Open Ninth

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we are re-airing one of our earliest episodes, “Women in Robes.” When we first aired this episode, our bench was made up of 32 women. Now, 34 incredible women make up over half of the bench here in the Ninth Circuit. And in this episode, two of those women, Judge Alice Blackwell and now-Senior Judge Nancy Clark, sat down to speak with former Chief Judge Fred Lauten about their experiences as women in the legal field. From being mistaken for secretaries early in their careers to dealing with gender-related bias in the courtroom, these women fought to be recognized for their merit as lawyers and judges regardless of their gender. Tune in to OpenNinth.fm to hear more about their experience. Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Judges Blackwell and Clark 05:31 – Breaking glass ceilings 14:36 – Experience joining the bench 23:20 – Inspiring future generations 30:07 – Judicial assignments

It was while walking through the halls of Michigan State University that Judge Patricia Strowbridge found her inspiration to go to law school. Up until this point, she didn’t really know what she wanted to do, but the spark came in the form of a man asking students to answer some logic questions in front of a classroom that day. Judge Strowbridge couldn’t comprehend the puzzles, but she was intrigued. The man explained that the questions were from the LSAT and it was then Judge Strowbridge knew what her next step in life would be. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about her time in law school at Georgetown and why she ultimately wanted to join the bench. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:16 – Introduction to Judge Patricia Strowbridge 04:00 – Attending law school 14:13 – First jobs as a lawyer 16:46 – Interest in Family Law 22:45 – Path to the bench 34:02 – First days on the bench 37:28 – Being a judge over the years

In honor of Black History Month, we want to highlight the Black pioneers in both the legal field and here at the Ninth. In our first episode commemorating this month, we’re taking a look back at our eye-opening conversation with former Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. From trying cases all over the state of Florida in the state attorney’s office to becoming the Ninth’s first Black judge to join the bench through the election process, Perry has left an impact in both the courts and the community. With his long history of accomplishments, you may not realize that this former judge grew up in humble beginnings. During a time of segregation, with hand-me-down books from better-off schools and exclusion from certain establishments in town, Perry fought adversity to pursue success. Tune in to OpenNinth.fm to hear his story. Time Stamps 00:15 – Introduction to Belvin Perry, Jr. 04:37 – Growing up in the era of segregation 07:34 – Desire to pursue law 12:55 – Starting in the state attorney’s office 21:35 – Biggest cases as a prosecutor 27:00 – Greatest achievements with the state attorney’s office 29:09 – Path to the bench 34:20 – Reasons for becoming Chief Judge 42:53 – Why he left the bench

After graduating from the University of Florida with his bachelor’s degree, Judge Wayne Wooten didn’t quite know what his next step should be. He could have gone back to St. Pete where he was born and raised, but he chose to go work at “The Catfish Place”, his family’s restaurant in St. Cloud, instead. And it was while working there that he fell in love with Central Florida. Inevitably, he felt a pull to law school that drew him back to UF, but he would soon return to Central Florida to begin working in the Ninth Circuit state attorney’s office. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear him talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about his favorite memories from the state attorney’s office and why he wanted to join the bench after sixteen years there. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:17 – Introduction to Judge Wayne Wooten 06:12 – Working in the family restaurant 10:55 – Attending law school 15:26 – Working in the state attorney’s office 23:40 – Joining the bench 31:37 – First days on the bench

After several years working in Osceola County, Judge Margaret Schreiber has returned to the Orange County Courthouse as the civil division’s Administrative Judge. And while it feels good to be back where her judicial career began, she’ll always treasure the memories of her time at the Judge Jon B. Morgan Osceola County Courthouse. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her discussion with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about who pushed her to give law school a try, why she wanted to join the bench, and what it’s like returning to Orange County. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:16 – Introduction to Judge Margaret Schreiber 07:50 – Interest in the law 11:18 – Private practice 17:20 – Joining the bench 21:35 – Working in Osceola County 26:00 – Returning to Orange County as an Administrative Judge

Soon, Judge Andrew Cameron will celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the day he joined the Ninth Circuit, and a lot has happened in the near-decade since he ran for election the very first time. The Orange County Court Judiciary has grown, the amount of work has increased, and a global pandemic forced our courts to adapt to a new way of working. But, Judge Cameron still enjoys serving the people of his community all these years later. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear Chief Judge Lisa Munyon talk to him about his life growing up, what drew him to law school, and why he wanted to become a judge. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Judge Andrew Cameron 05:58 – Legal career 15:50 – Becoming a judge 21:55 – First days on the bench 30:35 – Changes over the years 35:12 – Advice for new judges

When Judge Craig McCarthy left active service in the military, he wasn’t sure where life would take him. There were many doors open with a multitude of possibilities before him. In the end, he chose to attend law school and become a lawyer. And he’s never regretted that decision. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear Chief Judge Lisa Munyon interview Judge McCarthy about his life growing up, his service in the military, and his career as lawyer. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Judge Craig McCarthy 07:05 – Attending West Point 10:50 – Serving in the Army 18:02 – Pursuing the law 27:32 – Opening his own firm 30:21 – Joining the bench

It’s been 43 years since the creation of Florida’s last appellate court: the Fifth District Court of Appeal. But, beginning January 1, 2023, the 5th DCA will no longer be Florida’s newest court of appeal. Listen in to Open Ninth as Chief Judge Lisa Munyon sits down with Judge Meredith Sasso, the interim chief administrative officer for this new court, to discuss what we all need to know about the soon-to-be Sixth District Court of Appeal. Where will it be located? Who are the judges? And what can lawyers expect from this new court on January 1? Tune in to find out. Timestamps 00:17 – How the 6th DCA came to be 05:13 – The 6th DCA’s location 08:46 – The work of the interim chief administrative officer 13:49 – Hiring 15:20 – Initial caseload 19:48 – Important information about the 6th DCA

For Judge John Jordan, the field of law has never been far from home. His father was both an attorney and a federal magistrate. And when Judge Jordan was young, he would often go to court with his father to watch him try cases. So when it came time for him to decide his career path, he knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear Chief Judge Lisa Munyon interview Judge Jordan about his life growing up and what brought him to the bench back in 2005. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Judge John Jordan 03:50 – Pursuing the law 10:27 – Becoming a judge 21:26 – Changes over the years 26:09 – Volunteer work 27:57 – Advice for new lawyers and judges

We all remember our first mentor, the one who took us by the hand and showed us the ropes of our trade or practice. Those experiences become even more valuable as we get older and begin to pass on that knowledge to a new generation. Judges Faye L. Allen and Diego Madrigal know this firsthand. Their mentors helped them grow as both lawyers and judges, and now they’re imparting that wisdom onto their own mentees. Tune in to this episode of Open Ninth to hear them talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about their own mentors in life and the value they see in mentoring others. Listen at OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:46 – What is mentorship 02:41 – Their own mentors 06:19 – How to be a mentor 13:41 – Mentor judges 16:11 – Where their mentees are now 19:06 – Final thoughts

It’s easy to become disheartened by the statistics related to opioid misuse and drug-related deaths, but there is always hope. In this second part of our two-part series on “Fighting the Opioid Epidemic”, we hear firsthand from a survivor of drug misuse. For many years, Jessica Finn depended on alcohol and drugs to help alleviate some of the pain she still felt from her childhood. It was after a year of opioid use that she realized she was no longer using drugs to suppress the pain—she was addicted. But Jessica refused to give up hope and sought help through Osceola County’s Adult Drug Court program. Listen in as she talks to former Chief Judge Fred Lauten about her journey to recovery. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:59 – Introduction to Jessica Finn 02:10 – Becoming addicted 06:21 – Starting treatment 09:32 – Osceola County’s Drug Court 15:47 – Advice for others

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 10 million people misuse opioids each year. And today, two out of three drug overdose deaths involves an opioid. To bring awareness to this growing epidemic, the Florida Supreme Court proclaimed that the month of September be Opioids & Stimulants Awareness Month. Here in the Ninth Circuit, we want to shed some light on the resources available to individuals experiencing opioid dependency and stories of recovery by re-airing our two-part series “Fighting the Opioid Epidemic”. In this episode, former Chief Judge Fred Lauten sat down with Shannon Robinson from Aspire Health Partners to discuss the connection between mental health and substance abuse, as well as the benefits of treatment centers over incarceration for individuals suffering from opioid dependence. Listen at OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 02:54 – Development of the epidemic 09:34 – Difficulty of quitting 11:20 – Evolution of drug use 16:16 – Treatments 19:04 – Statistics 22:29 – Mental health and substance abuse 25:23 – Incarceration vs. treatment

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 10 million people misuse opioids each year. And today, two out of three drug overdose deaths involves an opioid. To bring awareness to this growing epidemic, the Florida Supreme Court proclaimed that the month of September be Opioids & Stimulants Awareness Month. Here in the Ninth Circuit, we want to shed some light on the resources available to individuals experiencing opioid dependency and stories of recovery by re-airing our two-part series “Fighting the Opioid Epidemic”. In this episode, former Chief Judge Fred Lauten sat down with Shannon Robinson from Aspire Health Partners to discuss the connection between mental health and substance abuse, as well as the benefits of treatment centers over incarceration for individuals suffering from opioid dependence. Listen at OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 02:54 – Development of the epidemic 09:34 – Difficulty of quitting 11:20 – Evolution of drug use 16:16 – Treatments 19:04 – Statistics 22:29 – Mental health and substance abuse 25:23 – Incarceration vs. treatment

When Clerk Karen Rushing received an invitation to work on a judicial reform project in Angola in 2002, she wasn’t sure what to expect. For years, the country was marred in a civil war, and the opposing forces were still negotiating a peace agreement. But the senior government of Angola made it their goal to improve the efficiency and credibility of their country’s judicial system, and Clerk Rushing had the experience to help. Over the course of four years, she traveled back and forth between the U.S. and Angola, determining opportunities for change, developing training materials, and bringing a delegation of Angolans to Sarasota County to get an up-close look at the American judicial system. Tune in to OpenNinth.fm to hear Clerk Rushing talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about her work on the project, and what the results are almost twenty years later. Timestamps 00:36 – The Invitation 08:31 – Traveling to Angola 16:15 – Getting to Work 22:27 – Defining the Problems 30:02 – Training on New Procedures 33:33 – Angola Visits Sarasota 40:06 – Results of the Project

From Guatemala to Israel to Antarctica—our judges have been all over the world. In this week’s Open Ninth, we get the grand tour of some of our planet’s most exciting locations. Take a trip with Judges Mike Murphy, Tarlika Nunez-Navarro, and Mark Blechman in this episode as they talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about their favorite destinations, their dream vacations, and the importance of keeping an open mind when traveling. Listen at OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:47 – Where their interest in travel began 05:53 – First trips 13:22 – Favorite travels 19:59 – Expanding your world view 24:00 – Traveling to help others 29:08 – Dream trips