U.S. Judge Shelby Highsmith of Miami; arrogant bully

The state of Florida presented Shelby Highsmith with a law license in 1958 after he graduated from the University of Kansas Law School.

President George H.W. Bush was duped into appointing

Shelby as a District Court Judge for the Southern District of Florida in 1991. Shelby didn’t get the appointment because he was the most qualified attorney in the Miami area; he got it because he had proven to be a reliable lackey for the local political hacks.

Shelby found it acceptable to personally intervene in a personal dispute involving his clerk and her daughter at a downtown Miami store. At the time, Shelby was accompanied by a deputy from the U.S. Marshals Service.

When Thorne tried to use her credit card, she learned from the cashier that it wasn’t hers but someone else’s. She then called her mother Sabbatino who was in Shelby’s chambers at the time. Shelby then instructed Sabbatino to call the Marshall’s Service and that they (Shelby and Marshall) were on the way down to the store.

When he appeared at the store, Highsmith asked to speak to the cashier. Shelby then flashed his judicial identification to the owner of the store.

The owner replied that the cashier, who was pregnant, wasn’t feeling well and had gone home. When Highsmith began asking more questions, the store owners responded, “This is not court! If you have a complaint, call the police!” Praise the Lord, the truth will set you free!

Shortly thereafter, Officer Ragusa responded to the scene and the clerk showed up. The clerk said she wasn’t feeling well and Ragusa asked whether she needed fire rescue. Ragusa then said, “OK, stop! Everyone step away. We have a pregnant woman here. This investigation can’t continue.”Ragusa continued by saying:

• “For all I know you’re the one who took the credit card. You can’t point fingers; you need to take this up with the bank.”

As one would suspect, Highsmith was never punished for his egregious misconduct and that includes ordering a U.S. Marshall on taxpayer time to travel with him to the store to act as an official advocate for his clerk’s daughter.