni356-2466, Fax (904) 353-2628 In additionPhone: to its current ture line, Rooms To Go is adding an jaxdailyrecord.com expanded children’s section and a 9,000-square-foot area for outdoor Special to the Daily Record ABOUT US patio furniture. Rooms To Go plans a new concept for a At 74,000 a Jacksonville Daily square Recordfeet and with Jacksonville Record & Observer are a division of store at The Markets at Town Center. 55,000-square-foot showroom, the Observer Media Group Inc. 4875 Town Center Parkway location to do it,”now saidthe CEO Jeffrey Seaman will be the company’s largestNews new & Daily Record, Established in 1912, the Financial Jacksonville Dailyon Oct. 30.Court Newspaper of the Circuit concept store. Monday-Friday and is the Official Record, is published He hopes to start construction in “Wepublisher love Jacksonville. It’s a very Court and of public notices in Duval County. late winter and complete it about six good market for Rooms To Go. We months later. were justRecord waiting&for the rightislocation Jacksonville Observer a free weekly business newspaper available in Downtown Jacksonville and key business nodes throughout Jacksonville. To find a location near you, visit jaxdailyrecord.com/rack-locations.
Costco developing St. Johns County store
HOW TO REACH US JACKSONVILLE
Daily Record 121 W. Forsyth St., Suite 150, Jacksonville, FL, 32202 Phone: (904) 356-2466, Fax (904) 353-2628 jaxdailyrecord.com
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE ABOUT US
Jacksonville Daily Record and Jacksonville Record & Observer are a division of Observer Media Group Inc. Established in 1912, the Financial News & Daily Record, now the Jacksonville Daily JACKSONVILLE Court Newspaper of the Circuit Record, is published Monday-Friday and is the Official Court and publisher of public notices in Duval County. Jacksonville Record & Observer is a free weekly business newspaper available in Downtown Jacksonville and key business nodes throughout Jacksonville. To find a location near you, visit jaxdailyrecord.com/rack-locations.
Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, St. Johns County is reviewing an Costco Wholesale wants to develop real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local application for a 162,785-square-foot a St. Augustine store at World Comand state government affects business. Costco on 18.7 acres east of Internamerce Center. tional Golf Parkway at 655 World ComIt would be Costco’s third area retail STAFFmerce Parkway. club. Theofproject is described as a Costco The other two are near St. Johns Publisher / Matt Walsh Director Advertising / Jay Lesowitz Wholesale retail warehouse with a tire Town Center in Southside and Collins jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com mwalsh@jaxdailyrecord.com center, liquor store and an accessory TownEmeritus Center in/ Southwest JacksonPublisher James F. Bailey Jr. Advertising Coordinator / Codi Gildberg fuel facility. ville. jbailey@jaxdailyrecord.com adassist@jaxdailyrecord.com
Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business.
Editor / Karen Brune Mathis kmathis@jaxdailyrecord.com
Managing Editor / Monty Zickuhr mzickuhr@jaxdailyrecord.com
DEVELOPMENT
Publisher / Matt Walsh mwalsh@jaxdailyrecord.com
Director of Advertising / Jay Lesowitz jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com
Publisher Emeritus / James F. Bailey Jr. jbailey@jaxdailyrecord.com
Advertising Coordinator / Codi Gildberg adassist@jaxdailyrecord.com
Legal Advertising Manager / Janet Mohr legal@jaxdailyrecord.com
Editor / Karen Brune Mathis kmathis@jaxdailyrecord.com
Legal Advertising Manager / Janet Mohr legal@jaxdailyrecord.com
Legal Advertising Associate / Rhonda Fisher rfisher@jaxdailyrecord.com
Managing Editor / Monty Zickuhr mzickuhr@jaxdailyrecord.com
Legal Advertising Associate / Rhonda Fisher rfisher@jaxdailyrecord.com
New FIS headquarters is going vertical
Associate Editor Legal Affairs / Max Marbut mmarbut@jaxdailyrecord.com A 12-story headquarters along RiverStaff side Writer / KatieisGarwood Avenue going vertical, meaning kgarwood@jaxdailyrecord.com the structure will take shape and add a
STAFF
Network Administrator / Erik Wagner foundation for Jacksonville-based webadmin@jaxdailyrecord.com
Fidelity National Services Court Typeset / PaulaInformation Steiner Inc. at a job cost of $108.1 million. admin@jaxdailyrecord.com
Staff new Writer / Mike Mendenhall Gilbane is constructing the presence to the Downtown skyline. Director of Circulation / Anne Shumate mmendenhall@jaxdailyrecord.com 386,613-square-foot riverfront headThe city issued a permit Oct. 29 for subscriptions@jaxdailyrecord.com quarters on 4.5 acres at 347 Riverside Gilbane Building Co.Campbell to build a 12-story Business Manager / Angie Distribution / Tim Reagan acampbell@jaxdailyrecord.com Ave. in the Brooklyn area of Downtown. headquarters structure above the distribution@jaxdailyrecord.com
PRESS RELEASE/INQUIRY/REPRINTS
Associate Editor Legal Affairs / Max Marbut mmarbut@jaxdailyrecord.com Staff Writer / Katie Garwood kgarwood@jaxdailyrecord.com
Court Typeset / Paula Steiner admin@jaxdailyrecord.com
Staff Writer / Mike Mendenhall mmendenhall@jaxdailyrecord.com Business Manager / Angie Campbell acampbell@jaxdailyrecord.com
Director of Circulation / Anne Shumate subscriptions@jaxdailyrecord.com Distribution / Tim Reagan distribution@jaxdailyrecord.com
PRESS RELEASE/INQUIRY/REPRINTS
Submit a press release or editorial TODAY inquiry online DEVELOPMENT jaxdailyrecord.com/submit-news-release or email editorial@jaxdailyrecord.com. SERVICE STATION, REPAIR GARAGE These are are the available largest commercial Article reprints at jaxdailyrecord.com Big Chief Tire, 5444 Normandy Blvd., building permits by job cost issued contractor is Hurst Contracting Inc., Nov. 3 by the city of Jacksonville. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE renovation, $30,000. Subscribe online at jaxdailyrecord.com/subscribe or contact our subscription OFFICE, BANK, PROFESSIONAL department by phone at (877)and 231-8834 or email subscriptions@jaxdailyrecord.com STORES, MERCANTILE Reflections Woundcare Wellness Mayport Commons, 2009 Andreu Centers LLC, 7011 AC Skinner PRICES Road, contractor is Green Boys Parkway, No. 145, contractor is Skyline Contracting Inc., 15,300 square Construction Inc., 3,213 square feet, Thursday only ..........$66 per year feet, 2 years ................................... $154 newcopy building, $600,000. cents build-out, $344,343. Single ......................35 1 yeartenant ........................................$89 Super King Food Mart, 9268 Lem Vesta.................................$55 Property Services Inc., 245 6 months Turner Road, contractor is Prism Riverside Ave., No. 300, contractor is Design & Construction Inc., 3,782 Duckworth Construction Co., 8,384 HOW TO ADVERTISE square feet, tenant build-out, $177,744. square feet, tenant build-out, $43,900. Gate Petroleum Co., or 4120 Belfort Display & Digital Advertising: Call Jay Lesowitz at (904) 356-2466 email Fetch LLC, 7658 Philips Highway, Road, contractor is Auld & White jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com No. 100, contractor is Lighthouse Constructors LLC, install dumpster Construction of North Florida LLC, enclosure, $15,000. square feet, tenant build-out, Legal7,600 Advertising: Submit public notices via email to legal@jaxdailyrecord.com $83,825. Compiled by Daily Record Staff
Submit a press release or editorial inquiry online jaxdailyrecord.com/submit-news-release or email editorial@jaxdailyrecord.com. Article reprints are available at jaxdailyrecord.com
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE Subscribe online at jaxdailyrecord.com/subscribe or contact our subscription department by phone at (877) 231-8834 or email subscriptions@jaxdailyrecord.com PRICES 2 years ................................... $154 1 year ........................................$89 6 months .................................$55
Thursday only ..........$66 per year Single copy ......................35 cents
HOW TO ADVERTISE Display & Digital Advertising: Call Jay Lesowitz at (904) 356-2466 or email jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com Legal Advertising: Submit public notices via email to legal@jaxdailyrecord.com
FOLLOW US
FOLLOW US
JaxDailyRecord
JaxDailyRecord
GARD MEDIATION POSTAL INFORMATION LLC
POSTAL INFORMATION
www.gardmediation.com
Jacksonville Daily Record (USPS 190-620) is published daily except Saturday, Sunday & legal holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas) by Daily Record & Observer LLC, 10 N. Newnan St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. Periodicals postage paid at Jacksonville, Florida and at additional mailing offices. Under • noCOMMERCIAL circumstances will•any news or records of CIVIL • INSURANCE CONTRACT Duval County be suppressed for anyone. Information in this newspaper is for our subscribers only and must not be used by anyone for• publication purposes. • Florida Supreme Court Certified Member Florida & Georgia
44 Years of Experience in Complex Civil Litigation
Circuit Court Mediator Bars & Jacksonville Bar Assoc. POSTMASTER• Board Certified in Business • AV Preeminent rating since 1980s changes to Jacksonville Daily Record, P.O. Litigation Send address Box 15456, North Hollywood, CA, 91615-9965 • Practice exclusively devoted • Former Senior Assistant to Mediation Attorney General OFFICIAL DESIGNATIONS • Virtual mediation by • Certified Federal Court teleconference capability The Official Newspaper for The Official Newspaper Mediator The Official Court Newspaper of Duval County by Order of the Circuit Court, July 7, 1961.
Network Administrator / Erik Wagner webadmin@jaxdailyrecord.com
the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jan. 4, 1947. Certified Circuit Court Mediator
of The Jacksonville Bar Steven J. Gard Association, Nov. 21, 1926.
steven.gard@gardmediation.com AFFILIATIONS (904) 830-1140
Florida Press Association www.linkedin.com/in/atllawr
Jacksonville Daily Record (USPS 190-620) is published daily except Saturday, Sunday & legal holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas) by Daily Record & Observer LLC, 10 N. Newnan St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. Periodicals postage paid at Jacksonville, Florida and at additional mailing offices. Under no circumstances will any news or records of Duval County be suppressed for anyone. Information in this newspaper is for our subscribers only and must not be used by anyone for publication purposes.
POSTMASTER Send address changes to Jacksonville Daily Record, P.O. Box 15456, North Hollywood, CA, 91615-9965
OFFICIAL DESIGNATIONS The Official Court Newspaper of Duval County by Order of the Circuit Court, July 7, 1961.
The Official Newspaper of The Jacksonville Bar Association, Nov. 21, 1926.
AFFILIATIONS
BUSINESS LITIGATION
Florida Press Association 334554-1
The Official Newspaper for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jan. 4, 1947.
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
|
3
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
Linda Lindenmoyer: A front seat to the city’s economic development HEALTH & BUSINESS
KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
The Berkshire Hathaway corporate relocation vice president works with JAXUSA to bring new companies and their employees to the city. Despite the pandemic, Linda Lindenmoyer, Berkshire Hathaway’s vice president of relocation services, said her department has been busier than ever helping new residents settle into Jacksonville. Part of that can be attributed to an influx of remote workers relocating to Jacksonville, she said. They are coming from more densely populated and expensive regions of the country, like the northeast and northwest. “Companies in those areas are reaching out to JAXUSA and our company directly about relocating or expanding their business into Northeast Florida because COVID has shown them many of their employees can work remotely,” said Lindenmoyer, who also serves as chair of JAXUSA Partnership’s business development committee. “So maybe it’s not important to have an office in the city anymore. It’s cheaper to do business here and it’s easier to do business here.” JAXUSA is the economic development division of JAX Chamber. Lindenmoyer said individuals reach out to her company directly who want to relocate to Jacksonville so they can work remotely in a cheaper area with a better quality of life. “We don’t expect that to slow down for some time,” she said. “Even though that’s not our typical customer, we’re here to help anyone who needs help.” In her role with JAXUSA, Lindenmoyer meets with company leaders who are considering moving their operations to Jacksonville. She shows them what it’s like to live in Jacksonville and gives tours of the area. “Everything that you can possibly imagine that decision-makers would be interested in for their company and their employees,” she said.
Photo by Katie Garwood
Linda Lindenmoyer, Berkshire Hathaway’s vice president of relocation services is taking calls from workers who want to relocate to Jacksonville for the low cost of living while working remotely.
At Berkshire Hathaway, she and about 100 relocation agents work to coordinate moves to Jacksonville, help newcomers find homes and assist their spouses in finding employment in Jacksonville when they arrive. Lindenmoyer said JAXUSA already has hit its 2020 target for recruiting companies and new jobs to the area. She said she suspects that has to do with Jacksonville’s diverse business community, which makes it easier for the city to recover from the COVIDrelated economic downturn. “We don’t have a strong dependence on one industry,” she said. “It sets an environment for companies to enjoy doing business here.” Recently, she said she’s been noticing more workers in several industries relocating to the city: IT and innovation, logistics, advanced manufactur-
ing, financial services and new headquarters. As far as what those companies want when they arrive, Lindenmoyer said it varies by company and by the individual employee. On a general tour of the city, Lindenmoyer takes the company’s decisionmakers through Downtown, by the sports arenas, to the beach, along the Intracoastal Waterway and St. Johns River and to arts and cultural centers. Individuals relocating often have specific areas they want to see, such as neighborhoods near their office or their children’s school. “The good news is Northeast Florida has everything someone could possibly want,” she said. “We have every type of housing anyone could want, except igloos.” Lindenmoyer has been in corporate
relocation for about 22 years. Before that, she worked in residential and commercial real estate. She realized the necessity of her industry when she and her husband relocated to Jacksonville from North Carolina in 1992. Her husband’s employer covered some moving expenses, but Lindenmoyer said they had no other assistance in house hunting or learning about the city. “I know what it’s like to struggle to come to a new city, especially one as large as Jacksonville, and figure out where we want to live,” she said. “I’ve heard so many people say what it has meant to them just to have that resource that will hold their hand through that process. It’s very rewarding.” KGARWOOD@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
When uplifting stay-at-home care is needed most Because your parents always gave you the very best of care throughout your life, do the same for them. Put them in the caring hands of Comfort Keepers®, We provide compassionate in-home care that helps seniors live safe, happy, and independent lives in the comfort of their own homes.
Call (904) 230-9220 JacksonvilleSeniorHomeCare.com Kathryn Murphy, RN, MSN | Comfort Keepers ® Owner HHA License #299992389
© 2020 CK Franchising, Inc. Most offices independently owned and operated. 0920
337255-1
Certified Geriatric Care Manager | Service Disabled Veteran Owned
4
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
The third location for the Jacksonville-based coffee shop also will feature a market, artisan baked goods and space for Stellers Gallery. Southern Grounds & Co. hopes to open Nov. 9 in Avondale. It will be the Jacksonvillebased coffee shop concept’s third location, and not the last. Mark Janasik owns the Southern Grounds business while the properties of the first three locations – Neptune Beach, San Marco and Avondale – are owned by Edward Skinner Jones. “They’re in old, established neighborhoods. They just fit in the community,” Jones said during a tour Oct. 29 of the Avondale location at 3562 St. Johns Ave. The Angelo Group Inc. is the contractor for the 8,000-square-foot building in the Shoppes of Avondale. Group 4 Design Inc. is the architect. “It’s a place for people to meet and gather,” said operating partner Aaron Helmer. Consultant Chris Goodin, who is helping secure new locations for Southern Grounds, said the first two shops are considered meeting spaces. “Avondale lends itself to being a community gathering space,” Jones said previously of the established neighborhood. “People can walk here; they can ride their bikes. We felt like it was a good fit.” The city issued a permit in April for Southern Grounds to build its Avondale coffee shop, restaurant, market and art gallery at a cost of $1 million. Stellers Gallery, now in San Marco, announced Oct. 12 it will open a second location and
Provided by Southern Grounds
The Avondale Southern Grounds & Co. is at 3562 St. Johns Ave. The restaurant will seat 120 inside and 30 outside on a front patio. Group 4 Design Inc. is the architect. See more photos at JaxDailyRecord.com.
Provided by Southern Grounds
Southern Grounds & Co. front of house manager Allie Kampmeyer, owner Mark Janasik and operating partner Aaron Helmer.
will lease 600 square feet of space in the Southern Grounds building. Southern Grounds will occupy the bulk of the building with 150 seats – 120 inside at tables, couches, a wine and beer bar and a private-dining area that can accommodate 20-25 people; and 30 people on the front patio. Southern Grounds will oper-
ate a market for charcuterie meats and cheeses, wine and other goods between the main area and Stellers. Stellers has an exterior door onto St. Johns Avenue and an interior door into Southern Grounds. Southern Grounds will showcase artwork by Holly and Heather Blanton and by Sean Dampier. It also will display pieces from Stellers Gallery.
The main restaurant area includes the point-of-sale area where cakes and pastries are available from Southern Grounds’ blueberry artisan bakery. The Avondale store also will make pastries in-house. The Avondale menu will be similar to that at the San Marco location and also feature daily specials, with food made inhouse from scratch. It will employ 30-40 people. Hours will be 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, possibly later on weekends, depending on business. Janasik said the restaurant will have digital and seasonal menu boards. Customers also can download through a QR code or order on the website. It’s also a place to connect digitally. Ample connections throughout the restaurant allow laptops, phones and other devices to remain powered up and plugged in. Jones declined to provide the investment cost, but so far, it is reaching $2 million. The Avondale property, with 18-foot ceilings, is new construction. The city issued a permit in September 2019 for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to raze the previous 7,200-square-foot building. Jones applied to the city Dec. 5 for a permit to build the one-story, 8,000-square-
foot building on the site at a cost of $1 million. Jones, who leads Avondale Sogro LLC, bought the structure in November 2018 for $763,000. It was developed in 1958. Jones considered renovating the structure, then realized a more efficient Jones space could be built. Jones and Janasik opened the first Southern Grounds coffee shop at 200 First St. in Neptune Beach in February 2016 and the second at 1671 Atlantic Blvd. in the San Marco area in June 2018. The first two Southern Grounds also serve beer and wine. They feature breakfast, brunch, soups, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, tartines, protein grain bowls, charcuterie and cheese, children’s fare, seasonal items and beer and wine. There also are pastries, breads, cakes and beignets as well as other food, shirts, hats, mugs, wholesale coffee, wine and food for sale to take out. Jones describes the concept as a chef-driven coffee shop
2368 Research Parkway Colorado Springs, CO 80920 A Residence of Legend Senior Living®
LegendSeniorLiving.com
344778-1
THE MATHIS REPORT
Southern Grounds opening in Avondale
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
5
RETAIL NOTES Badcock & More to Durbin Creek: St. Johns County is reviewing an application for Badcock Home Furniture & More in Durbin Creek Crossing at southwest Race Track Road and St. Johns Parkway. The project is a 17,496-square-foot store on 1.4 acres. The Ferber Co. is the developer of the 70-acre mixeduse Durbin Creek Crossing.
Provided by Southern Grounds
Southern Grounds & Co. will lease part of its 8,000-square-foot building to Stellers Gallery and feature its artwork in the main restaurant area.
Tractor Supply in Southside: The city is reviewing civil engineering plans for the proposed Tractor Supply Co. store at northeast St. Johns Bluff Road South and Bahia Drive. Hix Snedeker Companies LLC is the developer of the proposed 24,333-square-foot store on 8.27 acres. The Jacksonville Planning Commission executed an order Oct. 22 for a zoning exception on the vacant site on behalf of landowner Pozin Six Children LLC to allow for outdoor storage for rental or sale of construction equipment. Tractor Supply has six area locations.
that serves food, beer and roasted coffee, which “is critidina Beach and other “walkwine. cal to what we do.” able communities.” Southern Grounds carried “We feel we are expanding Janasik also is working on the cakes and pastries from the idea of what a coffeehouse Southern Grounds shops at Biscuit and Buttercream and can be,” Janasik said. Jacksonville International Airthen bought it, renaming it He said Southern Grounds port and at The Hub Brooklyn “blueberry, an artisan bakery.” serves “simple, whole, unpronear Downtown. It set up production at Southcessed food from scratch.” Janasik said Nov. 2 the airern Grounds in San Marco. Janasik said the brand port project is a partnership That business also focuses on health and local and and licensing agreement with Bailey’s Gym in Oakleaf: The is expanding. Janasustainable food while supHMS Host. Southern Grounds city is reviewing a permit apsik said the bakery, at porting vendors and farmers expects to be in Concourse A plication for Bailey’s Health & theblueberrybakery.com, that focus on the environment. by June. Fitness at 8396 Merchants Way signed a distribution agreeHe said the definition of He is working on HUB in Oakleaf Station shopping cenment with Sysco to deliver healthy includes giving back to Brooklyn with architects Clifter. It will build-out in part of the baked goods from Daytona the community. ford Duch and Joseph Cronk. former Beall’s department store. to Savannah to clients from Southern Grounds partners “Our plan is to expand not Y2K Construction is the concountry clubs to restaurants. with the Tom Coughlin Jay only the Southern Grounds tractor for the $700,000 project All three Southern Grounds Fund, Ronald McDonald House brand to that area but to open to renovate 36,667 square feet locations also have outdoor Charities, Teen Challenge, The a seasonally fresh restaurant at Argyle Forest Boulevard and patios. Jones said he will redo Donna Foundation, Beaches Go concept as well,” he said. First Coast Expressway. the San Marco patio with brick Green and other organizations. He said his group is interpavers, lights, bench seating Goodin works with Jones and viewing several local chefs to Gate at Belfort: The city is areas and plants. Janasik to find sites. They are join the team for that concept. reviewing a permit application Janasik said previously looking in South Jacksonville for Auld & White Constructors KMATHIS@ Southern Grounds will pair a Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, seasonal menu with its freshLakewood, Fernan- JAXDAILYRECORD.COM GRHK-20001 GREYHAWK__JACKSONVILLE DAILYdowntown RECORD AD__10.375x8__SEPT2020.qxp_Layout 1 9/4/20 10:12 AM Page 1
LLC to remodel and enlarge the Gate Petroleum Co. gas station and convenience store at 4120 Belfort Road at a cost of $2.7 million. Plans show the 5,050-square-foot building will be expanded to 6,311 square feet. The city also is reviewing an application for demolition of the car wash at the site. Sanctuary Medicinals along Beach Boulevard: The city issued mobility fee calculation and concurrency reservation certificates for Sanctuary Medicinals to remodel and expand the former ABC Liquors store on 1.557 acres to 7,386 square feet at 11450 Beach Blvd. Sanctuary Medicinals will use 3,140 square feet and the rest will be for future retail use. The city is reviewing a permit application for the estimated $700,000 project. Tempur-Pedic at St. Johns Town Center: The city approved a permit for H Pittman Enterprises Inc. to build-out space for Tempur-Pedic at 4663 River City Drive, No. 107, in St. Johns Town Center at a cost of $322,056. Gate Carwash: The city issued a permit for FLC Contracting LLC to build the Gate Express Carwash, pay kiosk and dumpster at 15765 Max Leggett Parkway at a cost of $300,000. O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Auto Parts applied for a permit to build a 12,427-square-foot addition to its 7,000-square-foot store at 4124 Emerson St.
A New Community Concept in Northeast Clay County Spread your wings in a new home and a new community just minutes from Oakleaf Town Center.
ROOM TO SOAR Move-in Ready Homes. 5 Models Open Now! NOW SELLING FROM THE $200s – $400s
Full Amenity Center | Resort-Style Pool | Fitness Center | Dog Park | Lakeside Fire Pit | Playfields & Playground | Sports Courts | Walking/Jogging Paths
Site plans, community maps, photos and depictions are for illustration purposes only, are conceptual in nature, and should not be relied upon. GreenPointe Communities, LLC reserves the right to make changes to the foregoing at any time without notice. Home design, pricing, terms and offers are subject to change. See Home Builders’ Sales Consultant for details.
GREYHAWK AD / JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / 10.375” x 8” / CMYK / SEPTEMBRER 4, 2020
Virtual or In-person tours available! LiveGreyHawk.com
340434-1
3645 Royal Pines Drive | Orange Park, FL 32065 Across from Publix at Oakleaf Commons off Oakleaf Plantation Parkway.
6
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
RESTAURANTS NOTES
Dunkin’ planning a central bakery and kitchen The Central Park East facility could serve the chain’s 66 locations in Northeast Florida. BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Call it “doughnut central.” The city is reviewing a permit application for renovations at Central Park East at 4073 Philips Highway for a Dunkin’ central kitchen, bakery and commissary. That’s where doughnuts will be made for area distribution. A Dunkin’ Brands spokesperson said Oct. 28 a local Dunkin’ franchisee is exploring plans to open a central kitchen in the Jacksonville area. The location would add to the current 66 Dunkin’ locations in the greater Jacksonville market. The spokesperson, who asked not to be identified, said the project can be described as the central bakery or central manufacturing center. “At this time, we don’t have a list of locations that will receive product from this kitchen/bakery/manufacturing center,” she said. No contractor is listed for the $1.5 million project to renovate 15,305 square feet of space for the project, along with 364 square feet of unenclosed space. Plans show production and staging lines with freezer and
storage spaces. Parker Walter Group Inc. of Sarasota is the architect. The kitchen is next to Village Bread Cafe.
Sugarfire wants to open in early ’21 The Jacksonville franchise owner of St. Louis-based Sugarfire Smoke House said Oct. 29 that he hopes to open in January, permits pending, at the former Panera Bread restaurant at 12959 Atlantic Blvd., east of Girvin Road. Shy Patel, one of four members of the franchise ownership group, said he would know more after the project is approved and he can determine the start date for the construction, electrical, plumbing and related work. He said his group had to redesign the hood system, which took two months after he first submitted for approval from the city. Records show he applied for interior demolition in April and the permit was issued July 1. An application was filed July 1 and resubmitted Oct. 20 for permits for interior kitchen exhaust hoods, equipment and interior painting. “We have purchased all equipment, furniture and signage for the restaurant. All we need is permits,” he said. “We cannot wait to finish the project and open.” Patel anticipates his group will invest close to $750,000 in
File image
An artist’s rendering of The Bread & Board restaurant planned Downtown at 100 W. Bay St. The building is part of the VyStar campus.
the Jacksonville build-out. The 4,365-square-foot space is in a corner unit at the strip center. ACT Architects LLC of Jacksonville is the designer. Once Sugarfire opens, Patel expects to hire 10-15 employees and grow to 20 to 40. “If you need some ‘cue on the go, Sugarfire Smoke House will have dine-in, carry-out, and delivery options,” says the Sugarfire website, adding that it also offers off-site event catering, including event design and custom menu creation. Patel said previously his franchise group, BBQ Florida LLC, intends to open at least eight locations in Florida, including two in Jacksonville. Sugarfire’s menu includes smoked ribs, brisket, pulled pork, turkey and sausage links, salmon, burgers, specialty sandwiches, salads, sides, desserts, shakes and floats, a kid’s meal and more. Patel said Sugarfire would serve beer and wine.
Florida Lawyers Representing Injured Floridians
The Bread & Board Downtown might open in January The Bread & Board announced Oct. 30 it expects to open its Downtown VyStar Credit Union campus location during the winter, possibly late January. Owner Riverchefs LLC, led by Jonathan Cobbs and Dwayne Beliakoff, submitted a permit application to the city for a $1.33 million build-out of the space at 100 W. Bay St. FLC Contracting LLC is the contractor. Codes-ABC Inc. is handling code compliance. Thomas Duke Architect and Micamy Design Studio are the designers. Jacksonville-based Bread & Board said the restaurant is best known for its contemporary casual menu of baked in-house artisan breads and meats served as sandwiches, sandwich boards and bowls.
It said it submitted the construction permit Oct. 27 “and is preparing to enter the final construction phase.” Bread & Board plans a 7,200-square-foot groundlevel space. About 5,000 square feet will be used for the restaurant and 2,200 square feet will be for the Bread & Board Provisions marketplace. A breezeway will bring outdoor seating and an open-air communal space large enough to provide room to maintain social distancing, the release said. Bread & Board’s first location opened at 1030 Oak St. in Five Points and the second is at 4413 Town Center Parkway in the St. Johns Town Center area.
Chick-fil-A takes step in Lakewood The city is reviewing a permit application to demolish the closed Krispy Kreme at 3814 University Blvd. W. at a cost of $50,000. The 2,700-square-foot Krispy Kreme was built in 2014 and closed in 2016. Atlantabased Chick-fil-A wants to build a 128-seat, almost 5,000-square-foot restaurant on the 1.31-acre site. CCR Architecture & Interior Design of Birmingham, Alabama, is the architect. Bowman Consulting Group of Sunrise is the civil engineer. KMATHIS@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB
HIGHER EDUCATION 323528-1
STARTS WITH
HIGHER STANDARDS. Leading faculty, programs and facilities. Bolles.org
A NEUTRAL SITE • ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT RENTABLE SPACE • VIRTUAL OFFICES AVAILABLE ROOMS TO ACCOMMODATE ANY SIZE REQUIREMENTS.
We have 14 rooms available and can accommodate 2-4, 4-6, 6-8 and 20 plus people.
Recently installed air purifiers with UV to clean the air and destroy bacteria, mold and viruses.
343305-1
Pre-K through Grade 12, Day & Boarding School 337081-1
Call 904-224-7044 2700 University Blvd West, Suites A-1 & C-2 | Jacksonville, FL 32217 www.JaxMediationCenter.com
ALL THINGS POSSIBLE
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
FROM STAFF
Here are the top 10 commercial real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Oct. 26-Nov. 1.
File image
St. John’s Pointe Apartments at 141 Old Orange Park Road in Orange Park sold for $33.39 million, a 214% increase over the property’s $10.65 million sales price in 2001.
CLAY
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
CLAY
$33,390,000
$18,000,000
$7,535,000
$6,799,065
$3,900,000
141 Old Orange Park Road, Orange Park
Interstate 95 and Florida 207, St. Augustine
1 News Place, St. Augustine
13125 N. Main St., Jacksonville
1675 Eagle Harbor Parkway, Fleming Island
Type: St. John’s Pointe Apartments Parcel size: 19.64 acres Buyer: Jacksoncow LLC Seller: WRH St. Johns Pointe LLLP Previous sale: $10,650,000 in 2001
Type: Undeveloped Parrish Farms mixed-use Parcel size: 2,782 acres Buyer: Heritage Development Co. of NE Florida LLC Seller: Parrish Properties
Type: Office warehouse Parcel size: 14.54 acres Building size: Two buildings totaling 67,524 square feet Buyer: 1 News Place LLC Seller: MPG St. Augustine Property LLC Previous sale: $11,604,300 in 2003
Type: Walgreens Parcel size: 1.8 acres Building size: 14,490 square feet Buyer: N. Main Street LLC Seller: DS Jacksonville FL Landlord LLC Previous sale: $6,012,300 in 2020
Type: Fleming Island Medical Plaza II Parcel size: 1.93 acres Building size: Three buildings totaling 26,946 square feet Buyer: Fleming Medical Properties L.P. Seller: Fleming Island Medical Plaza II LLC
CLAY
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
$2,850,000
$2,836,820
$2,419,758
$2,200,000
$1,999,990
1681-1689 Eagle Harbor Parkway, Fleming Island
310 and 314 Commerce Lake Drive, St. Augustine
International Golf Parkway and Florida 16, Saint Johns
115 Pope Road, St. Augustine
1187 Lane Ave., Jacksonville
Type: Fleming Island Medical Plaza I Parcel size: 2.2 acres Building size: Three buildings totaling 20,000 square feet Buyer: Fleming Medical Properties L.P. Seller: Fleming Island Medical Plaza LLC
Type: Lakeside Business Center Condominium Parcel size: Not available Building size: Not available for 10 condominium units Buyer: Veterinary Orthopedic Implants LLC Seller: Gendreau Holdings LLC
Type: Undeveloped World Commerce Center multifamily
Type: Island Self Storage Parcel size: 1.93 acres Building size: Eight buildings totaling 16,642 square feet Buyer: Big Splash Restaurant Group LLC Seller: Barely Incorporated Inc.
Type: Warehouse Parcel size: 0.86 acres Building size: 4,310 square feet Buyer: The Julia H. Witz Family Trust Seller: South Lane Distribution Center LLC Previous sale: $500,000 in 2006
Parcel size: Not available Buyer: WCC MF Partners LLC Seller: World Commerce Center LLP
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Top commercial sales of the week
7
Cantor Fitzgerald Commercial Metals Com Wayfair Forcura Wayfair Flying W Plastics $856 million in capital investment Wayfair Wayfair Eagle LNG Forcura Nearly 2,500 new jobs Synergy Technologies Eagle LNG Cantor Fitzgerald Forcura And we’re not done yet in 2020. Cantor Fitzgerald H&M Metal Processing We’re still growingWayfair in Northeast FloridaWayfair NewRez LLC Forcura and our future is bright. Lowes Cantor Fitzgerald www.jaxusa.org NewRez LLC www.myjaxchamber.com Synergy Technologies Cantor Fitzgerald Forcura Synergy Technologies Made In Space Eagle LNG Synergy Technologies Made In Space Cantor Fitzgerald 345103-1
Connect. Grow. Prosper.
Daily Record 1/2 page horizontal.indd 1
10/9/20 1:16 PM
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
Courts
Instead of the pre-COVID groups of about 400 people summoned each Monday morning as prospective jurors, about 100 now enter the jury assembly room to assure social distance between chairs. “We’re testing the limits of the system in Phase 2,” Mahon said.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
tions about whether they are experiencing any symptoms of the coronavirus. After they pass through the single open security line, they are escorted to their destination, with social distancing in effect. Only two people can enter an elevator and there are markers on the floors indicating the mandated 6-foot social distancing boundary. Despite the pandemic, access to justice didn’t end, although it’s provided in different ways, often remotely to avoid personto-person contact whenever possible. “We continue our operations. We have changed, fundamentally, the ways things are accomplished. Some of them take a longer period of time. Some of them are delayed or slowed, but we’re picking juries, at least in criminal cases,” said 4th Circuit Chief Judge Mark Mahon. “We’re still handling divorce cases, domestic violence injunctions, juvenile and probate. That never stopped. It’s been a little more cumbersome, but it’s business as usual here.” THREE-PHASE REOPENING
When the shutdown began, the state Supreme Court established a three-phase reopening policy for the state’s courthouses. Phase 1 closed the buildings to the public. Based on declining COVID-10 statistics, local courts entered Phase 2 on June 22. That allows limited in-person proceedings while follow-
MORE JURORS TO COME
Photo by Max Marbut
Director of Judicial Staff Attorneys Ceci Birk and Chief Judge Mark Mahon in the courtroom equipped with personal protection equipment.
ing the safety guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mahon said proceedings that could be conducted remotely via telephone or videoconference transitioned to virtual in midMarch, such as many Duval County Court proceedings and hearings for civil actions in Circuit Court. However, some business at the courthouse has to be conducted in person to assure due
process under the law. As part of the coronavirus response, the state Supreme Court has temporarily suspended a defendant in a criminal case’s right to a speedy trial. Under Phase 2, a limited number of felony criminal trials are being conducted in one courtroom with social distancing and using portable personal protection equipment, including clear plastic shields for the judge, jurors, attorneys, wit-
nesses and court personnel. After the trial concludes, the PPE is moved to another courtroom that’s been sanitized to prepare for the next trial. That process won’t change until the court enters Phase 3, when more in-person proceedings, such as civil jury trials, could be allowed. Jurors were summoned to the courthouse in Jacksonville on Oct. 5 for the first time since March.
The court will increase the number of jurors summoned each week to allow more jury trials to be scheduled. The current plan is to add a second group summoned Monday afternoon, then add more days. “Our desire in December is to summon jurors in two sessions on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” Mahon said. The court eventually will resume in-person civil jury trials, but civil trials require more complicated logistics than criminal trials, Mahon said. That’s because those proceedings often involve expert witnesses and defendants’ attorneys who must travel to Jacksonville for the trial. “Civil trials demand schedule certainty. It may be a while before we have that,” Mahon said. As pandemic conditions change and social distance restrictions are reduced, the courts will continue to adapt processes to return as much as possible to pre-COVID practices. Access to justice must be balanced with safety of the public. “We want to move as rapidly as we can, but we want to make sure we’re ready,” Mahon said.
MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
ACADEMICS + BOARDING + MUSIC + ARTS + SPORTS + MORE
growth doesn’t mean CONSTANT CHANGE CONSTANT
There are many pluses to a Bolles education.
Many mortgage companies are constantly changing the way they do business, but you and your clients deserve stability, aligned with innovation. That’s what you get with SWBC Mortgage.
Bolles.org
SWBC Mortgage is searching for new loan officers to join our legacy, and our future.
CALL US TODAY! 904-813-2945 VISIT SWBCMORTGAGE.COM/ANDYOU TO LEARN MORE
ALL THINGS POSSIBLE Pre-K through Grade 12, Day & Boarding School 343306-1
© 2018 SWBC. All rights reserved. Loans are subject to credit and property approval. Other restrictions and conditions may apply. Programs and guidelines are subject to change without notice. Rates are subject to change daily. Corporate office located at 9311 San Pedro Avenue, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78216. SWBC Mortgage Corporation, NMLS #9741 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). 8540-8003 12/18
341613-1
THE COURTS ISSUE
8
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
|
Prospective jurors check in at these terminals to limit person-to-person contact.
Photos by Max Marbut
THE COURTS ISSUE
Inside the Duval County Courthouse
People in custody at the pretrial detention facility and the juvenile detention facility appear for hearings remotely so they don’t have to be transported to a courtroom at the Duval County Courthouse.
9
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
Jury seats are marked off to maintain social distancing.
Rubber gloves, hand sanitizer and transparent shields are standard equipment throughout the Duval County Courthouse. Face masks must be worn at all times in the building.
1 West Adams Street
Police & Fire Pension Fund
Property Features:
Secured Building & Garage Attached and direct access covered parking garage Large Offices
Premium Office Space and Parking Spaces For Lease
Atrium
Covered & Secured Parking
Large Offices
Walking Distance To: -Duval Courthouse -Federal Courthouse -City Hall Additional space available for meetings For More Information Please Contact Kevin Grant at Kbgrant@coj.net or (904) 255-7373
About The Property - Conveniently located at 1 West Adams Street in the heart of downtown Jacksonville: -3rd Floor - 3,782 sq ft of office space immediately available for leasing; 6 offices; 10 cubicles; kitchen area -1,590 sq ft of 1st floor retail/office space - 550 sq ft is ready final touch up & the remaining ready for build-out -Future space opening after March 2021 - 7,702 sq ft of 3rd floor space. Can be combined with 3,782 sq ft of office space, for a total of 11,484 sq ft. All areas can be built out to suit your needs.
344881-1
10
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
After concluding two cases, the 4th Circuit report to the state Supreme Court shows the challenges.
THE JURORS’ REACTION After the 4th Judicial Circuit in August conducted the first remote civil jury trial to a binding verdict in the U.S., the prospective jurors summoned and the seated jurors were surveyed by the court about their experience. ■ More than 90% of those summoned agreed or strongly agreed that they were able to easily participate in the selection process.
BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
The 4th Judicial Circuit conducted two remote civil jury trials to a binding verdict, one in August and one in September. The circuit, comprising Clay, Duval and Nassau counties, was one of five circuits selected by the state Supreme Court to participate in a remote trial pilot project. The trial in August was the first concluded in the U.S. since the COVID-19 health crisis forced courthouses across the nation to close in March. “My goal for the Fourth Judicial Circuit’s remote civil jury trial pilot project was to create the look, feel and sound of an in-person courtroom remotely, demanding the same decorum and respect for the totally remote civil jury trial proceedings as inspired by in-person civil jury trials in that sacred place known as the courtroom,” Circuit Judge Bruce Anderson wrote in a report submitted Oct. 2 to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady. Anderson led the 4th Circuit’s workgroup, aided by Administrative Judge Waddell Wallace and staff from the court information technology department and Duval County Clerk of Courts. Additional support
■ More than 80% preferred remote jury selection over inperson selection. ■ When asked if remote jury selection should be used in more cases, 76% agreed. ■ All eight jurors that heard the case agreed or strongly agreed that they were able to easily participate in the process. ■ Seven of eight agreed or strongly agreed they were able to
hear the judge, attorney and witnesses during the remote trial.
■ Six of eight jurors agreed or strongly agreed that the remote trial process was efficient; the other two responses were neutral. ■ Five of eight jurors strongly agreed that they preferred remote jury appearance over in-person; three were neutral. Source: 4th Judicial Circuit Remote Jury Trial Pilot Project Report
was provided by volunteers from the Jacksonville Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and Chester Bedell American Inn of Courts. While jurors surveyed after the trials responded positively about their remote experience, some of the people who work in courtrooms every day have reservations about remote jury trials compared with in-person proceedings. Mike Smith, court technology officer for the 4th Circuit, said the remote trial process was a challenge for all involved.
“Although IT skills of the attorneys, court reporters, clerk of courts and other participants were better than expected, a long-term permanent scenario must include all stakeholders having training prior to the day of the jury selection,” Smith said in the report. Smith recommends that The Florida Bar CLE program incorporate a minimum 1-hour requirement for video teleconferencing, marking up exhibits in video teleconferencing and general use such as mutingunmuting and changing virtual
backgrounds. Smith also said additional court IT staff would have to be hired to expand the remote jury trial program beyond the pilot project. Speaking as the special magistrate for the remote trials, attorney Corrine Hodak also recommends IT education for participants and agrees that court resources such as IT personnel would have to be reallocated if the program were to expand. “Impediments to the system include the attitude of attorneys and perhaps Judges, the fear of change and lack of resources and funding. With no other viable option than to wait an indefinite time for the possibility of an in-person trial, the remote civil jury trial system provides an option for some cases. Further study is needed to evaluate the system in longer and more complex trials,” Hodak said. She also reported as president of ABOTA Jacksonville, an organization comprising an equal number of plaintiffs’ and defense attorneys whose mission is dedicated to the preservation of the constitutional right to a jury trial. “As the 2020 President of ABOTA-Jacksonville, it is my obligation to report that our membership strongly favors the return of in-person jury trials and opposes mandatory remote civil jury trials,” Hodak said in the report. The clerk’s office reports that while the process to summon jurors can be replicated for remote trials, expanding beyond
the pilot program would present challenges. “Due to the current manual nature of many of these processes, the Clerk’s Jury Services team would be stretched thin trying to support multiple remote trials at once. Taken one step further, the Clerk believes it would be problematic to attempt to support in-person jury trials and remote trials simultaneously given current staffing levels, which would be difficult to supplement in the current budget environment,” said Public Records Department Senior Manager Brian Corrigan in the report. “Replicating a fully remote process for additional jury trials requires a substantial commitment by the judicial stakeholders in any Circuit, and in the opinion of this reporter an all-remote process would not be scalable for wholesale implementation,” Anderson said. However, “based upon the feedback of the participating stakeholders, and our experience conducting this pilot program, it is my opinion that a hybrid process consisting of a remote jury selection and an in-person jury trial would be a workable solution that balances the competing concerns of public health and the need to continue the civil justice system,” Anderson concluded. Visit jud4.org for links to the 159-page final report and videos of the remote jury trials.
MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
YOU’RE INVITED! VIRTUAL PREVIEW DAYS San Jose Campus November 13 - 10 a.m. December 4 - 10 a.m.
We are honored and excited that Missi Howell joined The Legends of Real Estate.
Whitehurst Campus December 3 - 7 p.m.
Missi is a proven, dedicated top performer with a 13 year career span in the real estate industry. She is also the incoming President of Northeast Florida Association of Realtors for 2021.
Ponte Vedra Campus December 1 - 7 p.m. The Bolles School has a history of graduating very successful students.
Welcome to The Legends of Real Estate
Join us to learn how your child will benefit.
Bolles.org
Missi Howell
CIPS, CRS, GRI, PMN, BROKER ASSOCIATE
(904) 716-1713
(904) 595-5959 | TheLegendsOfRealEstate.com 1236 3rd St. S., Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32250
Pre-K through Grade 12, Day & Boarding School
343307-1
ALL THINGS POSSIBLE 345155-1
THE COURTS ISSUE
The verdict on remote jury trials: Mixed results
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
New JBA program will send volunteer attorneys to help parties resolve civil disputes. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
With entry into the Duval County Courthouse restricted because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all but a few jury trials are postponed until further notice. While a limited number of criminal cases are being tried, many people have civil disputes – conflicts between people and/or businesses, usually over money. Until the restrictions in place to ensure the public’s safety from the coronavirus can be lifted, it won’t be possible for them to have their day in court. An option that’s available is alternative dispute resolution, also called mediation. That’s when the plaintiff and defendant in a civil action sit down with a neutral party, the mediator, and attempt to negotiate a settlement without having to go to court. The Jacksonville Bar Association developed a program that will launch later this month to connect plaintiffs and defendants with JBA members who are state Supreme Court certified mediators and have volunteered four hours of their services. The program is limited to cases that already were scheduled for trial when the state’s courts
shut down March 16 because of COVID-19. “This is only for civil cases that were pushed off the docket by the pandemic. It’s a temporary program and it’s not intended to compete with mediators,” said JBA President Michelle Bedoya Barnett. Craig Shoup, JBA executive director, said qualified mediators are donating their services to the pilot program in fourhour blocks per case. Some have committed to a certain number of cases, some have committed to handling a case each week and some have agreed to offer their services as needed. If the parties can’t reach a settlement, but feel they are close to resolving their dispute, they will have the option to continue to negotiate and pay the mediator’s usual hourly rate, Shoup said. Barnett said the program is intended to help reduce the backlog of civil cases caused by the pandemic that won’t be heard in court until it’s safe to return courthouses to preCOVID conditions. “We don’t know if that will be six months or two years, so every case we can resolve is a win,” Barnett said. The court will refer the cases to the JBA. The first group is anticipated to begin mediations within 30 days, Shoup said.
NORTHEAST FLORIDA JUDICIAL DIRECTORY 4th Judicial Circuit Duval County Courthouse, 501 W. Adams St., Jacksonville
Clay County Courthouse, 825 N. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs
Nassau County Judicial Annex, 76347 Veteran’s Way, Yulee
Lance M. Day 255-1052 Katie L. Dearing 255-1246 Robert Dees 255-1234 G.l. Feltel Jr. 255-1303 David Gooding 255-1309 John I. Guy 255-1052 Russell Healey 255-1052 Maureen T. Horkan 255-1052 Virginia Norton 255-1300 Eric Roberson 255-1294 Anthony Salem 255-1360 Tatiana Salvador 255-2400 Jack Schemer 255-1243
Adrian Soud Waddell Wallace Daniel Wilensky Gary Wilkinson
Circuit Judges DUVAL COUNTY
Chief Judge Mark Mahon Marianne L. Aho Bruce Anderson Suzanne Bass Thomas M. Beverly Kevin A. Blazs Mark Borello Tyrie Boyer Meredith Charbula Karen Cole W. Collins Cooper
255-1228 255-1240 255-1258 255-1052 255-1231 255-1282 255-1285 255-1291 255-1279 255-1052 255-1052
11
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
CLAY COUNTY
Don H. Lester Michael Sharrit
255-1218 255-1252 255-1052 255-1249 269-6338 278-4760
THE COURTS ISSUE
Mediation: An alternative to the backed-up courts
|
NASSAU COUNTY
Lester Bass (904) 548-4933 James Danie (904) 548-4910 Steven Fahlgren (904) 548-4940
County Judges DUVAL COUNTY Roberto A. Arias 255-1318 Michael I. Bateh 255-1321 Eleni Derke 255-1342 Kelly E.Eckley-Moulder 255-1336 Emmet F.Ferguson III 255-1315 Gary P. Flower 255-1354 Mose Floyd 255-1351 Ronald P. Higbee 255-1357
Dawn K. Hudson 255-1363 Michelle Kalil 255-1348 London M. Kite 255-1264 Robin E. Lanigan 255-1339 Scott Mitchell 255-1333 John A. Moran 255-1327 Erin T. Perry 255-1255 James A. Ruth 255-1330 Kimberly A. Sadler 255-1345
CLAY COUNTY
Timothy R. Collins Angela M. Cox Kristina Mobley Steven Whittington
269-6327 284-6323 278-4730 278-3772
NASSAU COUNTY
Wesley R. Poole (904) 491-7275
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida 300 N. Hogan St. (904) 549-1900 U.S. DISTRICT JUDGES
Chief Judge Timothy Corrigan Brian Davis Marcia Morales Howard
SENIOR U.S. DISTRICT JUDGES
Henry Lee Adams Jr. Harvey Schlesinger
U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGES
Patricia Barksdale James Klindt Monte Richardson Joel Toomey
MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
GET YOUR – MEDICAL MARIJUANA – CARD HERE Fast Easy Certification PRESENTS
Call now for your FREE pre-evaluation by phone
904 -299 - 5300
VOICES OF THE FIRST COAST
ONE
STEP
10695 Beach Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32246 CMMDR.COM
ACROSS THE POLITICAL DIVIDE
FREE MARIJUANA DELIVERY Delivered directly to your home or business We provide Medical Marijuana in a variety of forms such as tinctures, pills, pain patches, vapes, concentrates, buds, vape shatter pills, dry flower & much more!
and listening. WJCT presents StoryCorps’ One Small Step conversations, a nationwide project with the goal of breaking down boundaries between strangers. Hear excerpts from select conversations recorded
ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS
across the First Coast, and listen in on discussion with some participants. StoryCorps founder Dave Isay will also make a pre-recorded appearance.
To Grow Your Business
Thursday, November 19 7:00-8:00PM
Let me help grow your business with smart marketing strategies based on your goals, putting my 30 years of marketing experience to work for you.
REGISTER FOR THIS VIRTUAL EVENT AT
WJCT.ORG/EVENTS
Contact Jay Lesowitz
343048-1
jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com or 904-356-2466 for a personalized FREE consultation.
You NOW get the dry flower to
SMOKE!
344511-1
Join WJCT Public Media for an evening of conversation
12
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
THE BASCH REPORT
Rayonier struck by natural disasters
MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Hurricane Laura in Louisiana and Oregon fires result in nearly $8 million in damages to the timber company. Every company is dealing with the impact of COVID-19, but Rayonier Inc. was hit by two unrelated disasters in the third quarter. Rayonier last week said it wrote off $6 million in damages to timberland in Louisiana caused by Hurricane Laura in August, and wrote off another $1.9 million in timber damage caused by wildfires in Oregon. As a result, the timber and real estate company headquartered in Wildlight in Nassau County reported a net loss of 1 cent per share in the third quarter. Excluding one-time charges, Rayonier said net income was 6 cents a share in the quarter. That was 2 cents higher than the consensus forecast of analysts, according to Zacks Investment Research. “Despite facing some ongoing challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, we benefited from robust new residential construction activity, continued strong repair and remodel spending, improved demand from key export log markets, and strong market dynamics for our pulpwood customers,” CEO David Nunes said in Rayonier’s third-quarter conference call with analysts. Revenue rose 27% to $199 million.
FIS reports flat revenue quarter Fidelity National Information Services Inc., or FIS, reported third-quarter revenue rose 13% to $3.2 billion, mainly due to its acquisition of Worldpay Inc. in the 2019 third quarter.
USDA Forest Service
Firefighters use helicopters to battle the Lionshead Fire in Oregon in September. Rayonier says it suffered $1.9 million in damage from wildfires in Oregon.
However, aside from the acquisition, revenue rose only 1% on an organic basis. Adjusted earnings of $1.42 a share were a penny lower than the third quarter of 2019. The Jacksonville-based financial technology company said the COVID-19 pandemic reduced payments and other transactions, which has been affecting its revenue. In the company’s conference call, Chief Financial Officer Woody Woodall said revenue growth should pick up as the economy recovers from the pandemic. “With our backlog consistently growing in the mid-toupper single digits for multiple quarters in a row, I feel really good about our ability to accelerate revenue growth next year, consistent with the 7 to 9% range we have been messaging,” he said.
FNF, Black Knight add directors The two companies that share the Riverside Avenue headquarters campus with FIS both added new directors to their boards last week. Mortgage technology company Black Knight Inc. elected Katie Burke as a director, increasing the size of its board to nine. Burke is chief strategy officer of communications firm Daniel J. Edelman Holdings Inc. Title insurance firm Fidelity National Financial Inc. said it is increasing its board to 11 directors with the election of Sandra Morgan, who most recently served as chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Fidelity also last week announced its board declared an increase to 36 cents a share, up 3 cents, in the quarterly dividend on its common stock. Black Knight and FIS both were spun off from Fidelity National Financial.
Advanced Disposal buyout completed Waste Management Inc. completed its $4.6 billion acquisition of Ponte Vedrabased Advanced Disposal Services Inc. on Oct. 30, more than 18 months after the two waste services companies agreed to merge. Closing of the deal was delayed by a long antitrust review of the merger by the U.S. Department of Justice. The Justice Department ordered the companies to divest certain assets in an Oct. 23 lawsuit. Houston-based Waste Management said it completed the sale of those assets to GFL Environmental immediately after completing the acquisition of Advanced Disposal. In Jacksonville, Advanced Disposal Services Jacksonville LLC sold its hauling facility at 7580 Philips Highway to GFL Solid Waste Southeast LLC on Oct. 30 for $1.67 million. Advanced Disposal moved into a new headquarters building in the Nocatee development in Ponte Vedra in 2013, and Waste Management has not said what will happen to that office. Advanced Disposal said in its annual report its lease on the offices at 90 Fort Wade Rd. expires in 2021.
Joel Settembrini, Jr.
• Board Certified in Business Litigation by The Florida Bar with 35+ years of litigation and trial experience at Saalfield Shad (2013-present), Smith Hulsey & Busey (1987-2013) and Office of Chief Counsel, IRS (1983-1987).
You truly did a great job. No one would have handicapped it as an easy one to settle. Your adjustment to the situation is what got it done.
“
“
– James M. Riley, Esq. Rogers Towers, Jacksonville
“
– Juan M. Muñiz, Esq. Gunster, Miami
The St. Joe Co. last week declared its first cash dividend since 2007 as the real estate development company reported an increase in thirdquarter earnings. Panama City Beach-based St. Joe, which develops properties in the Florida Panhandle, said revenue rose 28% to $42 million and earnings rose by 3 cents a share to 13 cents. The company also announced a quarterly cash dividend of 7 cents per share. “With the continued improvement in business, the Board of Directors initiated a new quarterly dividend program, and today declared a $0.07 per share dividend. I expect the dividend will grow with earnings and complement our existing share buyback program and growth investments,” CEO Jorge Gonzalez
Tapestry names Crevoiserat as CEO Tapestry Inc. last week said interim CEO Joanne Crevoiserat was appointed permanent chief executive. Crevoiserat was promoted from chief financial officer in July when Jide Zeitlin resigned as CEO after less than a year on the job. Tapestry is the parent company of the Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman brands. The New York-based company handles all of Coach’s North American distribution through an 850,000-squarefoot facility at Jacksonville International Tradeport in North Jacksonville. The company said its board appointed Crevoiserat after an internal and external search for Zeitlin’s replacement. Tapestry also said last week sales fell 14% in the first quarter ended Sept. 26 to $1.17 billion, with Coach sales falling 9%. With profit margins increasing, adjusted earnings rose by 18 cents a share to 58 cents. MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Dispute Resolution Services at Jacksonville’s TIAA Bank Building and Throughout Florida
Contact Information 324964-1
Saalfield Shad, P.A.
245 Riverside Avenue, Suite 400 | (904) 394-3804 jsettembrini@saalfieldlaw.com | www.saalfieldlaw.com
St. Joe declares first dividend in 13 years
PulteGroup Inc. reported a big increase in third-quarter earnings with signs of a strong comeback in the home construction industry. The Atlanta-based homebuilding company, which is active in the Jacksonville market, said net new orders rose 36% in the quarter, with new orders jumping 39% in Florida. “While COVID-19 still weighs on much of the U.S. economy, housing demand continued to benefit from low interest rates, supportive demographics, limited housing supply and a desire for new homes with features that can meet the evolving needs of today’s homebuyers,” CEO Ryan Marshall said in a news release. PulteGroup’s adjusted earnings rose by 33 cents in the quarter to $1.34 a share.
• State and Federal Courts • Certified Middle District of Florida & Florida Supreme Court Circuit Court Mediator • Florida Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator • Board Certified in both Business Litigation and Civil Trial by Florida Supreme Court • AV Preeminent rating since 1980s
• Experienced mediating on Zoom and other online platforms.
“
RBC Capital Markets analyst Walter Spracklin last week raised his rating on CSX Corp. from “sector perform” to “outperform.” “With the worst from the pandemic seemingly behind us, we are more confident in the outlook going forward,” Spracklin said in a research note. “We believe that CSX’s powerful operating model will drive further incremental margin as the economy recovers, and therefore strong earnings growth,” he said. Spracklin raised his price target on the Jacksonvillebased railroad company from $80 to $89, with the stock trading at $77.89 at the time of his Oct. 30 report.
PulteGroup sees big jump in home orders
MEDIATOR | ARBITRATOR SPECIAL MASTER
Qualifications
I thought you did a fantastic job. Thanks for getting this done. You have an interesting way. No drama, just sincere, direct and effective!
Analyst upgrades CSX to ‘outperform’
said in a news release. St. Joe had discontinued dividends in 2007, when the company was headquartered in Jacksonville. It moved its offices to the Panhandle in 2010 to be closer to its real estate activities.
Timothy J. McDermott
CERTIFIED STATE AND FEDERAL MEDIATOR
Endorsements
Waste Management officials did say in a Nov. 2 conference call with analysts, as the company announced quarterly earnings, that they will be cutting costs as they integrate the Advanced Disposal operations. “We worked closely with the ADS team for many months and are hard at work on integration, giving us confidence that we will exceed the $100 million synergy target despite higher-thanoriginally-expected divestitures,” said Chief Operating Officer John Morris, according to a transcript of the call posted by the company.
Upchurch Watson White & Max | 800-264-2622 | uww-adr.com linkedin.com/company/upchurch-watson-white-&-max
www.facebook.com/UWWMMediation
@UWWMmediation 324810-1
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
FROM STAFF
Here are the top 10 single-family residential real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Oct. 26-Nov. 1.
ST. JOHNS
$4,000,000 519 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.28 acres House size: 3,584 square feet Buyer: Paisley Boney IV Seller: Thomas M. Willingham III, The Thomas Marion Willingham II Revocable Trust, Winburn B. Willingham and the Lila Jean Willingham Disclaimer Trust
Previous sale: $705,000 in 1989 About the property: Oceanfront two-story home built in 1935. Features five bedrooms, 5½ baths, wood and carpet flooring, garage and dune walkover.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
DUVAL
DUVAL
$1,765,000
$1,590,000
13762 Mandarin Road, Jacksonville
315 12th St., Atlantic Beach
Type: Single-family Lot size: 6.07 acres House size: 3,642 square feet Buyer: Richard and Danielle Caplin Seller: Larry K. Manning Previous sale: $820,000 in 1994
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.23 acres House size: 3,698 square feet Buyer: The Margaret McKinney 2007 Trust Seller: Kyle Marcotte Previous sale: $1,605,000 in 2016
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
$1,700,000
$1,350,000
103 Marine St., St. Augustine
14402 Marina San Pablo Place, No. 902, Jacksonville
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.21 acres House size: 2,988 square feet Buyer: Auggie 103 LLC Seller: Barbara Lupient and the Barbara Lupient Revocable Trust Previous sale: $28,000 in 2014
Type: Marina San Pablo Condominium Condominium size: 3,201 square feet Buyer: John R. and Carol A. Faiella Seller: Robert G. and Nancy B. Kyle Previous sale: $500,000 in 2011
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
DUVAL
ST. JOHNS
$3,600,000
$2,200,000
$2,100,000
$1,645,000
$1,200,000
5 San Juan Circle, Ponte Vedra Beach
205 Deer Haven Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach
4105 Ortega Blvd., Jacksonville
4439 Catheys Club Lane, Jacksonville
19 Portsmouth Bay Ave., Ponte Vedra
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.64 acres House size: 4,959 square feet Buyer: David J. and Kelly M. DeLuca Seller: Tricia R. Andrews and Jeffery K. Jenkins
Type: Single-family Lot size: 2.04 acres House size: 6,967 square feet Buyer: Joshua A. Ehrenfield and Raeanna C. Adams Seller: Robert and Amy Hardman Previous sale: $1,900,000 in 2014
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.67 acres House size: 4,790 square feet Buyer: Laura B. Jones Seller: Thomas M. and Donna M. Taylor Previous sale: $1,295,000 in 2010
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.62 acres House size: 4,758 square feet Buyer: William B. and Nancy R. Thompson Seller: Cynthia G. Harris and Scott M. McMillan Previous sale: $1,444,400 in 2004
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.37 acres House size: 4,259 square feet Buyer: Jonathan C. and Amanda S. West Seller: Toll Jacksonville LP
13
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE
Top 10 home sales of week
|
they’re your loved ones;
we protect THEM. At Coker Law, we’ve dedicated our lives to yours. We believe there is no excuse for the mistreatment of your loved ones living in a nursing home or assisted living facility. So we’ve added the Nursing Home Abuse Legal Expert TM attorney Steve Watrel to our team, working together to keep your family safe. We stand ready to go to trial to get justice for your loved ones.
They’ve given you everything; give them peace of mind.
COKERLAW.COM | 904.356.6071 329330-1
OFFICES-JACKSONVILLE
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
Promotions, hirings and happenings for business people in Northeast Florida. Send items to kmathis@jaxdailyrecord.com The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida elected Carol J. Alexander and Velma Monteiro-Tribble to its board of trustees for three-year terms, starting in January. Trustee and U.S. District Court Judge Brian J. Davis will become chairman-elect of the board, in anticipation of becoming chairman in January 2022. Alexander is president and chief creative officer of MaBu: A Cultural Resource. She was the founding executive director of Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum, and she founded and directed the artistic and educational operations at the American Beach Museum on Amelia Island since it opened in 2014. Monteiro-Tribble is director of grants and programs for the Florida Blue Foundation. She previously served as executive officer and assistant treasurer of the Alcoa Foundation. Marius Dobren, co-founder and president of Sawgrass Finance LLC, announced the asset-based lender has opened at 822 N. Florida A1A, Suite 310, in Ponte Vedra Beach. It will provide lines of credit of up to $3 million to small and medium size businesses by leveraging the company’s assets such as accounts receivable, inventory, machinery and equipment. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Christopher Lazzara, of Atlantic Beach, to the University of North Florida board of trustees. Lazzara is COO of Mountain-
Alexander
Monteiro-Tribble
Davis
Dobren
Garland
Kavanagh-Lim
Mackey
Mangin
Gunn
Foss
Barker
Fulmore-Hardwick
Wesley
Bautista
Hepp
Williams
Bridegan
King
Mark
Bowles
Jenkins
Step Up For Students Inc. She will serve as the association treasurer. Vickie Mangin owns and operates Avignon Services LLC, a personal consulting business that focuses on customer service leadership training, project management and community advocacy.
Star Capital and previously was a senior managing partner of Ponte Vedra Management Group. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. Cmdr. Joshua Garland assumed the role of director for Surgical Services at Naval Hospital Jacksonville. He previously served as orthopedic surgeon at the hospital.
The JAX Chamber Professional Women’s Council honored six Hidden Gems at the annual Women Connecting Women Awards. Criteria for award winners include being a JAX Chamber member, role model and mentor for other women, and active supporter of women in the community. Frontline Woman of the Year: Elizabeth Gunn, vice president,
Three women joined the board of the Memorial Park Association board of directors for three-year terms. Leah Kavanagh-Lim is a 20year veteran with Medtronic. Ann Mackey has a 35-year career in the financial industry, including serving as CFO for
Let a Board Certified CiviL triaL Lawyer JBA GOVERNOR SINCE 2013
ist, Kaman Aerospace Corp. Jacksonville-based Stellar, a design, engineering, construction and mechanical services company, promoted seven leaders on its senior management team. Bob Hepp was named division vice president of Parts, Service and Compressors. Chris Williams was named division vice president of Mechanical Services. Justin Bridegan was named vice president of marketing. Stacey King was named vice president of human resources. Joe Mark, John Bowles and Tim Jenkins were named vice presidents of operations in the Commercial Division.
L AW Y E R S
Mediate your next Case ONLINE SCHEDULING CALENDAR
Patient Care Services, Baptist Medical Center. Professional Business Woman of the Year: Jillian Foss, founder, Ladies Executive Golf Society and associate adviser, BKS-Partners. Woman Business Owner of the Year: Mindy Barker, founder and CEO, Barker Associates. Women’s Advocate of the Year: Melissa Fulmore-Hardwick, vice president, IT Enterprise Applications, Acosta, and founder, Brown Girls in the Boardroom. Female First Responder of the Year: Deborah Wesley, assistant chief, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Professional Minority Woman of the Year: Shardae Bautista, founder and president, TEAM Inc., and procurement special-
Need help managing the business side of your law firm?
Personal Injury Probate Foreclosure
If you stopped to read this, it’s likely you’re finding there just isn’t enough time to attend to the things needing your attention. It can be frustrating not knowing where to turn.
Commercial Civil Trial
Construction
You’re not alone. I understand and can solve the challenges you face.
Collections Insurance jacksonvillemediator.com
323283-1
Other
904.391.0091
Join us for the
I spent 30+ years working as Executive Director and COO in firms from 20 to 375 attorneys. My work is now focused on individual to smaller practices. As a big believer management solutions should be tailored to the specific administrative and cultural needs of your firm, I will show you what does and doesn’t work.
If the current economic landscape is impacting your administrative operations, I am here to help.
NOVEMBER LUNCHEON
Thurs., November 12 • Noon-1PM
AREAS OF EXPERTISE INCLUDE: • Staffing Plans • Office & Practice Group Profitability • Compensation Plans • Pricing Strategy • Marketing Plans • Growth Strategy • Fiscal Planning and Budgeting • Space Planning • Firm Governance • Time Management • Strategic Plans
For the first time ever, three Jacksonville City Council seats are occupied by women lawyers and their backgrounds are as diverse as the districts they represent. Learn about their paths to service, issues facing the community and the unique perspectives they bring to the table.
Helping Attorneys Mind Their Business Councilwoman Randy DeFoor
Councilwoman Brenda A. Priestly Jackson
Live Stream Options: $0 Prepaid members • $10 Pay as you go members $15 Non-members
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
RSVP no later than November 10th at www.JWLA.org.
1 hour CLE A pproved
343913-1
Councilwoman LeAnna Cumber
www.charlesvannconsulting.com 904.903.6062 • chuck@charlesvannconsulting.com
333716-1
14
THE BAR BULLETIN
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
15
Bar Bulletin The
PROTECTING RIGHTS • PURSUING JUSTICE • PROMOTING PROFESSIONALISM
INSIDE
FROM THE PRESIDENT
LAWYERS MUST BE PEACEMAKERS PRO BONO
Helping a tenant in a difficult spot Eviction Defense Self Help Project pro bono attorney Latoya Williams Shelton helps a family with a leaky roof getting the runaround from their landlord. PAGE 17
COMMENTARY
Maintaining unity in divided times A hotly contested election combined with nonstop political discourse is a recipe for disaster in the office. PAGE 18
We have a responsibility to help our community unite.
B
MICHELLE BEDOYA BARNETT JBA PRESIDENT
y the time this article is published, we should (but may not) know who won the 2020 presidential election. I have been thinking a lot about division that exists in our country today and what qualifications and skills make a good president. Since 1789, nearly every American election has included a candidate who attended law school, practiced law as an attorney, or both. This
year’s election is no exception. The journey from law student, to lawyer, to politician, to presidential candidate is a familiar one. More than half of this country’s presidents practiced law before becoming commander in chief. Twenty-six of our nation’s 45 chief executives practiced law in some capacity before their inauguration. Three more – Teddy SEE BARNETT, PAGE 19
COMMENTARY
Remembering Justice Ginsburg U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought for equal rights for all people and she was a true champion for social justice. PAGE 18
COMMENTARY PRO BONO FROM THE PRESIDENT
To remotely go where no court has gone before The 4th Circuit helps the state adjust to how COVID-19 will change the courts.
BRUCE ANDERSON 4TH CIRCUIT JUDGE
In response to the health crisis presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, all jury trials in the State of Florida were suspended as of March 16 by Administrative Order of the Florida Supreme Court. Three months later, the 4th
Judicial Circuit was one of five circuits selected to test the feasibility of remote technology as a safer alternative to traditional in-person civil jury trials. A workgroup was formed and directed to conduct and test fully remote jury trial procedures that balanced the health, safety and goals of all justice stakeholders, and yet replicated the environment, decorum and respect of the traditional in-person jury trial that is familiar to the citizens of this state.
The 4th Circuit conducted two fully remote and binding civil jury trials with the participating parties’ consent. The first, Griffin v. Albanese Enterprise Inc. d/b/a Paradise, was a damages-only trial to determine the plaintiff’s personal injuries and damages arising from a tortious battery. The second trial, Mathis v. Argyros, resolved a fee dispute between an attorney and his SEE ANDERSON, PAGE 19
Note from author The viewpoints and opinions reflected in this article are my own and do not represent any official policy or position of the state Supreme Court, the Office of the State Courts Administrator, the Judicial Conferences of Florida Judges or the Chief Judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit.
16
THE BAR BULLETIN
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
In-person events return with luncheon, barbecue
Jacksonville Bar Association photo
The Jacksonville Bar Association was the first organization to have an event at the former site of The Jacksonville Landing when the association had a barbecue lunch and blood donation drive there Oct. 16. Daily Record photo by Max Marbut
Above: The Jacksonville Bar Association had its membership meeting Oct. 21 at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the first time since January that members and guests met in person. Also presented online for those who could not, or did not wish to, attend, the keynote speaker was Florida State University College of Law Dean Erin O’Connor O’Hara. Left: Jacksonville Bar Association President Michelle Bedoya Barnett donated a pint of blood to OneBlood on Oct. 16 during the association’s inaugural barbecue at the former site of the Jacksonville Landing. Jacksonville Bar Association photo
Jacksonville Bar Association photo
Attorney Kathryn Stanfill accepts, properly socially distanced, the first-place trophy for the Jacksonville Bar Association miniature golf tournament at the Oct. 16 barbecue from JBA Executive Dorector Craig Shoup.
COMMENTARY PRO FROMBONO THE PRESIDENT
Requesting ‘reasonable accommodations’ Renters should know their rights as they relate to COVID-19. By Christopher Jurich & Sarah Sullivan THREE RIVERS LEGAL SERVICES
Jurich
Sullivan
Your landlord sends you a text message telling you they are coming over the next day to inspect the inside of your apartment. However, you have Crohn’s disease and your doctor told you that the medications you take suppress your immune system, placing you in a higherrisk category for contracting coronavirus. What do you do? This and other similar situations are playing out across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. If a renter needs a change to a rule, policy, practice or service in a lease agreement or homeowners association covenant to
protect them from COVID-19, due to an underlying medical condition, they can make a written request to their landlord for what is called a reasonable accommodation. During the current health crisis, these requests could include scheduling inspections when the renter is not in the home, asking maintenance personnel to wear masks and protective gear when entering the home or delaying requested upkeep to the property. The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 includes protections against discrimination based on disability so that persons with disabilities can have equal opportunity to use
THE JACKSONVILLE BAR ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP President Michelle Bedoya Barnett, Alexander DeGance Barnett President-elect Michael Fox Orr, Orr | Cook Treasurer Fraz Ahmed, Coker Law
Secretary Blane McCarthy, Blane McCarthy Young Lawyers Section President Ashlea Edwards, Akerman Executive Director Craig Shoup
and enjoy their home. In order to make a request for a reasonable accommodation, a renter or homeowner must meet certain requirements: Show that they have a disability, show that an accommodation is needed to afford them equal opportunity to use and enjoy their housing, and the accommodation must be reasonable. Under the FHAA, a person with a disability is defined as a person with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, working, and so on, and who either has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. If someone did not have a disability before the pandemic but currently is infected with the COVID-19 virus or is recovering from the infection, they would likely be covered under these FHAA protections. Someone with lasting health problems, serious enough to
substantially limit one or more major life activities, are protected as well. Courts have recognized that temporary impairments from an acute illness still are disabilities even if they are expected to resolve. If the disability and need for accommodation are obvious, a person does not have to provide documentation as proof. In cases where a disability is not obvious, such as a compromised immune system, the individual will have to provide some type of written proof, usually medical records, to show that they have a disability and that the reasonable accommodation they are asking is necessary given their disability. This means a landlord cannot demand a renter’s complete medical records or request a renter provide documents from a specific doctor. You also can provide nonmedical documents that prove your disability. If a request for reasonable accommodation is unreasonably denied by a landlord or
BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEMBERS Brian T. Coughlin Bedell Firm
Shannon Schott Plata Schott
Christian P. George Akerman
Asghar A. Syed Gunster
Jamie Karpman U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Cyndy Trimmer Driver McAfee Hawthorne & Diebenow
Adina Pollan, Pollan Legal
Lindsay L. Tygart Coker Law
HOA, the person requesting the accommodation can contact a fair housing organization or an attorney to help them determine whether to file a complaint with their local fair housing enforcement agency or the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development. Many people are experiencing housing insecurity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are interested in volunteering as a pro bono attorney to provide counseling or defense to someone facing eviction, contact Sarah Sullivan of Three Rivers Legal Services (sarah.sullivan@ trls.org) or Missy Davenport (missy@jaxlegalaid.org) at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. Christopher Jurich is an attorney with Three Rivers Legal Services Inc. and practices law in the areas of housing and public benefits. Sarah Sullivan is the Jacksonville pro bono director at Three Rivers Legal Services Inc.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Editor-in-chief Iana Benjamin Cordell & Cordell Editors Ashlea Edwards Akerman Kirsten Oliver Law Offices of William W. Kurtz, Jr.
THE BAR BULLETIN
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
17
PRO FROMBONO THE PRESIDENT
Volunteer attorney helps a family facing dangerous conditions manager. What were you able to accomplish for your client? I assisted her with a conditions letter to serve on her landlord and provided information as it relates to her rights as a tenant.
MISSY DAVENPORT JBA PRO BONO COMMITTEE CHAIR
Latoya Williams Shelton says she finds gratitude in helping others. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Eviction Defense Self Help Project assists families living in rental properties owned by private landlords who are facing an eviction or are dealing with unsafe and poor conditions. The project is made possible for a second year through a Pro Bono Innovation Grant from The Florida Bar Foundation and the support and participation of many volunteer attorneys. Eviction Defense Self Help Project pro bono attorney Latoya Williams Shelton describes a recent case: What were the basic facts of your case? The client was having conditions issues at the town house she lived in with her mother and her children. There were leaks and holes in the roof. The leak was running into one of the minor children’s bedrooms and she was in fear of health issues. She explained that she’d requested assistance several times and was unable to contact the landlord and would get the runaround from the office
Why was the outcome important to your client? It was important to my client to have a safe place for her family and be heard. She was able to receive two months of free rent and moved to an upgraded unit. What did you gain from the experience? I have always found gratitude in helping others. There is a different feeling when the person has not paid anything and you are literally assisting them because you want to. The sad truth is most people do not have funds to hire an attorney and if they are not represented or assisted, they are looked over and mistreated. It meant the entire world when this client emailed and called to explain the good news that she received and how she was finally getting the changes that she needed as it relates to her living arrangements. What is the name of your firm? In what areas do you practice? Latoya Williams Shelton P.A. – family, personal injury, criminal defense and guardianship. What advice do you have for attorneys considering pro bono involvement? Remember your oath. I know most attorneys consider the time requirement and their need to make money and I thoroughly understand. However, some opportunities may only require a few hours or a lunch break. Contact your local legal aid to inquire
Special to the Daily Record
Latoya Williams Shelton is a family, personal injury, criminal defense and guardianship attorney.
about pro bono opportunities. The Eviction Defense Self Help Project is a resource available 1-4 p.m. every Wednesday at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid. To protect everyone’s safety during COVID, appointments are conducted by telephone or virtual platform. Tenants of private landlords who receive an eviction summons and who may have defenses meet with an attorney to complete their answer using Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s
online Pro Se Eviction Defense Answer (FloridaEvictionHelp. org). Tenants are directed where and how to file their answers that day. Tenants with conditions issues also may meet with a volunteer attorney to receive assistance. The Eviction Defense Self Help Project needs a few good law firms and willing pro bono attorneys. The goal is to have four law firms commit to staffing the
project once a month. The firm will need no more than three attorneys one Wednesday afternoon each month to help tenants in private rental properties create answers to their eviction summons or rental conditions letters. Attorneys are encouraged to consider representing clients in either a full or limited capacity, especially those that may be harder hit by eviction such as people with disabilities, single parents and senior citizens. Through participation in the project, new associates get excellent client interviewing, representation and litigation experience with short-term matters. The participating firm attorneys will build a core of expertise and can collaborate on cases. Training webinars with CLE credit will be provided. In addition, Suzanne Garrow, project coordinator, is available to assist as needed and guide the process. This project has been piloted for the past two years by Smith Gambrell & Russell, which will continue to participate on the second Wednesday each month. Landlord/tenant cases move quickly, making it difficult to provide meaningful assistance to tenants facing eviction. Because the Eviction Defense Self Help Clinic is offered weekly, qualifying tenants will have greater opportunity to file effective answers and defend against wrongful evictions. Law firms and pro bono attorneys may contact Missy Davenport, chair of the JBA Pro Bono Committee, for more information about the Eviction Defense Self Help Project and other opportunities for volunteer involvement in the 4th Judicial Circuit at missy.davenport@ jaxlegalaid.org.
The sad truth is most people do not have funds to hire an attorney and if they are not represented or assisted, they are overlooked and mistreated.
JBA CALENDAR
LEGAL BRIEFS
Need CLE hours? Check out the JBA website The Jacksonville Bar Association has a CLE video library where you can purchase online CLE presentations and get those CLE credits you need in the convenience of your home or office. You may choose from as few as 0.5 CLER hours to as many as 8.0 CLER hours, including various certification hours. Just select the videos that correspond with the CLE credits you need, purchase them, watch online and submit for credit. Topics include family law, technology law, transactional law and professionalism for new practitioners. Visit jaxbar.org/store
Upcoming CLEs Register at jaxbar.org NOV. 5 YLS Virtual CLE: Out Of The Shadows In The Sunshine State – LGBTQ + Laws in Florida Noon, webinar 1.0 CLE credit and 1.0 bias elimination credit NOV. 10 Virtual CLE: Sidebar Luncheon – Electronic Jury Trials Noon, webinar 1.0 CLE credit and 1.0 technology credit
NOV. 20 Virtual LE: Discovery Abuses and What You Can Do in This Virtual Environment Noon, webinar 1.0 CLE credit pending accreditation by The Florida Bar
Committee Meetings For all meetings, register at jaxbar.org NOV. 10 Elder Law
Noon, livestream or in-person at JBA
Keep involved in the JBA
NOV. 11 Solo & Small Firm
The driving force behind this organization is the active participation of its members. Please give the association the benefit of your ideas and talents by volunteering to serve on one or more of the committees shown on the JBA website. With your active involvement, this association will flourish. To join or change your committee preferences, open your web profile at jaxbar.org and click on “Join a Committee.”
NOV. 12 Veteran & Military Affairs
Noon, livestream
Noon, livestream
NOV. 19 Health Law
Noon, livestream
18
THE BAR BULLETIN
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
COMMENTARY PRO FROMBONO THE PRESIDENT
More than a champion for women contributor to those ideals until the death of this truly amazing jurist. Lindsay has many mentors and people who have influenced her, but Justice Ginsburg was a different force who had a different effect. Before her death, I never fully grasped why. Part of it, I think, is because like most fans of Justice Ginsburg, Lindsay never met her. She never even saw her in person, yet Justice Ginsburg’s words, her philosophy and her influence has moved, inspired and pushed Lindsay to be a stronger lawyer, a better mother and a more powerful advocate. I know she is not alone. After Justice Ginsburg’s passing, many of our friends and family expressed their grief on social media, group messages and phone calls. I was supportive and sympathetic, but I began to take a closer look as to why so many people felt as though they lost a family member. It is true that women all over the country and even the world are heartbroken over the loss of this hero for women, especially at such a bizarre and difficult time in our country’s history. The prospect of this legendary trailblazer being replaced by someone with openly contradictory beliefs can be distressing for many people. The truth is that it is so much more than that. After I dug deeper, framing Justice Ginsburg as only a hero for women is doing a gross disservice to her true life’s purpose. Men have lost a hero as well. Men should be equally as devastated. We should not mourn her
FRAZ AHMED JBA BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Remembering the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The moment I heard that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away, I was devastated. Not for myself, but for my wife, Lindsay. I knew Lindsay would be heartbroken. She’s an amazing lawyer, but an even better mother, and she idolized Justice Ginsburg, plain and simple. Ever since I met Lindsay in law school, she loved Justice Ginsburg as a champion for women’s rights. However, this obsession had gotten progressively more formidable with the birth of our two warrior daughters, Salem and Silas. All of a sudden, we had T-shirts, we had books, we had placards with “when there are nine” emblazoned on them. My toddler daughters have been ingrained with feminist ideals since conception. I didn’t know I was an active
Special to the Daily Record
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Sept. 18. She was 87 years old.
simply out of respect and love for the women in our lives who adored her, but because Justice Ginsburg stood up for what she believed in, she defied social norms and she dedicated her life to the fight for a more equitable society for all people. As an attorney, Justice Ginsburg successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a man who was denied Social Security benefits after his wife died giving birth to their child. Those benefits had previously
only been given to women whose husbands had passed. Why should it be different for men? Many of the cases which Justice Ginsburg argued involved sex discrimination against men, not women. As a Supreme Court justice, she fought tirelessly for the rights of same-sex couples to marry. Lindsay always refers to Justice Ginsburg as “The Notorious RBG” and she has a T-shirt to prove it. I never asked nor under-
stood why. To me, that name is reserved for an original and talented rap artist from Brooklyn who died too young and too soon. It turns out that Justice Ginsburg’s fans gave her that moniker after she wrote a blistering dissent when the majority of the Supreme Court decided to weaken the Voting Rights Act. Justice Ginsburg wrote that removing restrictions on states that had previously discriminated against black voters “is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you’re not getting wet.” The bottom line is that Justice Ginsburg fought for the rights of minorities, same-sex couples, immigrants, people with preexisting health conditions and men, as well as women. The reality is that Justice Ginsburg fought for equal rights of all people and she was a true champion for social justice. Men can and should mourn the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She is not just a hero for women, she also has inspired generations of men because she tirelessly fought to make their lives better. She fought to make this country better for everyone and, for that, her life and her work should be celebrated. Rest in peace, Notorious RBG. Fraz Ahmed is a shareholder at Coker Law focusing on personal injury including automobile accidents, wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, trucking accidents, negligent security, product liability and premises liability.
COMMENTARY PRO FROMBONO THE PRESIDENT
Stand tall or lay low: Talking politics in the office With the country so divided, a look a strategies to maintain unity and prevent strained relationships. By Nicholas Elder & Jessica Cappock COBB & GONZALEZ
“Divide and rule, a sound motto. Unite and lead, a better one.” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Legal office dynamics can be complicated. Attorneys and their staff are sophisticated, complex individuals and developing positive interoffice relationships is a science difficult to master. A hotly contested election combined with nonstop political discourse is a recipe for disaster. The current political climate has become increasingly volatile and has no doubt strained relationships between individuals across the country. In a society fully immersed in social media, broadcast and print news, it is easy to be captivated by the chaos and drawn into the debate. Like everything else in 2020,
Elder
Cappock
the presidential campaign was like no other. Republican candidate President Donald Trump and Democrat candidate Joe Biden stood as polar opposites to a divided and troubled nation, making the election a consistently hot topic no matter the venue. Now that the election is over, it is important for us to reflect on how, going forward, we can balance some of our strong political opinions with the professionalism necessary in the law office setting. TOPIC OF CHOICE: POLITICS
With the country so divided, how do attorneys often working in close quarter offices learn to navigate politics within the workplace? How does one maintain a political backbone in a corporate environment that requires fluidity, flexibility, and acceptance? The answer is not easy. Unity
is essential within the workplace in order to foster teamwork and success. As Plato said, “Is there anything worse for a state than to be split and disunited? Or anything better than cohesion and unity?” LAY LOW
Like going on a first date, talking politics in the office can be a tenuous process, requiring you to feel out the environment and test the waters to find where you fit in with co-workers, superiors and subordinates. It is easy to see how political discussion can quickly take a turn for the worse, creating cliques, alienating employees, causing division and suppressing the individual’s political voice. Many employers and employees choose to avoid the topic altogether, opting to remain politically neutral within the workplace. Indeed, neutrality may be a good option for those working in a politically diverse office. While it is frowned upon to discriminate based on political affiliation, it is not a legally protected class and voicing your political preference may put a young lawyer’s job security at risk. Moreover, when a superior
voices their political affiliations it can create an atmosphere that subjects subordinate employees to blind agreement for fear of affecting their rise within the office. For many, the solution may be to lay low and leave political discussion out of the workplace. STAND TALL
Those working within the legal field often greatly value politics, and for attorneys, the same topics discussed in the political arena may directly impact their work. After all, lawyers argue the laws passed by the legislature and ruled upon by the judiciary. A legal career often goes hand in hand with a political one, and many aspiring politicians start their careers as attorneys. Discussing political issues, when done responsibly, may foster debate and build close office relationships that result in increased loyalty to the company. Promoting a free exchange of ideas and open communication in an office setting often leads to exceptional results. Moreover, employees may find significant value in their workday with like-minded individuals striving
toward a common goal. KEEP THE UNITY
While political discussion can create division, it also can be an asset to a company if conducted in a reasonable and mature manner. Keeping political commentary to a minimum may be the safest route for some. However, many prefer to work at a company based on its political affiliation and find added meaning in their work through this alliance. If the 2020 election cycle has taught us anything, whether you are vocal or more reserved with your beliefs, we all must keep in mind that not everyone feels as we do. The choice to be politically vocal remains a personal one, and requires analysis based on the individual, as well as the specific office environment and makeup. Stand tall or lay low, the choice is yours to make. Nicholas Elder is senior counsel at Cobb & Gonzalez. Jessica Cappock is a law clerk at Cobb & Gonzalez and a J.D. candidate attending Florida Coastal School of Law.
THE BAR BULLETIN
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
19
Anderson: Remote process is realistic, feasible CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
client for representation in a criminal matter. Both trials were completed and resulted in binding verdicts. The two remote jury trials required the 4th Circuit to build a platform to fulfill the fullyremote mandate while accommodating the varying technological capacities of the jurors and courthouse stakeholders. The remote trial process and procedures detailed in the workgroup’s final report to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canaday were the result of a significant and coordinated effort by volunteer stakeholders who mock-tried practices and procedures before the jurors were summoned for the first remote and binding civil trial. Based upon the workgroup’s experiences, the fully remote process provided several positive benefits. For example, the Clerk of Courts office noted that the response rate for jurors to the remote jury summonses was higher than the average response rate experienced for in-person jury summonses before the pandemic. In developing the jury selection process, the court technology officers and clerk’s office created an electronic questionnaire process that was completed before jury selection. The process allowed the court and the trial attorneys to focus their voir dire questioning after the panel of potential jurors “entered” the remote courtroom. Post-trial surveys of participants revealed favorable experiences with the remote process. The trials were conducted fully remote with only myself and a single court technology officer being in Courtroom 601 at the Duval County Courthouse, while all other participants to the trial appeared through the
Jacksonville Daily Record
Two remote jury trials were conducted in Duval County via Zoom with only a single court technology officer and Judge Bruce Anderson being physically present in the courtroom.
Zoom platform. Making the trials available online through Courtroom View Network provided the public access to the proceedings in a convenient format and without requiring members of the public to enter the physical courthouse, avoiding the public health concerns associated with bringing large numbers of participants into the courthouse. Notwithstanding the successful implementation of the Zoom platform to conduct the fully remote jury trials, the process was not without its challenges.
The “final product” was the result of a labor-intensive effort that exceeded those efforts required for a traditional inperson trial. Replicating a fully remote process for additional jury trials requires a substantial commitment by the judicial stakeholders in any circuit, and in my opinion, an all-remote process would not be scalable for wholesale implementation. Nonetheless, when balancing the benefits of the remote process with the logistical impediments of scalability, it is my
opinion that a hybrid jury trial process is a realistic and feasible option for conducting civil jury trials if the restrictions of the pandemic persist. Based upon the feedback of the participants and our experience conducting this pilot program, it is my opinion that a hybrid process comprising remote jury selection and an in-person jury trial would be a workable solution that balances the competing concerns of public health and the need to continue the civil justice system. No judge, acting alone, could
have built the methods, practices and procedures to successfully complete a binding fully remote civil jury trial. The successful conclusion of the 4th Circuit’s project – numerous mock fully remote jury selections and jury trials, countless Zoom meetings, miles of email strings, two fully remote and binding civil jury trials and the 167-page report complete with more than 100 hyperlinks – is a testament to teamwork. I am sincerely grateful to each member of our remote civil jury trial workgroup: Jacksonville American Board of Trial Advocates President Corinne Hodak; Jacksonville ABOTA member Angelo Patacca; Brian Corrigan, public information officer and senior manager, Duval County Clerk of Courts; and 4th Judicial Circuit Court Technology Officer Mike Smith and his staff – James Muse, Patrick Estalilla, Vince Paruolo, Larry Ashley and Pat Welsh. I also especially acknowledge and thank the volunteers from the Jacksonville ABOTA chapter and the Chester Bedell Inn of Court for their service during numerous fully remote mock jury selections and trials between early June and early August. I also thank the Jacksonville Public Library for generously supporting our project by allowing remote jurors without technology to participate in our remote jury trials by traveling to their choice of five branch libraries in Duval County. The workgroup’s report to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Canady and links to view each of the 4th Circuit’s two binding fully remote civil jury trials can be found at jud4.org on the Welcome Page. Circuit Judge Bruce Anderson is leader of the 4th Judicial Circuit Remote Civil Jury Trial Pilot Project.
Barnett: Lawyers need to work to bring unity to country CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon Johnson – were law school dropouts. Truman didn’t graduate from college. At the time, you could attend law school right out of high school. Legal experience remains an asset for those seeking to lead the free world. While the legal profession and the presidency have changed exponentially in the past 200 years, the correlation between the two has not. There certainly are other professions that provide important skills such as business, health care and science. My personal favorite, President Ronald Reagan, was an actor. What makes the legal profession conducive to achieving
the most notable office in the country? Politics and law are inextricably linked. Understanding the law means understanding policy, history and governmental functions. Many high-ranking government legal positions are bound tightly to the world of politics for better or worse. Moreover, a law degree and legal career open doors to pursuing politics by creating opportunities to strengthen community relationships and involvement and advancing skills such as public speaking, networking and crisis management. The skills required to practice law far exceed an educational pedigree or social aptitude. Being an exceptional lawyer, like being an exceptional president,
requires strength of character, leadership ability, eloquence and unwavering fortitude in the face of adversity and stress. So many of the skills that enable successful lawyers to command a courtroom or a boardroom are integral to commanding a country and its constituents. Careers in the law or politics allow people to pursue public service and strive to implement justice and equality. Law and politics are platforms for actualizing tangible societal change. What a legal career most prepares a future politician for is resolving issues, mediating disputes and bettering their community. Like the presidency, and many other important leadership posi-
tions, the role of an attorney is accompanied by great responsibility and the ability to improve the lives of others. One of the most famous lawyers-turned-presidents, Abraham Lincoln, said, “as a peacemaker, the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man.” Lawyers, through their unique knowledge and ability, have the opportunity and responsibility to be good people. Regardless of the outcome of this election, we as lawyers should work together to be peacemakers and to bring unity among people in our country. Christopher Scalia, son of the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, said it best when he described the relationship
between his father and the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “They held very strong, very different views. They wrote opinions that disagreed with each other’s opinions, and they didn’t pull any punches in those opinions, but they never let those strong, deeply held beliefs get in the way of their friendship. They didn’t compromise those beliefs for each other, but they didn’t let it disrupt their relationship.” Let’s be sure to use this example and move forward together as a united country, and as good people, for the greater good. Michelle Bedoya Barnett is a founding partner of Alexander DeGance Barnett, focusing on labor and employment law.
DO BUSINESS WITH OUR SPONSORS DIAMOND
SILVER
MEDIA
20
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
|
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JaxDailyRecord.com
2020 Duval County election results Here are the unofficial results for the Nov. 3 General Election from the Duval County Supervisor of Elections website. Turnout was 74.26%, slightly less than the 74.65% in 2016. Statewide, Republican President Donald Trump defeated Democratic challenger Joe Biden. In the constitutional amendments, all passed except for No, 3 and No. 4. For complete Duval results, visit duvalelections. com. President* Joseph R. Biden (D) Donald J. Trump (R)
51.05% 250,942 47.37% 232,846
U.S. House District 4 John H. Rutherford (R) 57.50% Donna Deegan (D) 42.39% U.S. House District 4 Al Lawson (D) Gary Adler (R)
66.77% 33.23%
State Representative District 11 Cord Byrd (R) 62.46% Joshua Hicks (D) 37.54% State Representative District 12 Clay Yarborough (R) 60.10% Emmanuel Blimie (D) 39.90%
169,238 124,779
126,462 62,927
State Representative District 15 Jason Fischer (R) 57.61% Ben Marcus (D) 42.39%
59,350 43,673
District Court of Appeal – Lewis Jr. Yes 68.88% 296,958 No 31.12% 134,145
Jacksonville Beach – Mayor Chris Hoffman 69.95% Jeanell Wilson 30.05%
10,361 4,452
District Court of Appeal – Makar Yes 62.71% 268,202 No 37.29% 159,456
Jacksonville Beach – Seat 1 At-Large Fernando Meza 56.01% 7,469 Frances Povloski 43.99% 5,865
District Court of Appeal – Nordby Yes 64.01% 273,529 No 35.99% 153,789
Jacksonville Beach – Seat 3 At-Large Chet Stokes 52.08% 7,114 Ken Marsh 47.92% 6,547
District Court of Appeal – Osterhaus Yes 60.77% 259,058 No 39.23% 167,206
Baldwin – Mayor Sean T. Lynch Marvin E. Godbold Jr.
District Court of Appeal – Roberts Yes 63.49% 271,117 No 36.51% 155,875
Atlantic Beach – Mayor-Commissioner – Seat 1 Ellen Glasser 59.90% 5,145 Terri Lynn Ray 24.23% 2,081 Ricky L. Carper 15.87% 1,363
Soil and Water Conservation – Group 4 Ashantae Green 39.27% 157,646 Arthur Bides 30.11% 120,897 Carter Jones 22.17% 89,019 La’Garall Bates 8.44% 33,900 Tolomato CDD – Seat 1 Jon Morris 65.60% Andrea Ramirez 34.40%
Duval County Clerk of Court Jody Phillips (R) 51.47% 243,880 Jimmy Midyette (D) 48.53% 229,981 City Council District 4 Kevin Carrico (R) 53.45% Nicole Hamm (D) 46.55%
1,238 1,218
Soil and Water Conservation – Group 2 John R. Barnes 35.10% 140,224 Matt Reimer 27.49% 109,841 Binod Kumar 22.24% 88,859 John J. Nooney 15.17% 60,596
51,510 34,193
45,223 38,763
Bartram Springs CDD – Seat 5 Derri Lassiter Young 50.41% Buddy Greer 49.59%
District Court of Appeal – Tanenbaum Yes 61.52% 262,888 No 38.48% 164,399
34,071 20,480
State Representative District 15 Wyman Duggan (R) 53.85% Tammyette Thomas (D) 46.15%
Supreme Court Justice – Muñiz Yes 60.35% 261,882 No 39.65% 172,092
Bartram Springs CDD – Seat 3 Stephanie McKinney 66.49% Martin Kaufman 33.51%
16,681 14,530
940 493
1,613 813
62.54% 37.46%
444 266
Atlantic Beach – Commissioner – Seat 2 Bruce Bole 56.43% 4,293 Frank T. Cashman 43.57% 3,315 Atlantic Beach – Commissioner – Seat 3 Mike Waters 50.87% 4,161 Lisa Goodrich 49.13% 4,019 Constitutional Amendment 1 Citizenship requirement to vote in Florida elections Yes 80.38% 381,528 No 19.62% 93,122 Constitutional Amendment 2 Raising Florida’s minimum wage Yes 58.10% 278,164 No 41.90% 200,624 Constitutional Amendment 3 All voters vote in primary elections for state legislature, governor and cabinet Yes 58.42% 274,145 No 41.58% 195,124
Constitutional Amendment 4 Voter approval of constitutional amendments Yes 48.29% 220,444 No 51.71% 236,012 Constitutional Amendment 5 Limitations on homestead property tax assessments Yes 73.13% 331,415 No 26.87% 121,753 Constitutional Amendment 6 Ad valorem tax discount for spouses of certain deceased veterans Yes 89.65% 415,099 No 10.35% 47,919 School District of Duval County Surtax Referendum For the half-cent tax 67.30% 315,849 Against the half-cent tax 32.70% 153,490 JEA Referendum – Granting City Council authority to appoint and remove four JEA board members Yes 77.38% 351,349 No 22.62% 102,728 Jacksonville Beach – Referendum 1 Yes 58.65% 8,170 No 41.35% 5,759 Jacksonville Beach – Referendum 2 Yes 58.65% 8,170 No 41.35% 5,759 Jacksonville Beach – Referendum 3 Yes 56.09% 7,911 No 43.91% 6,194 Jacksonville Beach – Referendum 4 Yes 78.70% 11,016 No 21.30% 2,981 Atlantic Beach Referendum Yes 48.62% 4,172 No 51.38% 4,409 *Presidential candidates from minor parties not included
AT SAN PABLO
Model Home Open For Previews New Homes Started* For Spring 2021 *
13711 Hidden Oaks Ln. 13729 Hidden Oaks Ln. 13728 Hidden Oaks Ln. 13807 Hidden Oaks Ln. 13741 Hidden Oaks Ln.
Lot 2 Lot 5 Lot 42 Lot 18 Lot 7
Glencoe III St. Martin Bluffton Wimbledon Carlisle II
$492,025 $469,950 $613,160 $529,900 $495,982
Model Home Hours
Mon-Thur 11-5 • Fri - Closed • Sat 11-5 • Sun 1-5
800-728-1934 x8007 • www.WatersideatSanPablo.com For Direct Sales Inquiries Call Steve Williams 904-241-8687 *See Agent for Details. Subject to change without notice.
Subject to credit approval. CenterState Bank, N.A. NMLS# 403455. South State Bank and CenterState Bank, N.A. have merged to become South State Bank, N.A. Please visit bankingforward.com to learn more.
333138-1
For financing information, contact Paul Miller (NMLS# 121182) at CenterStateBank Mortgage. Cell: (904) 334-8080 | Email: paul.miller@centerstatebank.com www.csbankmortgage.com/paul-miller