Chief Justice Awards for Judicial Excellence

The Chief Justice Awards for Judicial Excellence, established in 2015, recognize one county court judge and one circuit judge who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the judicial branch and who personify judicial excellence, embodying qualities such as strength of character, integrity, fairness, open-mindedness, knowledge of the law, sound judgment, professional ethics, intellectual courage, compassion, and decisiveness. Presented annually (except for 2020, when they were deferred because of the pandemic), these prestigious awards are bestowed at the annual education programs or annual business meetings for each level of the trial court.

Judge Linda Singer Stein, Miami-Dade County, Receives the 2021 Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence

“Patient and selfless,” “intelligent, thoughtful, and innovative,” “a leader and a professional,” “an excellent system-builder,” “an extraordinary administrator”—this is just a small sample of the outflow of praise for Judge Linda Singer Stein, as expressed by her colleagues in their letters supporting her nomination for a Chief Justice Award for Judicial Excellence. In her nomination of Judge Singer Stein for the award, former Chief Judge Bertila Soto emphasized, “I can think of no other county court judge that has dedicated more time and effort to serve the citizens of Miami Dade and the state in the civil area.” On the Miami-Dade County bench since 1993, Judge Singer Stein is highly valued and appreciated as an administrator, a mentor, a colleague, and a friend.

Judge Singer Stein was selected to serve as associate administrative judge for the County Court Civil Division in 2004, and, in 2015, she was appointed administrative judge for that division. Administrative judges play a critical role in developing and maintaining division policies and procedures and in keeping their division running smoothly; they accept this role in addition to their usual duties—and without additional compensation. Several letter writers noted that they chose to be assigned to the civil division because of Judge Singer Stein’s excellent reputation. As one letter writer pointed out, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit is the state’s “most populous circuit and has a wide variety of needs. Judge Singer Stein has met and continues to meet the ever-changing needs of this great circuit. Her responsibilities include training new members of the bench, supervising 19 county court judges, managing the seven courthouses that house the County Court Civil Divisions, communicating with the clerk of court on the day-to-day issues, and maintaining her own docket. We are not sure where she derives the fortitude and strength to do all this, and she does so with a positive attitude.” 

Wrote another, Judge Singer Stein “has been integral in ironing out all the wrinkles in administration. No one is better at diffusing a difficult situation and finding the honorable, fair, and expedient solution as a leader and professional. With all too much regularity, Judge Singer Stein knowingly steps into a hornet’s nest with integrity, uncompromising ethics, open-mindedness, and objective, sound judgement and offers to assist in the resolution of the issue and never fails to miraculously find an answer.”  Pondering why she takes on these challenges, he proposed, “I know that it is her mission and priority to see that all roadblocks are removed so that judges can move forward unhindered to provide justice to our community.”

Another common theme among the letter writers was Judge Singer Stein’s merits as a mentor.  One writer, for whom Judge Singer Stein was her “first mentor and first administrative judge,” proclaimed that Judge Singer Stein “has no equal in my circuit. She taught me how to manage cases, how to handle a variety of subject matter, and how to transition from lawyer to judge. She is an extraordinary administrator. Whatever issues crop up in the courthouse, be it an uptick in caseloads, a leaky roof, issues affecting access to litigants, or a shortage of interpreters, Judge Stein handles it with her signature thoughtful, effective, and patient approach.”

“It is known far and wide that she is always willing to offer support and provide a one-stop shop for all civil county court judges’ needs,” observed another. “Judge Singer Stein has long maintained an open-door policy for mentorship and regularly sits with new judges as they learn the robes (pun intended). She patiently and selflessly guides them with continuous and reliable support for as long as they need or desire it.”

Another commented, “I had the privilege of working with Judge Stein immediately upon taking the bench as a county judge in 2016. Almost immediately, Judge Stein did for me what she does for so many—she made herself available, she mentored, and she provided a platform which did not simply require me to copy what she did; she provided the knowledge, confidence, and foundation so that I could become the judge I was meant to be.”  She continued, “Judge Stein teaches not simply by saying ‘this is how it is done’ but by showing ‘why’ and giving options, advice, and encouraging each judge to utilize his or her own skill set to enrich the bench. She did this as the associate administrative judge (now administrative judge) of the County Civil Division in charge of training all new civil county judges, and all while presiding over a full docket and running a busy branch courthouse.” Additionally, this letter writer pointed out that Judge Singer Stein is also “a natural leader and mentor…to the pipeline of young people who aspire to be lawyers. She is invested in her community and gives back to so many.”

“In addition to the mentorship, Judge Stein is a wonderful colleague,” said another. “She has a kind disposition and shows by example how to follow the law and rule accordingly, without losing sight of the humility a judge must have. She is always available to help a colleague with a scheduling issue or coverage, and equally available to discuss a legal issue. I am blessed by amazing colleagues, but I hit the lottery with Judge Stein as my administrative judge. As so many judges have passed through county civil, she has shaped a huge percentage of Miami-Dade's judiciary on the county, circuit, and appellate bench. So many of us owe the good habits and perspective to Judge Stein's training and example of dedication and service.”

One letter of support called Judge Singer Stein a "glue person," defining it as “one of the people who hold the court together. As so many judges have come and gone, and gone from county to circuit (like me) and other places, it is judges like Judge Stein, through her selfless work, positivity, and dedication, who make sure the institutional memory is preserved, that the public is served, and that as a bench we do not miss a beat. She has trained them all. I am proud to call her a mentor, humbled to call her a colleague, and honored to call her a friend.”

The nomination letter summed up Judge Singer Stein’s many virtues as follows: “Judge Singer Stein has faced it all. She has been a champion for the court during the foreclosure crisis, the jurisdictional change, and the pandemic. She has continuously faced the challenges confronted due to change and crisis. She seeks solutions for the busiest docket in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Her innovation and thoughtful approach in case management has allowed for the public to have continued access in our five satellite courthouses and the Dade County Courthouse. Her changes and improvements have worked seamlessly to permit progress and growth….The Eleventh Circuit is blessed to have such an intelligent, thoughtful and innovative judge. She exemplifies what all judges should be and is truly deserving of this award.”