Sheriff Tom Knight's courthouse security policy: Legal gunbattle brewing

[Unregistered]

If Knight is abandoning his legal responsibilities as sheriff, then that’s “dereliction of duty” and Governor Scott should most certainly be involved. The governor can temporarily remove him from office until this is sorted out.

If Knight reinstates the abandoned SSO security checkpoints at the courthouse, then Governor Scott will not have a legal reason to suspend him (with or without pay?) from office during an investigation. This entire mess stems from Hoffman's bonehead legal analysis, so hopefully the governor won't make him the temporary sheriff during an investigation. LOL

[Unregistered]

If Knight is abandoning his legal responsibilities as sheriff, then that’s “dereliction of duty” and Governor Scott should most certainly be involved. The governor can temporarily remove him from office until this is sorted out.

Everybody already knows that Tom Knight was previously arrested by VPD for “disorderly conduct” after getting in a sloppy drunk fight at a bar over woman issues, but did you know that his brother (Chris Knight) was also forced out of FHP for mismanagement and was also arrested for getting in a fight over woman issues? You can see his arrest information by clicking here and the article here and the article about his "negligence of duties" and falsification of official government documents here. Mismanagement and shady dealings seems to be a common thread among the Knight brothers. Oh what a web we weave when we attempt to deceive!

[eating crow]

Knight should have pursued outside legal consultation before abandoning courthouse responsibilities. Knight walked away from his legal responsibilities. Historically, sheriffs have always provided courthouse security (and not municipal police officers). This is a no brainer.

Here is a simple question: as an elected sheriff, does Knight have the legal authority to simply abandon courthouse security?

Ah today was a very interesting day in Knight's office. Internal sources are saying:
1. Hoffman gave Knight very bad legal information, causing Knight to make very bad management decisions. (typical)
2. Knight is being forced to backtrack. (he has no legal choice)

We might see unexpected changes in court services, sometime between now and this Monday, regardless of what Senator Greg Stube told Knight.

More to come...

[Unregistered]

Ah today was a very interesting day in Knight's office. Internal sources are saying:
1. Hoffman gave Knight very bad legal information, causing Knight to make very bad management decisions. (typical)
2. Knight is being forced to backtrack. (he has no legal choice)

We might see unexpected changes in court services, sometime between now and this Monday, regardless of what Senator Greg Stube told Knight.

More to come...

I honestly have no idea what Knight is going to do. On the one hand, it seems like common sense for Knight to obey the court, but on the other hand, Knight is getting advice from Hoffman. It would not be wise for Knight to fight or disobey the court. He may have bitten off more than he can chew this time. Pick your battles wisely.

[S.P.A.R.C.C.]

I honestly have no idea what Knight is going to do. On the one hand, it seems like common sense for Knight to obey the court, but on the other hand, Knight is getting advice from Hoffman. It would not be wise for Knight to fight or disobey the court. He may have bitten off more than he can chew this time. Pick your battles wisely.

The MSO sheriff may or may not agree with the Knight & Hoffman duo, BUT the MSO sheriff made a prudent decision by not drastically altering things in Manatee County until the legal technicalities are worked out. However, Knight went off the deep end by (1) completely abdicating his courthouse responsibilities (2) without discussing it first with anyone – and he did it all based strictly on Kurt Hoffman’s legal advice. That’s a very dangerous precedent. As justification for removing security, Hoffman’s memo even says it “saves money” by not providing security to the Sarasota Clerk of the Court. Did Knight or Hoffman consider that the Clerk of Court is where domestic violence victim’s go to get copies of judges orders and to apply for restraining orders? And now there are no deputies present for security because Knight pulled them out. SPARCC is going to have a legal conniption fit over this.

[Unregistered]

If Knight is abandoning his legal responsibilities as sheriff, then that’s “dereliction of duty” and Governor Scott should most certainly be involved. The governor can temporarily remove him from office until this is sorted out.

It looks like the media go a hold of the case:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...sota-officials

[Blunder Boy]

If Knight is abandoning his legal responsibilities as sheriff, then that’s “dereliction of duty” and Governor Scott should most certainly be involved. The governor can temporarily remove him from office until this is sorted out.

It looks like the media go a hold of the case:

http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...sota-officials

Who or what determines what "courthouse facilities" are?

Kurt Hoffman used the non-judicial Merriam dictionary to conclude that the Sarasota Clerk of Court is not a part of the "courthouse facilities." Oops! What does Black's Law Dictionary say? http://thelawdictionary.org/court-house/

And Knight is standing his ground on Hoffman's analysis? The completely unrelated BA52 case law that Hoffman cited in his memo is not even related to courthouse issues. Oops! What does applicable case law say?

This is not a Constitutional crisis. It's a legal blunder from blunder boy.

[Unregistered]

Who or what determines what "courthouse facilities" are?

Kurt Hoffman used the non-judicial Merriam dictionary to conclude that the Sarasota Clerk of Court is not a part of the "courthouse facilities." Oops! What does Black's Law Dictionary say? http://thelawdictionary.org/court-house/

And Knight is standing his ground on Hoffman's analysis? The completely unrelated BA52 case law that Hoffman cited in his memo is not even related to courthouse issues. Oops! What does applicable case law say?

This is not a Constitutional crisis. It's a legal blunder from blunder boy.

This is taken from the comments section of the website:

This case hinges on:
(1) the definition of what a courthouse is
(2) what courthouse facilities are
(3) and whether courthouse facilities can be legally covered under the protective umbrella of courthouse administrative orders, state statutes and rules, specifically as specified under the 12th Judicial Circuit’s chief judge.

The Florida state statute does not specifically state whether a clerk of court falls under the protective umbrella of a courthouse, but case law does support this, especially when it is a part of judicial functioning. This case law is found both in Florida, as well as in other states. Additionally, even at the most basic level, Black’s Law Dictionary specifies that the “various offices” of the court are included under the umbrella of the courthouse.

Lastly, victims and defendants alike are co-mingled together inside the Sarasota Clerk of Court building, as they pay fines or perform court ordered actions or apply for domestic violence injunctions, etc. The administrative order of Chief Judge Williams needs to be obeyed by Sarasota Sheriff Tom Knight to keep co-mingled victims and defendants safe while they are in the clerk of court building.

[Unregistered]

This is taken from the comments section of the website:

This case hinges on:
(1) the definition of what a courthouse is
(2) what courthouse facilities are
(3) and whether courthouse facilities can be legally covered under the protective umbrella of courthouse administrative orders, state statutes and rules, specifically as specified under the 12th Judicial Circuit’s chief judge.

The Florida state statute does not specifically state whether a clerk of court falls under the protective umbrella of a courthouse, but case law does support this, especially when it is a part of judicial functioning. This case law is found both in Florida, as well as in other states. Additionally, even at the most basic level, Black’s Law Dictionary specifies that the “various offices” of the court are included under the umbrella of the courthouse.

Lastly, victims and defendants alike are co-mingled together inside the Sarasota Clerk of Court building, as they pay fines or perform court ordered actions or apply for domestic violence injunctions, etc. The administrative order of Chief Judge Williams needs to be obeyed by Sarasota Sheriff Tom Knight to keep co-mingled victims and defendants safe while they are in the clerk of court building.

Sheriff Knight is right on this one and you idiots that hate him can't see he is protecting you. You should bE loyal to the man that signs your check, right 873?

[Unregistered]

Sheriff Knight is right on this one and you idiots that hate him can't see he is protecting you. You should bE loyal to the man that signs your check, right 873?

I am loyal first and foremost to the citizenry and to taxpayers. My loyality is not towards Knight. He has done enough damage.