September 30, 2024 • 7 mins
Casanova is in a runoff from August's primary in the race for the open judicial seat on the Palm Beach County Court.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Joel Malcolm fo w J and O dot com.
My election spotlight is ahead of the general election. Is
on the Pompache County Court Judge Group two race and
this is a runoff. Back in August, there were three
candidates in this and the two top vote getters nobody
ended up with fifty percent plus one the majority. So
(00:21):
we have Lordis Casanova and Jean Marie Middleton going against
each other in a runoff election, and we have miss
Casanova on the line. Thank you for joining me, Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Joel, what's the pleasure to be here. Nice to talk
to you again.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yes, now, Lordis, I know we spoke and I did
my research. I was looking. We actually we talked to
you back in July, so it's been a while and
folks can still find that full interview on the on
the iHeartRadio app. Just go to a local news wire
and they can and they can see that. It's also
of course on the election spotlight page at WJ and
O dot com via Patriot dot com. But you know,
(01:00):
to kind of save them the assle of dealing with that,
and they want to know a little give us a
brief background on you. Sure.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
While I'm a lifelong resident of Palm Beach County. I
grew up in Royal Palm Beach. I am a former prosecutor.
I'm the only candidate in this race who is a
former prosecutor and has that jury trial and extensive jury
trial and courtroom experience. My time as a prosecutor was
here in Palm Beach County. Entire my entire legal career
(01:29):
has been here. After my time at the Palm Beach
State Attorney's Office, I opened up my own firm. I'm
really proud of it. It's a multi practice firm focused
on county court cases, and I've had the privilege of
litigating in the criminal, civil, and traffic divisions as a
small business owner. And in addition to that, I'm involved
(01:52):
in many community projects through the Palm Beach County Hispanic
Bar Association. I was the president of that last year.
I'm involved with a Florida association for women lawyers. And
something that's near and dear to my heart is Special Olympics. So,
as a matter of fact, even though I'm campaigning and
very busy with that, I still volunteer for them. And
(02:12):
I was just there Saturday for the pickleball.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Competition on your website. You refer to yourself onto the
education section a double Gator because you graduated cum laude
from the University of Florida and with your BA and
then Juri's doctor degree, so you get two different degrees there.
(02:34):
So for Gator fans, I thought maybe they would like
to know that you are a double Gator.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
I'm a double Gator. I'm a proud double Gator. Not
so happy about the football recently, but I'm confident we
will bounce back. But yes, I enjoyed my time at
the University of Florida for undergrad and law school, and
that was a total of seven years there in Gainesville.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now I know that in these races election law in Florida,
maybe it's even a federal law. I know when folks
are running for a judicial race, they have to be
careful how they draw comparisons between the candidates. Well aware
of that. But tell us, if you can, in the
(03:20):
most eloquent way you can, what sets you the biggest
things that sets you aside from your opponent in this race.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I touched on it a little earlier, but I would
love to delve into it a little more. So. Number one,
I'm the only candidate who is a former prosecutor. That's
important because as a prosecutor, you manage a caseload of
three to four hundred cases a day. You are in
the courtroom daily, you conduct jerry trials, and so that
(03:50):
time is sort of a learn by fire, trial by
fire situation, and learn you learn very quickly to become
comfortable in the courtroom. And that's what a judge is
going to need to do. A judge is going to
be making decisions from the courtroom. I needs to understand
the courtroom setting. I'm also the only candidate who has
run a small business. I think that's important because it
(04:11):
has given me those executive leadership skills. It has refined
those executive leadership skills. So being a multitasker, being a
decision maker, we want the courts to be efficient. We
want the courts to be effective, and my ability to
wear many hats as a small business owner and my
ability as a former prosecutor to handle a large volume
(04:33):
of cases are critical to the bench. And then I
would say the third very important point is my why.
My why is I'm the daughter of parents who escaped totalitarianism.
I'm from Cuba. My parents are from Cuba, both of
them and my whole family is from Cuba. They because
(04:53):
of the lack of separation of powers, my family suffered
direct consequences, is one of them being a family member
who was executed by firing squad without a trial. So
having grown up with those lessons that my parents learned
(05:14):
and that my family learns, I highly value our constitutional principle,
the due process, separation of powers, access to courts, and
it's my duty I believe to preserve our liberty here
in the United States by following the rule of law.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Give us one final push as to why folks should
vote Lotus Casanova.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, first of all, I'm excited that I receive the
most votes in the primary. I'm grateful for that. I'm
working hard every day to earn the votes of the
residents of Palm Beach County. I am the most prepared
candidate to lead a courtroom based on my range of experiences,
my focus, my entire career has been on the county court.
(05:55):
I've been in government practice and private practice, been on
the prosecution side and the defense side. I've litigated in
the criminal, civil and Traffic division. And on top of that,
I am very involved in the community. I do believe
being a judge is a career of service and I
am ready for that, and I have a record of
serving my community. But of course it's also and more
(06:19):
important than anything based on my family background. It is
a commitment to our constitution. It is a commitment to
the rule of law, and my promise to the voters
is that I will always be committed to the rule
of law and follow.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
The law as written. And oh, I'm sorry I.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Talk about my my endorsements.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
I was I was just getting there. That's exactly where
I was going. I was about to say, I'm also
for this round of questioning, if you will, I was
going to, uh, you know, offer you not opportunity And
I know you have it on your website, but so
folks don't have to take the time to go look
for that, tell us who is endorsing your campaign.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Sure, I'm proud to have the endorsement of our local
police and that's both the Police Benevolent Association and the
Fraternal Order Police. I also have the endorsement of our
firefighters and paramedics at Palm Beach County, and I have
over three hundred community leaders, legal and community leaders who
serve on my election committee, and I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
All right, well, we do appreciate you speaking to us
for a second time again. Lords Casanova running in a
runoff for the Palm Beach County Judge Group two race,
a six year term and this is open to all
voters of all stripes here in Palm Beach County.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Thank you for joining me, Thank you for having me
Joel with a pleasure.
Hey, Joel Malcolm fo w J and O dot com.
My election spotlight is ahead of the general election. Is
on the Pompache County Court Judge Group two race and
this is a runoff. Back in August, there were three
candidates in this and the two top vote getters nobody
ended up with fifty percent plus one the majority. So
(00:21):
we have Lordis Casanova and Jean Marie Middleton going against
each other in a runoff election, and we have miss
Casanova on the line. Thank you for joining me, Hi.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Joel, what's the pleasure to be here. Nice to talk
to you again.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yes, now, Lordis, I know we spoke and I did
my research. I was looking. We actually we talked to
you back in July, so it's been a while and
folks can still find that full interview on the on
the iHeartRadio app. Just go to a local news wire
and they can and they can see that. It's also
of course on the election spotlight page at WJ and
O dot com via Patriot dot com. But you know,
(01:00):
to kind of save them the assle of dealing with that,
and they want to know a little give us a
brief background on you. Sure.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
While I'm a lifelong resident of Palm Beach County. I
grew up in Royal Palm Beach. I am a former prosecutor.
I'm the only candidate in this race who is a
former prosecutor and has that jury trial and extensive jury
trial and courtroom experience. My time as a prosecutor was
here in Palm Beach County. Entire my entire legal career
(01:29):
has been here. After my time at the Palm Beach
State Attorney's Office, I opened up my own firm. I'm
really proud of it. It's a multi practice firm focused
on county court cases, and I've had the privilege of
litigating in the criminal, civil, and traffic divisions as a
small business owner. And in addition to that, I'm involved
(01:52):
in many community projects through the Palm Beach County Hispanic
Bar Association. I was the president of that last year.
I'm involved with a Florida association for women lawyers. And
something that's near and dear to my heart is Special Olympics. So,
as a matter of fact, even though I'm campaigning and
very busy with that, I still volunteer for them. And
(02:12):
I was just there Saturday for the pickleball.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Competition on your website. You refer to yourself onto the
education section a double Gator because you graduated cum laude
from the University of Florida and with your BA and
then Juri's doctor degree, so you get two different degrees there.
(02:34):
So for Gator fans, I thought maybe they would like
to know that you are a double Gator.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
I'm a double Gator. I'm a proud double Gator. Not
so happy about the football recently, but I'm confident we
will bounce back. But yes, I enjoyed my time at
the University of Florida for undergrad and law school, and
that was a total of seven years there in Gainesville.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now I know that in these races election law in Florida,
maybe it's even a federal law. I know when folks
are running for a judicial race, they have to be
careful how they draw comparisons between the candidates. Well aware
of that. But tell us, if you can, in the
(03:20):
most eloquent way you can, what sets you the biggest
things that sets you aside from your opponent in this race.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I touched on it a little earlier, but I would
love to delve into it a little more. So. Number one,
I'm the only candidate who is a former prosecutor. That's
important because as a prosecutor, you manage a caseload of
three to four hundred cases a day. You are in
the courtroom daily, you conduct jerry trials, and so that
(03:50):
time is sort of a learn by fire, trial by
fire situation, and learn you learn very quickly to become
comfortable in the courtroom. And that's what a judge is
going to need to do. A judge is going to
be making decisions from the courtroom. I needs to understand
the courtroom setting. I'm also the only candidate who has
run a small business. I think that's important because it
(04:11):
has given me those executive leadership skills. It has refined
those executive leadership skills. So being a multitasker, being a
decision maker, we want the courts to be efficient. We
want the courts to be effective, and my ability to
wear many hats as a small business owner and my
ability as a former prosecutor to handle a large volume
(04:33):
of cases are critical to the bench. And then I
would say the third very important point is my why.
My why is I'm the daughter of parents who escaped totalitarianism.
I'm from Cuba. My parents are from Cuba, both of
them and my whole family is from Cuba. They because
(04:53):
of the lack of separation of powers, my family suffered
direct consequences, is one of them being a family member
who was executed by firing squad without a trial. So
having grown up with those lessons that my parents learned
(05:14):
and that my family learns, I highly value our constitutional principle,
the due process, separation of powers, access to courts, and
it's my duty I believe to preserve our liberty here
in the United States by following the rule of law.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Give us one final push as to why folks should
vote Lotus Casanova.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Well, first of all, I'm excited that I receive the
most votes in the primary. I'm grateful for that. I'm
working hard every day to earn the votes of the
residents of Palm Beach County. I am the most prepared
candidate to lead a courtroom based on my range of experiences,
my focus, my entire career has been on the county court.
(05:55):
I've been in government practice and private practice, been on
the prosecution side and the defense side. I've litigated in
the criminal, civil and Traffic division. And on top of that,
I am very involved in the community. I do believe
being a judge is a career of service and I
am ready for that, and I have a record of
serving my community. But of course it's also and more
(06:19):
important than anything based on my family background. It is
a commitment to our constitution. It is a commitment to
the rule of law, and my promise to the voters
is that I will always be committed to the rule
of law and follow.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
The law as written. And oh, I'm sorry I.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Talk about my my endorsements.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
I was I was just getting there. That's exactly where
I was going. I was about to say, I'm also
for this round of questioning, if you will, I was
going to, uh, you know, offer you not opportunity And
I know you have it on your website, but so
folks don't have to take the time to go look
for that, tell us who is endorsing your campaign.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Sure, I'm proud to have the endorsement of our local
police and that's both the Police Benevolent Association and the
Fraternal Order Police. I also have the endorsement of our
firefighters and paramedics at Palm Beach County, and I have
over three hundred community leaders, legal and community leaders who
serve on my election committee, and I'm proud of that.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
All right, well, we do appreciate you speaking to us
for a second time again. Lords Casanova running in a
runoff for the Palm Beach County Judge Group two race,
a six year term and this is open to all
voters of all stripes here in Palm Beach County.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Thank you for joining me, Thank you for having me
Joel with a pleasure.
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