I believe it was Jrsyeagle who broke the news in the comments last night, that Judge Cohen wimped out and will wait for the Florida Supreme Court to make a ruling in two cases before deciding what to do.
A Miami judge hearing the lawsuit targeting the financing for a Florida Marlins ballpark and other Miami projects said Tuesday she will not rule on whether a public vote is needed on a portion of the funding for more than a month, until the Florida Supreme Court makes a decision on two similar cases.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jeri Beth Cohen, who said without the Supreme Court rulings the law is unclear...
Actually, if Cohen would have made a ruling, she would've had a voice in the Supreme Court findings. But she chose not to.
The earliest the Florida Supreme Court will take up the matter of the cases before it is late August. Of course Cohen is up for reelection in August so she may see delaying the trial as the most prudent thing to do for her reelection campaign.
The thing is this: the Florida Supreme Court could hold off on a ruling in the two case pending before it until after three new judges take the bench sometime after January 1st.
The Marlins were hoping to break ground on the new stadium in November, but that is looking all the more doubtful. Let's say the we get a ruling in the case that is favorable and there are no appeals, the county will still need to approve a couple of agreements that are on hold because of the lawsuit before actual construction can begin. Having the new stadium constructed by opening day of 2011 doesn't look promising.
Closing arguments in the trial are scheduled for today and Judge Cohen will possibly rule, but who really knows, if the stadium is of a paramount public purpose.