Chief Judges’ Corner




Open Ninth show

Summary: During a pandemic, how does a Chief Judge balance safety and due process in the courts? Alongside Chief Judges Lisa Davidson of the Eighteenth Circuit and Ellen Masters of the Tenth Circuit, Chief Judge Don Myers explores the biggest challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the Central Florida area. All three Chiefs began their term on the same day in 2019; this gave them an excellent marker to compare both their first year in office and their Circuit's responses to COVID-19 in this in-depth conversation. Time Stamps 1:30 - Judge Lisa Davidson’s judicial career background 4:15 - Judge Ellen Masters’ judicial career background 9:08 - Tenth Circuit overview - Polk, Highlands, and Hardee Counties 11:13 - Eighteenth Circuit overview - Brevard and Seminole Counties 14:11 - Realizing this pandemic is serious 22:40 - Operational challenges, virtual hearings, and backlogs 26:57 - Safety measures implemented in each Circuit 32:23  Biggest challenges ahead and moving through the phases of reopening