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Strategies & Market Trends : VOLTAIRE'S PORCH-MODERATED -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: crdesign who wrote (23465)	12/8/2000 10:23:34 PM
From: abstract	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 65232

A Look at Judge Terry Lewis TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Circuit Judge Terry Lewis, who is handling the recount of votes ordered by the Florida Supreme Court, often doesn't bother to don a black robe before entering the courtroom and is known for his easy and informal style. The latest election legal case landed on Lewis' desk Friday after Judge N. Sanders Sauls recused himself. This is the third legal dispute in the presidential election assigned to Lewis. Earlier, Lewis ruled that Secretary of State Katherine Harris had to consider the reasons why some counties needed more than a week to certify their results - a legal victory for Democrat Al Gore. But a few days later, Lewis refused to find that Harris abused her discretion and violated his order when she failed to give counties more time, a ruling that favored Republican George W. Bush. But the Florida Supreme Court overturned Lewis' ruling and set a deadline for statewide certification. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week vacated that ruling. Lewis also was assigned a suit brought by voters in Martin County alleging that officials there improperly let Republicans alter absentee ballot application forms. Lewis ruled Friday that despite ``irregularities,'' the sanctity of the election had not been compromised. Lewis does more than work as a judge. He likes to play basketball and wrote a mystery novel, ``Conflict of Interest,'' about an alcoholic criminal defense lawyer. It took five years, but the book has sold several thousand copies in hardcover before being released in paperback. Lewis, a native of Live Oak, Fla., earned his bachelor's and law degrees from Florida State University. He practiced civil and criminal law for 12 years before he was elected county judge in 1988. Some of his rulings have put him at odds with the state government. In July 1999, Lewis ruled against the enforcement of a new state law that required doctors to notify parents of girls under 18 who were seeking abortions. In October 1999, the state and the teachers' unions were battling over a new state law allowing the use of school vouchers for students in poor performing schools. Republican Gov. Jeb Bush's lawyers and voucher proponents asked Lewis to recuse himself because his wife is a guidance counselor at a Tallahassee elementary school. Lewis agreed.