Originally scheduled to be held live on campus, the event “went remote” due to the pandemic and featured legal experts from across the state on matters including jury selection, immigration, DUI, and technology.
Dean Page graciously delivered the welcome to attendees of the day-long virtual event, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Nushin Sayfie, Chief Administrative Judge of the Criminal Division, gave a “state of the criminal justice system” address, and Professor Fingerhut concluded the program with his case law update, highlighting the best (and worst) cases from this past year from around the country.
The program highlight, however, was the Honorable Harry Lee Anstead, now retired, the 76th Justice, and 50th Chief Justice, of the Florida Supreme Court, who spoke on systemic racial inequality in Florida’s criminal justice system, calling for the Bar’s Criminal Law Section to convene a commission to study, identify, recommend, and implement the radical structural reforms, long overdue, that this moment in America yearns for.
Professor Fingerhut formerly chaired the Bar’s Criminal Law Section and now serves as a member of its Executive Council and continuing legal education chair.
The 2021 Criminal Law Update is currently being planned – live – on campus next November.
Professor Fingerhut is Assistant Director of the FIU Law Trial Advocacy Program. He teaches Trial Advocacy, Pretrial Practice, and Criminal Procedure. He also serves as a Faculty Fellow and pre-law advisor in The Honors College and coaches the FIU Law Trial Team.
Reach him at 305-348-8095, fingerhut@fiu.edu, and law.fiu.edu/trialad.