Louis H. Schiff

Louis H. Schiff
Broward County Court Judge, North Satellite Division
In office
January 7, 1997 – December 31, 2024
Preceded byJohn P. Gaudiosi (1989 - 1996)
Succeeded byKathleen Angione (2025 - )
Personal details
Born (1955-06-03) June 3, 1955
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
SpouseLeslee Lindahl Schiff
RelationsFred Schiff, brother
ChildrenAmber Schiff, Erik Schiff
Parent(s)Melvin Schiff, Sally Brandes Schiff
ResidenceBroward County, Florida
EducationUniversity of Florida (B.S.)
Hamline University School of Law (J.D.)
ProfessionJudge, attorney, professor, author
AwardsOutstanding Alumnus Award (2022) – Mitchell Hamline School of Law * SABR Baseball Research Award (2017) – Society for American Baseball Research, for Baseball and the Law * Harvey Ford Award (2006) – Conference of County Court Judges of Florida * Justice in Action Award (2006) – Broward County League of Women Voters * Adult Volunteer of the Year (2005) – Broward County School Board * Distinguished Alumnus Award (2000) – Hamline University School of Law * Businessman of the Year (1990) – Tamarac Chamber of Commerce
NicknameLou

Louis H. Schiff (born June 3, 1955) is a retired American judge, attorney, professor, and author. He served as a Broward County Court Judge in Florida from 1997 to 2024, recognized for educational sentencing practices, judicial education and judicial leadership. Schiff is an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and co-author of Baseball and the Law: Cases and Materials (2016), a seminal casebook on baseball law.[1][2]

Early life and education

Louis H. Schiff was born on June 3, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York, to Sally and Melvin Schiff.[1][2] He grew up a New York Mets fan, attending their 1968 home opener at Shea Stadium, and going to games unsupervised on the Long Island Rail Road.[1][3] Raised in North Bellmore, New York, he attended Sawmill Road School, Jerusalem Avenue Junior High School, and Wellington C. Mepham High School.[2] In 1972, his family relocated to South Florida, and he graduated from North Miami Beach Senior High School in 1973, part of its inaugural class.[1][2]

Schiff earned a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Florida in 1977 and a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law in 1980.[4] During college, he interned with the New York Yankees’ Class A farm club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serving as public relations director and occasional official scorer.[1][2] He declined a public relations job offer from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to pursue law school at his parents’ urging.[1][2][5][6]

Career

After passing the Florida Bar in 1981 on his second attempt, Schiff began practicing law in Gainesville, Florida.[4][1] He relocated to Broward County in 1982, establishing a private practice in Tamarac, Florida, until 1996.[4] From 1990 to 1996, he served as a Broward County Traffic Magistrate, handling traffic-related cases.[4][7][8] During this period, he was president of the Kiwanis Club of Tamarac and the Tamarac Chamber of Commerce.[9][10][11]

Judicial career

Elected to the Broward County Court in 1996, unopposed after initially having an opponent, Schiff took office on January 7, 1997, serving in the North Satellite Division at the North Regional Courthouse in Deerfield Beach, Florida.[2][4][12] Re-elected unopposed in 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018, he presided over civil and criminal cases until retiring on December 31, 2024.[4][13][12] Recognized for educational sentencing, he assigned traffic offenders and underage tobacco users to write essays or attend classes, a practice he presented at the National Judicial College in 2005.[14][15][16] In 2006, *USA Today Weekend* featured Schiff in a front-page story for his community engagement.[17] In 2010, 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida Chief Judge Victor Tobin tasked Schiff with studying remote interpreter use in criminal cases, making him the first Broward judge to implement this practice.[18] In 2018, 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida Chief Judge Jack Tuter appointed him Administrative Chair of Broward County’s three satellite courthouses.[12]

Leadership roles

From 2011 to 2012, Schiff was president of the Conference of County Court Judges of Florida, launching the “Off the Bench” program, encouraging judges to volunteer four hours monthly, aiming for 15,000 collective hours.[19][20][21] From 2021 to 2024, he served as Associate Dean of the Florida Judicial College, training new judges in trial skills and substantive law.[22]

Academic work

Teaching

Schiff was an adjunct professor at Broward College from 2001 to 2020, teaching paralegal studies.[4] Since 2008, he has been an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, teaching courses such as “Law and Cinema: Are Lawyers Still Our Heroes” and “Law and the Business of Baseball,” the latter at CHS Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[4][23][1]

Judicial Education

He has taught Florida judges since 2002 through the Conference of County Court Judges of Florida, Florida Advanced Judicial Studies, Florida Judicial College, Florida DUI/Traffic Adjudication Lab and joined the National Judicial College faculty in 2005.[24][25] For the National Judicial College he has presented topics on dealing with challenging litigants; baseball law; courtroom management; older drivers; younger drivers and judicial ethics.[26][27][28] In addition to presenting both in person and on-line programs for the NJC, Schiff has also been a guest presenter for judges in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Tennessee and most recently Utah.[29][30]

Publications

Schiff co-authored Baseball and the Law: Cases and Materials (2016) ISBN 978-1-61163-502-7, published by Carolina Academic Press, with Robert M. Jarvis, the first casebook on baseball law law for law schools, earning the 2017 SABR Baseball Research Award from the Society for American Baseball Research.[23][31][32][3][33][34][35] His articles on baseball and law have appeared in Society for American Baseball Research publications.[36] He co-authored A Survey of Florida Baseball Cases (2015), published in 2017 by Nova Law Review with Robert M. Jarvis.[37] His forthcoming book, Attorneys in the Baseball Hall of Fame: A Collection of Biographical Essays, ISBN 978-1476692456, is scheduled for publication by McFarland & Company in late 2025.[38]

Community involvement

Schiff served as president of the Kiwanis Club of Tamarac and the Tamarac Chamber of Commerce, earning the 1990 Businessman of the Year award from the latter.[10][11] He volunteered as jazz band director at Sawgrass Springs Middle School for 12 years, receiving the 2005 Adult Volunteer of the Year award from Broward County Public Schools.[39][40][41][42] He plays trumpet in The Pride of the Sunshine, the University of Florida Gator Band Alumni Association, and the Fort Lauderdale Symphonic Winds.[43][44][45]

Personal life

Schiff married Leslee Lindahl on September 3, 1983, and they have two children, Amber and Erik, the latter sworn into The Florida Bar by Schiff in 2019.[46] A Miami Marlins season ticket holder and Society for American Baseball Research member, he resides in Broward County.[1] Schiff has appeared as a baseball historian on CBC News’ The National, discussing topics like the Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal and baseball’s cheating scandals.[47][48] He is a frequent podcast guest on baseball and law topics.[49][50] After retiring in December 2024, Schiff continues teaching judges, playing golf, traveling, and performing music.[43] He and his wife established an endowed scholarship at Mitchell Hamline School of Law for students with financial need.[51]

Awards and honors

  • Outstanding Alumnus Award, Mitchell Hamline School of Law (2022)[22]
  • SABR Baseball Research Award, Society for American Baseball Research (2017, for Baseball and the Law)[31][32]
  • Harvey Ford Award, Conference of County Court Judges of Florida (2006)[31]
  • Justice in Action Award, Broward County League of Women Voters (2006)[2]
  • Adult Volunteer of the Year, Broward County School Board (2005)[39]
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, Hamline University School of Law (2000)[23]
  • Businessman of the Year, Tamarac Chamber of Commerce (1990)[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Borzi, Pat (June 28, 2019). "Meet the Mets-loving Florida judge who teaches a law school class — at CHS Field?". MinnPost. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Bousquet, Steve (January 11, 2025). "From Brooklyn to Broward, a colorful legal journey". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Baseball and the Law". The Florida Bar. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Louis H. Schiff". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  5. ^ "The Judge and George Steinbrenner". BrowardBeat.com. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  6. ^ "Judge Louis Schiff Shows Passion for Law, Baseball". Daily Business Review. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  7. ^ "Traffic Court Topic of Chamber Meeting". Sun Sentinel. August 27, 1995. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  8. ^ "That's the Ticket: Challenging a Traffic Citation in Broward Can Be Quite a Headache". Sun Sentinel. November 3, 1992. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  9. ^ "1976-1977 Circle K International Board". Digital Public Library of America. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Kiwanis Club of Tamarac". The Miami Herald. April 9, 1984. p. 274. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Tamarac Chamber of Commerce". South Florida Sun Sentinel. December 24, 1986. p. 119. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c "Five Broward judges with 125 years combined experience to retire in December". The Florida Bar. December 18, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  13. ^ "County Court Civil and Criminal". Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. May 3, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Broward judge puts sense into sentences". Sun Sentinel. October 8, 2005. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  15. ^ "Lungs & Order". Sun Sentinel. September 5, 1999. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  16. ^ "Fast Learners". Sun Sentinel. July 21, 2005. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  17. ^ "Community Involvement". USA Today. August 11, 2006. p. 57. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "Interpreters to Work for Courts via Remote". Sun Sentinel. January 18, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  19. ^ "New President of Conference of County Court Judges of Florida". Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. July 6, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  20. ^ "Schiff leads Conference of County Court Judges". The Florida Bar. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Schiff taking over as head of County Court Conference". Daily Business Review. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  22. ^ a b "Hon. Louis Schiff '80". Mitchell Hamline School of Law. January 27, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  23. ^ a b c "Louis Schiff – Faculty, Staff, and Administration". Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  24. ^ "Honoring a Fellow Judge, Friend and Public Servant". Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. November 26, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  25. ^ "2016-2017 Faculty Awards & Milestones". The National Judicial College. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  26. ^ "Judge Schiff Presents Webinar to Judges Nationwide". Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  27. ^ "Take Me Out to the Courtroom: A Look at Baseball Cases in the Florida Courts". The National Judicial College. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  28. ^ "Honing Courthouse & Courtroom Communication Skills". Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  29. ^ "Judge Schiff Featured Presenter for Tennessee Municipal Judges Conference". Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  30. ^ "Mississippi Judicial College | The University of Mississippi Judicial College". mjc.olemiss.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  31. ^ a b c "County Court Judge Louis Schiff Receives Elite Review and Award for Law Book". Conference of County Court Judges of Florida. May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  32. ^ a b admin. "Kenny, Swanson, Schiff, Jarvis win 2017 SABR Baseball Research Awards – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  33. ^ "There's a law school textbook containing only baseball cases". NBC Sports. April 21, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  34. ^ Cole, Howard. "Attorneys Pen First Baseball Textbook For Use In Law School Courses". Forbes. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  35. ^ hlr (November 10, 2016). "Recent Publications — November 2016". Harvard Law Review. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  36. ^ "Louis H. Schiff – Society for American Baseball Research". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  37. ^ Schiff, Louis; Jarvis, Robert (January 1, 2015). "A Survey Of Florida Baseball Cases". Nova Law Review. 40 (1). ISSN 1049-0248.
  38. ^ "Attorneys in the Baseball Hall of Fame". McFarland Books. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  39. ^ a b "Benchmarks". The Florida Bar. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  40. ^ "Order in the Chord". Sun Sentinel. August 21, 2005. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  41. ^ "Judge Trades Gavel for Baton". The Miami Herald. June 9, 2003. p. 113. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  42. ^ "Judge Trades Gavel for Baton". South Florida Sun Sentinel. August 21, 2005. p. 176. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  43. ^ a b "Longtime Judge Is Calling It Quits". BrowardBeat.com. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  44. ^ "Judge Schiff Reunites with the Band". Seventeenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. October 9, 2023. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  45. ^ "Fort Lauderdale Symphonic Winds". Fort Lauderdale Symphonic Winds. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  46. ^ "Judge Schiff swears his son into The Florida Bar". The Florida Bar. September 18, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  47. ^ Shohei Ohtani addresses gambling scandal, says he's the victim. CBC News: The National. March 25, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2025 – via YouTube.
  48. ^ Cheating scandal looms over baseball’s pandemic return. CBC News: The National. July 21, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2025 – via YouTube.
  49. ^ "Lou Schiff - Top podcast episodes". Listen Notes. January 30, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  50. ^ "Search Results lou schiff". Baseball PhD. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  51. ^ "Home is where the heart is for Judge Louis Schiff '80". Mitchell Hamline School of Law. February 5, 2025. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
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