Neighboring Fla. Jurists Move Chambers After Death of Colleague, Citing Mold Concern
Concerning that a 52-year-old Florida jurist’s death from lung cancer last month may have been linked to courthouse mold, three of Judge Cheryl Aleman’s colleagues on the ninth floor have moved their chambers out of the Broward County Courthouse and are seeking environmental testing.
“There were issues with a serious illness with one or more judges in the area,” Judge Patti Englander Henning tells the Miami Herald. “Prudence suggested that we request to be moved until they can test and determine what the problem is and how it can be remedied. And obviously, it was a valid enough claim that they were good enough to move us.”
An article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says judges are also concerned about a possible asbestos issue in the courthouse.
Court employees have previously filed a series of lawsuits over alleged courthouse mold, and the issue has also arisen concerning other courthouses in Florida.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com (Feb. 2008): “Moldy Courthouses an Issue in Fla.”
ABAJournal.com (April 2008): “Did Courthouse Mold Cause Fla. Federal Judge’s Death?”
