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What's For Dessert?

So let's get the important stuff out of the way -- an Akerman birdie reported that none other than the big man himself was spotted heading into state court on Flagler yesterday shortly before lunchtime.

Oh man, God help the poor sap he had for lunch.

What else? Did anyone else find this story a little odd:

Joel Jacobi, the Bal Harbour council member who tried to fight off allegations that he did not live in the village when he ran for reelection two years ago, resigned Monday.

The resignation came five days after the start of a civil trial challenging his election victory in 2007.

In his letter to the village clerk, Jacobi cited ''personal issues'' for his sudden resignation.

''I finally came to the difficult decision that I could no longer fight this matter,'' said Jacobi, who was a Village Council member for seven years. ``It has exhausted me both financially and emotionally.''

His last day in office will be April 1. The Village Council plans to appoint a replacement to serve the rest of Jacobi's term, which ends in 2011.

Jacobi, a family and personal-injury attorney, declined to comment.

His attorney, Joe Geller, said the resignation did not mean his client conceded he was ineligible to hold office.

The prospect of a lengthy and expensive trial and possible appeals was daunting, Geller said.

''You are talking about a job that pays $92 a month,'' said Geller, who would not reveal how much Jacobi has spent on legal fees. ``How much can you expect from the guy to sacrifice for a $92-a-month job?''

Jacobi's former opponent, Lynne Bloch-Mullen, filed the civil lawsuit questioning whether Jacobi was living in the village when he defeated her in April 2007 with almost 70 percent of the vote.

The civil trial began Wednesday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.

Now Joel Jacobi is an attorney, and of course so is Joe Geller. They know roughly what the costs are going in, right? Shouldn't they have agreed on a sensible plan to reach the finish line on this matter?

Or did they already have a feel for the outcome?

Full post as published by South Florida Lawyers on March 25, 2009 (boomark / email).