News & Events
Federal Judge Highsmith likely to retire
By John Pacenti
May 30, 2008 | DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW
Senior U.S. District Judge Shelby Highsmith is expected to retire from the Miami bench at the end of the year, Chief U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno said Thursday.
The 79-year-old Highsmith, who is out of the office until July, will not be taking any new cases, Moreno said.
“Judge Highsmith is doing fine,” Moreno said. “He indicated to me he will probably retire at the end of year. He’s super healthy. He is handling his cases.”
Moreno said Highsmith is looking forward to retirement, but “it’s only May. He can still change his mind.” Rumors of Highsmith’s retirement started surfacing a year ago.
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“I remember Judge Highsmith not only as a great judge but one of the best trial lawyers in South Florida,” said attorney Kendall Coffey, who served as U.S. attorney in Miami from 1993 to 1996. “If he ever runs out of things to do, he could definitely do seminars and videos and teach all of us a great deal of craft of trial work.”
Coffey recalled a civil case in which Highsmith granted a rare rehearing and ended up ruling 180 degrees differently.
“What I was struck by was his willingness to be open-minded and the depths of his analysis,” said Coffey, now a partner with Coffey Burlington in Miami.
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John Pacenti can be reached at jpacenti@alm.com or at (305) 347-6638