• Presented a talk titled “The Challenge of Protecting Trade Secret Information in a Digital World,” at a conference at the George Washington School of Law on Sept. 28.

Christopher Slobogin
Stephen C. O’Connell Chair; Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry; Adjunct Professor, University of South Florida Mental Health Institute; Associate Director, Center for Children and Families

• His article, “The Supreme Court’s Recent Criminal Mental Health Cases: Rulings of Questionable Competence” was the lead piece in the October issue of the ABA’s Criminal Justice Magazine.

UF Law Faculty in the News

Kenneth B. Nunn
Professor; Associate Director, Center on Children and Families

• ABCNews.com, Sept. 27. Quoted in article discussing the nationwide support and protests of the Jena Six students. Many experts were interviewed by ABC regarding the racial divide and punishments associated with both the white and black students. Regarding the level of bias in the system, Nunn said, “Do we have a criminal justice system that mistreats people on the basis of race? No. The principle is not the issue, but the practical application [of law] is where you see the problems.” The public at large basically thinks that these cases are aberrations, Nunn said, and that’s one reason why so much attention is paid to them. “It’s the idea that it’s the redneck sheriff doing this and not the way we sort of stack the odds against black criminal defendants. We can point to a few bad apples, say, ‘See, it’s them,’ and the rest of us feel great because we’re demonstrating how we disagree with racism.”

Christopher Slobogin
Stephen C. O’Connell Chair; Affiliate Professor of Psychiatry; Adjunct Professor, University of South Florida Mental Health Institute; Associate Director, Center for Children and Families

• St. Petersburg Times, Sept. 28. Quoted in a story on what the paper called the “swift but cautious” investigation of a city council member accused of sexualy abusing one of his adopted daughters, which included a phone call from the police chief to the mayor informing him of the allegations. Slobogin said it is unusual that the police chief informed the mayor of a criminal investigation, but if no details of the allegations were shared, he said it would do little harm. “The fact that this guy (Baker) was kind of his boss, muddies the waters a bit,” Slobogin said.

Barbara Bennett Woodhouse
David H. Levin Chair in Family Law; Professor; Director, Center on Children and Families and Family Law Certificate Program; Co-Director, Institute for Child and Adolescent Research and Evaluation (ICARE)

• Miami Herald, Sept. 28. Quoted in an article discussing a custody battle over a five-year-old Cuban girl and the recent ruling . Woodhouse said that a ruling in favor of the Cubas family could help propel Florida closer to other states that emphasize children’s interests over birth parents’ rights. “When there is a serious detriment to the child, that should be taken into account,” Woodhouse said. “You can’t treat a child like a piece of property. . . . Let’s not just look at blood. Let’s look at actions, conduct.”

Hobbs, who practices in the areas of criminal trial law, appeals, personal injury and wrongful death, was the lead defense attorney behind Florida’s first hazing trial, which was televised last fall on Court TV. Hobbs represented four of five members of the Alpha Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity on trial for allegedly participating in the hazing of a pledge at Florida A&M University.

Three fraternity brothers accused in the case avoided prison by pleading no contest in March to a lesser charge in the beating of a prospective member. Each received probation, including 30 days in a sheriff’s work camp, after entering the pleas to misdemeanor hazing. Prosecutors offered the plea deal only after two mistrials on felony hazing charges. The second jury convicted two other fraternity brothers who were subsequently sentenced to two years in prison. Their cases are currently on appeal.

The Kappa Hazing case is not Hobbs’ first time garnering national media attention. In 2003 Hobbs represented Florida State University’s former star quarterback and now pro-football player Adrian McPherson in his Court TV-televised trial for gambling violations. Hobbs and co-counsel Grady Irvin’s tactics left the jury in that case deadlocked and a mistrial was declared.

But in the midst of flashing cameras, Hobbs says he strives to be a voice for the voiceless, a goal he attributes to the skills he learned at the Levin College of Law and to the professors he learned those skills from.

“Law school helped to sharpen my analytical reasoning ability and oral advocacy skills,” Hobbs said. “I had the pleasure of studying under the late Professor Gerald Bennett, who was widely considered one of the preeminent experts in trial advocacy in the state of Florida. I also had the privilege of studying criminal law under Professor Kenneth Nunn. Professor Nunn also heightened my awareness of the law as a means of social justice through his Race and Race Relations seminar.”

Hobbs started his legal career as an assistant state attorney and worked for several firms, including the Law Offices of Frank Sheffield and Knowles & Randolph. Hobbs has also served as an adjunct professor at Florida A&M University and is a freelance writer whose columns appear in several statewide newspapers. During his tenure in Gainesville Hobbs was an editorial writer for the Independent Florida Alligator.

According to Professor Nunn, Hobbs was a dedicated student who worked hard in and out of the classroom.

“Chuck always had opinions and would speak his mind when he had the opportunity,” Nunn said. “Chuck was very instrumental in the Street Law Program I ran at the time to provide legal information to middle school-aged students in low-income areas of Gainesville. He was very popular with them, and he was very committed to giving back to his community.”

UF Law alumni played a role in his aspirations as well.

“A number of UF law black alumni, including U.S. District Court Judge Stephan P. Mickle (JD 70) and noted trial lawyer W. George Allen (JD 62), inspire me because they have broken barriers,” Hobbs said.

The impact these alumni have had on Hobbs has allowed him to reach for even higher heights in the legal community—so high, in fact, that he may make Florida history again.

“I eventually hope to become the first black elected state attorney in Florida,” Hobbs said. “I am strongly considering running for the same in the 2nd Judicial Circuit upon the retirement of my first boss, the Hon. William Meggs, in 2012.”

Hobbs’ experience with Professor Nunn’s Street Law Program, which led Hobbs to a chance meeting with his wife, Brooke, planted a seed in him that has now grown into a desire to begin his own mentoring program with other young African-American professionals in North Florida’s communities. The program will focus on nurturing, educating, empowering and inspiring young men.

“What I do is not unique,” said Hobbs. “I am just a small component in ensuring the voiceless have a voice.”

THE CASE ON APPEAL:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MATTHEW MAZZARELLA, Petitioner,

vs.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Respondent.

Petitioner Matthew Mazzarella was convicted of three counts relating to the trafficking of OxyContin. Mazzarella discussed with an undercover agent his interest in buying a gun. The agent offered to exchange a gun for drugs. Mazzarella exchanged a quantity of OxyContin pills for the gun. The agent arrested Mazzarrella for drug trafficking and use of a firearm during a drug transaction. Subsequent to Mazzarella’s arrest, Mazzarella’s babysitter Erin McFann came forward with a video tape from a nanny cam device. The tape of a recent babysitting session included footage of Ms. McFann with Mazzarella’s daughter and her friend playing a game of Truth or Dare. During the game, Mazzarella’s daughter revealed that Mazzarella took drugs from work. Based on the video tape and because Mazzarella worked in another state, Mazzarella was charged with transporting stolen drugs across state lines.

Mazzarella was convicted on all three counts. Mazzarella appealed his convictions for use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense and for transporting stolen drugs across state lines. The 13th District Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction holding that 1) Mazzarella’s actions constituted use of a firearm during a drug transaction and 2) that admitting the statements made by Mazzarella’s daughter did not violate Mazzarella’s 6th Amendment right to confront his accuser.

The Supreme Court of the United States of America has scheduled oral argument for the appeal of the 13th District Court’s decision on Friday, Oct. 12, 2007, at 9:30 a.m.