Please take a moment to view our television commercial!

During the 2011 calendar year, the Law Offices of George Castrataro, PA provided over $110,000 in support to our community (representing a 37% increase over 2010) including:

a) Over 205.9 pro bono hours directly to local non-profit organizations representing in-kind donations of over $51,475. We are thrilled to have doubled our pro bono hours and work over the 2011 calendar year.

b) Over 165.76 pro bono hours directly to low income individuals unable to meet the financial burdens of legal representation representing in-kind donations of $41,440 representing a 66% increase over the 2010 calendar

c) Direct donations representing over $17,000 to organizations including the American Bar Association, Aqua Foundation for Women, Broward College Foundation, Broward Health Foundation, Care Resource, Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Equality Florida, Florida Bar Foundation, GLAAD, H.A.N.D.Y, Lambda Legal, The Links, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, Pride Center, political and judicial causes (consistent with campaign allowances).

d) George Castrataro, continues to volunteer as an active board member for Care Resource and is an appointed member of the Broward County Housing Council.

PLEASE JOIN US IN SUPPORTING KEN KEECHL FOR

BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION (DISTRICT 7)

 Date:                  Thursday, February 9, 2012

 Time:                 6 – 8 PM

 Location:         707 NE 3rd Ave; 3rd Floor

                             Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304

                             Phone: 954-573-1444; Fax: 954-573-6451

                             Email: George@lawgc.com; www.lawgc.com

RSVP &

DONATION:    Appreciated but not required

You are cordially invited to a festive evening of cocktails and hor d’oeurves. The event is a toy drive benefiting Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Please bring an unwrapped toy.

For invitation and RSVP please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/events/275848255799648/?context=create#!/events/275848255799648/

Update 2: 12/1/2011 @ 4:30PM

We have finished a two hour negotiation session with the City Manager and Attorney.  The City has conceded to nearly all of our issue and has substantially amended the originally promulgated rule to comply with our arguments.  The new rule was implemented today.  The city has eliminated the restrictions on time, place, and manner effectively negating many issues cited in our complaint.   The cities actions unquestionably demonstrate the strength and voracity of our arguments.

Specifically, the new rule ALLOWS:

1) 24 – hour occupation with no restrictions on time

2) Allows individuals to sleep on the plaza

3) Allows tarps, blankets, sheets, clothes, and other “personal articles” on City property (provided they are accompanied by a person)

Unfortunately the new rule still restricts the tents.  Later this evening the Occupy Fort Lauderdale’s General Assembly will meet to address the new rule.  As such we will be proceeding to hearing tomorrow and will be arguing under a substantially smaller set of issues.  

We should nonetheless see today as a substantial victory forward.  Tomorrows challenges remain substantial.

Update 1: 12/1/2011 @ 12:30PM

Occupy Fort Lauderdale has gathered for several weeks in the City of Fort Lauderdale to voice their opposition to various public policies, and to express concerns regarding the growing inequality between the rich and poor and the increasing concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny minority.  Toward this end, they have maintained a continuous presence on the plaza of the Fort Lauderdale City Hall.

As a result of the peaceful assembly, the City of Fort Lauderdale enacted a new rule which restricts the time and mechanisms under which Occupy Fort Lauderdale could assemble on the plaza at the City Hall.  Specifically the new rule creates time restrictions upon the use of the plaza, closing the plaza nightly between 2:00AM and 7:00AM and further restricts the use of tarps, blankets, sheets, clothes, tents, canopies and other “personal articles” on City property.    The rule was enacted on November 22, 2011 and posted on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday thereby limiting access to legal recourse for a period of five days during which the risk of arrest or citation would be ever present.  The threat of arrest, citation, and imposition of fines imposed a “chilling effect” upon individual members of Occupy Fort Lauderdale and others who now fear for their safety, liberty and economic consequences that may be imposed should they choose to exercise fundamental rights of freedom of expression, assembly and of the press.

In response to the City of Fort Lauderdale’s new rules, on November 23, 2011, Occupy Fort Lauderdale and Adam Salater, filed a Emergency Complaint for Temporary Injunctive Relief (Broward Case CACE11029228) against the City of Fort Lauderdale.  An emergency hearing was granted by the Honorable Judge Marc Gold on November 23, 2011, whereupon the City of Fort Lauderdale agreed to stay the imposition of the new rule until December 2, 2011 at 12PM such that the dispute could be properly brought before the court.

On November 30, 2011, attorney George Castrataro filed an amended complaint to include further detail and memoranda of law.  Consistent with the deadline imposed by the Order and serious issues and risks imposed, Mr. Castrataro requested an emergency hearing.   The Honorable Judge Bowman agreed to a hearing set for December 2, 2011 at 3:00PM. 

The parties remain optimistic as to settlement however the substance of the constitutional issues involved coupled with the deeply held principles of the Occupy Movement mandate a strong and well asserted position.  On December 1, 2011, representatives from Occupy Fort Lauderdale and their attorney George Castrataro will meet with city officials in an effort to address viable settlement.   

Occupy Fort Lauderdale will hold a General Assembly meeting outside City Hall on December 1, 2011 at 5:30 to address the outcome of the settlement dialogue and discuss the emergency hearing.  Members of Occupy Fort Lauderdale and their attorney will be available following the General Assembly meeting.

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For more information please contact:  The Law Offices of George Castrataro at 954-573-1444.

 DOWNLOAD AMENDED COMPLAINT

This civil rights action is being brought by Occupy Fort Lauderdale and Adam Salater challenging on various constitutional grounds:

A)        On November 22, 2011, the city created a rule for its Policy and Standards manual, dated November 22^nd (cited as Ch 7, Sec 1, Subj 3, Page 1) (hereinafter “new rules”) and contacted the group in the late afternoon on November 22, 2011. The new rules state that the city will permit constitutionally protected activities in plaza on and around the location of the plaza subject to such activities not interfering with public order. The new policy also adds new time restrictions upon the use of the plaza, closing the plaza nightly between 2:00AM and 7:00AM.  The new rules further restrict the use of tarps, blankets, sheets, clothes, tents, canopies and other “personal articles” on City property; and

B)        The Plaintiffs are engaged in political demonstration and expression which includes peaceful gathering and protest throughout the newly prohibited hours of 2:00AM to 7:00AM, which has resulted in the chilling of constitutionally protected speech; and

C)        This matter is an emergency as the Plaintiffs have knowledge and reason to believe they may be subject to immediate arrest, citation, and will suffer irreparable injury.

D)        In seeking a preliminary injunction, the motion must set out “clearly, definitely, and unequivocally sufficient factual allegations to support the conclusion of irreparable damage necessary to warrant intervention of a court of equity.” Broward County v. Meiklejohn, 936 So. 2d 742 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006). The court must then determine whether the moving party has proved (1) that is will suffer irreparable harm unless the status quo is maintained; (2) that it has no adequate remedy at law; (3) that it has a substantial likelihood of success on the merits; and (4) that a temporary injunction will serve the public interest. Id. The order granting a preliminary injunction must state a factual basis to support each of the four elements. Id.

Occupy Fort Lauderdale protesters were hours from a late-night eviction when they learned late Wednesday they could stay at City Hall through next week.People in tents, with blankets and signs, were told by the city of Fort Lauderdale Tuesday that a new rule was in order to limit how long they could stay on the plaza.  The rule banned tents and prohibited people from sleeping there from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.  It was the first time a South Florida city has made serious steps to break up Occupy protesters.  A city spokesperson said the rules were not designed to restrict free speech. And one concern over prolonged stays in tents at City Hall was that conditions were less-than sanitary. “I don’t buy that for a second,” said protester Jessica Miller. “We don’t leave trash around. That’s not the kind of thing that we want to do because we understand sanitary conditions. We don’t want to have a nasty, messy area to be occupying.” After a tense emergency hearing Wednesday evening, Broward Circuit Judge Marc Gold ruled the city could not enforce the new rule. “So at least, for now, until December 2nd, the city won’t be able to arrest or otherwise take action against a peacefully gathering protesters,” said George Castrataro, an attorney representing the protesters. Miller said the ruling was a big win for the movement. “Today was definitely, definitely, a very good day for that,” she said.  The Law Offices of George Castrataro strongly supports the right of free speech and assembly.  Our involvment in the matter is completely pro bono and our goals are to ensure the free speech and free assembly of our clients. 

http://www.local10.com/news/Occupy-Fort-Lauderdale-protestors-allowed-to-stay-put/-/1717324/4818164/-/qcnym6/-/index.html

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21005978610589/occupy-fort-lauderdale-protesters-told-to-go/

  On June 18, 2011, LawGC held it’s first open house to celebrate our new offices.

  Thanks to all who joined us for a wonderful evening.