THE ROBING ROOM

I've known Judge Howard since she was a young associate with a good firm in Jacksonville. She is a good person and smart. She's growing into the job; as far as I know she was never a magistrate before. I has a product case with her and she seemed a bit more plaintiff oriented, but then the plaintiff clearly had the better case (I was defending). She was willing to go back on a rehearing and reexamine a complex point of law that she got wrong on the initial order. Most courts won't do that. On the other hand, her analysis was a bit superficial both times. But give her time, she's in her forties and has a good mind. Incidentally, her family is very pro-Republican and politically connected. But I haven't seen or heard of her being conservative or liberal in her rulings. But for the next few years, don't expect complex 'deep' rulings.