Open Ninth

Judge Michael Deen grew up in the field of law. As the son of notable attorney, Jeffrey Deen, he’s been well-acquainted with the work of lawyers for a long time. Some may be discouraged from following in their parents’ footsteps, but not Judge Deen. He saw the important work his father dedicated his life to each day and he felt inspired. He wanted to serve his community and fight for the justice of others just as his father did for many years. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear Judge Deen talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about his time with the state attorney’s office and how it led him to the bench. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:48 – Introduction to Judge Michael Deen 08:41 – Working in the state attorney’s office 17:00 – Joining the bench 22:05 – Working in a pandemic

Growing up a military kid meant it was hard for Judge Joshua Mize to truly know a hometown. His father’s service in the Air Force took his family all across the United States, making change a constant in Judge Mize’s life. It wasn’t until after law school that he and his wife moved to Orlando and fell in love with the City Beautiful, making this the place they’d call their hometown. He’s undergone many changes over the years, but his childhood prepared him well for adapting to change. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear Judge Mize talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about where his interest in the law started and how he’s adjusting in his first year on the bench. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:14 – Introduction to Judge Joshua Mize 07:43 – Pull to the law 12:24 – Joining the bench 16:37 – Transition into family law 20:43 – Surprises on the bench

A former resident of New Orleans, Judge Falcone’s life was turned upside-down when Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Listen in as he shares with Chief Judge Myers how the devastation from Katrina led him to Central Florida, his experiences at Boston College and Columbia University, and what inspired him to run for office. Timestamps 0:22 - Introduction to Vincent Falcone 5:38 - The impact of hurricane Katrina 9:08 - Working with the Department of Justice 11:25 - Practicing law in Florida 14:40 - Working with David King 17:39 - Becoming/being a Judge

Heather Meglino first developed a passion for serving others when she was just seven years old. Tasked with a project on the work of lawyers in school and living just minutes from Stetson University College of Law, she was well-acquainted with how lawyers helped their communities. But her passion for serving others doesn’t stop there. She’s also a woman dedicated to her volunteer work. Working with organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Harbor House of Central Florida, Heather’s passion for helping others is evident. Listen in as she sits down with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon to talk about becoming CFAWL’s current president and how the organization serves women lawyers. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:14 – Introduction to Heather Meglino 02:55 – Working in a law firm 06:50 – Volunteering with Make-A-Wish and Harbor House 1 2:33 – What is CFAWL 16:00 – Why she wanted to be CFAWL’s president

Social media is a powerful tool. It brings loved ones together. It gathers support for meaningful causes. It also has the ability to spread mass misinformation and feed into an echo chamber of dangerous beliefs. Listen in as Chief Judge Lisa Munyon sits down with Peter Singer, a defense strategist and bestselling author on this topic, to talk about how a simple like has the ability to change war and politics. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 01:20 – What is weaponization 04:41 – How social media is weaponized 09:22 – Effects of weaponization 13:44 – The role of social media companies 28:39 – How weaponization evolves 32:03 – Effects on the courts 42:01 – Future of social media 48:17 – Social media education

Social media is a powerful tool. It brings loved ones together. It gathers support for meaningful causes. It also has the ability to spread mass misinformation and feed into an echo chamber of dangerous beliefs. Listen in as Chief Judge Lisa Munyon sits down with Peter Singer, a defense strategist and bestselling author on this topic, to talk about how a simple like has the ability to change war and politics. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 01:20 – What is weaponization 04:41 – How social media is weaponized 09:22 – Effects of weaponization 13:44 – The role of social media companies 28:39 – How weaponization evolves 32:03 – Effects on the courts 42:01 – Future of social media 48:17 – Social media education

If you asked a young Lisa Kiel what she wanted to be when she grew up, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. All her life she’s known she wanted to work in state government. Feeling drawn to public service, Kiel became Florida’s State Courts Administrator in 1990, where she stayed until her retirement in 2014. And when the Florida Supreme Court sought a new State Courts Administrator in 2019, they knew just the person to call. Now, Kiel is ready to finish up her long career in Florida’s state government to enjoy retirement, for a second time. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her talk to Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about her proudest moments from her time in the office and what she plans to do next. Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Lisa Kiel 05:39 – Getting started in state courts 10:16 – Becoming State Courts Administrator 21:14 – Coming back from retirement 26:28 – Changes in the Office of State Courts over the years 33:40 – Biggest accomplishments as State Courts Administrator 38:11 – Plans for retirement 40:27 – Advice for future State Courts Administrators

Former Judge Julie O’Kane joined our circuit in 2003 as one of our youngest judges at the time and for 18 years she proved her unwavering dedication to the work of a jurist. From joining a division she was unfamiliar with on her first day to taking on the important role of Administrative Judge, she has shown true commitment to our circuit. Now, after a long, steadfast career, she begins her next adventure: retirement. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her talk to her longtime friend and colleague, Chief Judge Lisa Munyon, about her proudest moments from her time on the bench and what she plans to do next. Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Julie O’Kane 04:37 – Working in litigation 06:43 – Why she wanted to join the bench 10:36 – Being on the bench 23:21 – Proudest moments on the bench 30:51 – Retirement 35:50 – Advice for younger Judges

Former Judge Julie O’Kane joined our circuit in 2003 as one of our youngest judges at the time and for 18 years she proved her unwavering dedication to the work of a jurist. From joining a division she was unfamiliar with on her first day to taking on the important role of Administrative Judge, she has shown true commitment to our circuit. Now, after a long, steadfast career, she begins her next adventure: retirement. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her talk to her longtime friend and colleague, Chief Judge Lisa Munyon, about her proudest moments from her time on the bench and what she plans to do next. Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Julie O’Kane 04:37 – Working in litigation 06:43 – Why she wanted to join the bench 10:36 – Being on the bench 23:21 – Proudest moments on the bench 30:51 – Retirement 35:50 – Advice for younger Judges

Laura Sanchez can tell you the exact moment she knew she wanted to be a lawyer. It came when she was a child at a time when her mother was struggling to pay for an attorney to represent her in a divorce. Watching her mother struggle to afford their services and resort to putting them on a credit card made Sanchez wonder if there were legal services for low-income families. Today, her work with the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association provides those resources to families struggling just as Sanchez and her mother had. Listen in to Open Ninth to hear her talk to Chief Judge Munyon about what she does in the Legal Aid Society and what led her to becoming the current president of the Hispanic Bar Association. Timestamps 00:15 – Introduction to Laura Sanchez 02:22 – Pull to the law 06:03 – Working with the Legal Aid Society 12:50 – Involvement with the Hispanic Bar Association 16:50 – Navigating the pandemic 19:47 – Upcoming Events for the Hispanic Bar Association

When Dr. Raul Pino visited us in the studio last time, we spoke exclusively about the COVID-19 pandemic. This time around, we’re getting to know the man behind the response a little better. Dr. Pino grew up in Cuba during the early years of Fidel Castro’s rule. Seeking a better life for himself and his family, Dr. Pino knew he needed to get to the United States. Escaping Cuba is no easy feat, however. Listen in as he speaks with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about the trials and tribulations he endured to get here and how he found his calling in life practicing medicine. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:45 – Early childhood 03:13 – Studying medicine 12:01 – Escape attempt 18:08 – Being detained 26:26 – Making it to the U.S. 31:32 – Working in the U.S. 35:08 – Working in a pandemic 40:00 – Living in Orlando

When Dr. Raul Pino visited us in the studio last time, we spoke exclusively about the COVID-19 pandemic. This time around, we’re getting to know the man behind the response a little better. Dr. Pino grew up in Cuba during the early years of Fidel Castro’s rule. Seeking a better life for himself and his family, Dr. Pino knew he needed to get to the United States. Escaping Cuba is no easy feat, however. Listen in as he speaks with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about the trials and tribulations he endured to get here and how he found his calling in life practicing medicine. OpenNinth.fm Timestamps 00:45 – Early childhood 03:13 – Studying medicine 12:01 – Escape attempt 18:08 – Being detained 26:26 – Making it to the U.S. 31:32 – Working in the U.S. 35:08 – Working in a pandemic 40:00 – Living in Orlando

Two podcasts collide in this new episode of Open Ninth. Judge Alicia Latimore, host of 9th Unplugged, joins Chief Judge Lisa Munyon to talk all about how the audio series got started and how she came to be host of the show. After 10 episodes, she’s gotten to know many of our circuit’s staff and judges on a personal level in a time when socializing can be difficult. Listen in to hear her plans for 9th Unplugged in the future and what excites her most about hosting the show. Timestamps 00:56 – What is 9th Unplugged? 02:07 – How it got started 05:19 – How it brings people together 07:53 – How she felt at the start 10:20 – Best moments while hosting 12:33 – What it means to be a guest 16:54 – Future plans for the show

On this episode of Open Ninth, Judge John Beamer chats with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon for his second recording in the studio. Last time he talked about his marriage to fellow jurist, Judge Denise Beamer, but this episode we dive deeper into the life and career of the Tennessean. With parents working multiple jobs and needing to watch over his younger siblings often, Judge Beamer learned the value of hard work at a young age. He witnessed it firsthand running alongside his father during one of his numerous jobs: manning the early morning paper route. Listen in to the episode to hear this former Tennessean cross country runner tell Chief Judge Munyon all about his humble beginnings and what led him to the bench.  Timestamps 00:16 – Introduction to Judge John Beamer 07:20 – Pull to the law 11:48 – Working in litigation 15:04 – Joining the bench 18:06 – Surprises on the bench 22:08 – Finding Inspiration

The Golden State Killer’s unsolved crimes haunted Californians for decades. With little evidence and no new leads, the case grew cold. Then, Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter got involved. Using investigative genetic genealogy to identify distant relatives of the killer, Dr. Rae-Venter narrowed down a long list of potential subjects to just one: Joseph James DeAngelo. Listen in as she talks with Chief Judge Lisa Munyon about her work on the case and how investigative genetic genealogy is evolving.  Time Stamps 00:15 – Introduction to Dr. Barbara Rae-Venter 07:28 – Becoming a patent attorney 11:26 – Getting into investigative genetic genealogy 18:22 – Using genetic genealogy in the Golden State Killer Case 23:25 – Details of the Golden State Killer Case 28:47 – New technology in genetic genealogy 32:22 – Ethical obstacles with using genealogy in cases 37:49 – How genetic genealogy is evolving 47:28 – Future plans