S P E C I A L
F E A T U R E
Lyndsey E. Siara – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
M eet tHe J udges : J udge M iCHelle s isCo
I
the bigger the case, the better,” Judge sisco says. Murder, medical malpractice,
tobacco — these are a few of her favorite types of trials.
I
n the third segment
divisions. But Judge Sisco’s
of this recurring series
devotion is unique in that it
on Thirteenth Circuit
covers both the criminal and
judges, I present Judge
civil realms. Not to mention
Michelle Sisco. It’s a
Division J, through which
bit kitschy, I know, but only
she handles all Rule 3.850
three minutes into my
postconviction motions filed
conversation with Judge Sisco,
after March 1, 2016.
the two words that stuck out in
Judge Sisco sits in Trial
my mind were “Trial Queen”
Division 1, through which she
or …“Trial Fiend.” Having
takes multi-week trials that
presided over 126 jury trials to
would bog down regular
date (77 criminal and 49 civil,
divisions. For her colleagues,
to be exact), she certainly has
it frees their dockets to handle
the numbers to back up the
other matters. For attorneys,
Judge Michelle Sisco
title. What began with a request
it may get them to trial much
to former Chief Judge Manuel Menendez to “pick up a
sooner than they could in a regular division. The beauty
few civil trials,” turned into what is now a split
of landing in her division is that attorneys know they
civil/criminal Trial Division. She recalls Judge Menendez’s
are going to trial; there are no back-up situations like in
“I’m not going to stop you from working hard” response
the regular divisions. Her focus is exclusively the trial;
to her request. She has certainly done that.
all pretrial proceedings and decisions are made in the
Only two others come close to sharing her love for trials
regular division.
— Judges Christopher Sabella and Samantha Ward, who
preside over the two other (exclusively criminal) trial
Continued on page 17
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SEPT - OCT 2018
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HCBA LAWYER