Miami-Dade County leaders unite to ensure citizens’ full access to justice
Florida’s Constitution promises: “The courts shall be open to every person for redress of any injury.”
Today, we reflect and rejoice in the great news — County leaders are united to ensure citizens’ full access to justice by authorizing a competitive process to construct a new civil and probate courthouse to replace the beloved but rapidly deteriorating Dade County Courthouse a/k/a “Cielito Lindo“.
On Tuesday, County commissioners unanimously endorsed a new competitive procurement process to select a private-public (P3) development team to “design-build-operate-maintain-finance” a new civil county courthouse — next to the existing courthouse, on Flagler Street.
For your convenience, here is a link to the latest Miami Herald article by Douglas Hanks detailing these developments on the construction of a “new” courthouse.
It has truly been an honor and privilege for Pablo Acosta, Esq. and I to serve as pro bono governmental affairs counsel to Chief Judge Bertila Soto of the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida.
Chief Judge Soto has fought tirelessly to ensure that the County to take every step to guarantee an open, transparent and competitive procurement process — in order to ensure that a cost-effective, functional new civil courthouse is constructed — promptly.
As Chief Judge Soto explained in a recent Viewpoint in the Miami Herald — “A courthouse is essential to our democracy and is an essential public service.”
Please join us in thanking Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Chairman Steve Bovo, Committee Chairwoman Sally Heyman and the entire Board of County Commissioners for their unwavering support for ensuring all citizens full access to justice.
This is a very significant milestone for all the residents of our community and will be OUR legacy for generations to come.
We fight on, inspired by the immortal words of President George Washington —