The Full Read · Article by Article
Donald M. Middlebrooks
Southern District of Florida · appt. Clinton
7/7
🥇 Fit for the Bench
1Ethics & Recusalcritical
73%★ earned
“No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause.” — Madison, Federalist No. 10
No documented disclosure, gift, conflict, or recusal problems across a long tenure since 1997.
2Fidelity to Democracycritical
76%★ earned
“…a government of laws, and not of men.” — Marshall, Marbury v. Madison
Applied binding precedent and sanctioned bad-faith litigation, reflecting fidelity to rule of law per Wikipedia.
3Judicial Temperament
72%★ earned
“Justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.” — Frankfurter
No reported complaints about civility; sharp written rulings stay within normal judicial expression.
4Reason, Not Ideology
74%★ earned
“We are not final because we are infallible…” — Robert H. Jackson
Dismissed a suit as 'foreclosed by binding precedent,' indicating reasoned, precedent-grounded analysis.
5Intellectual Honesty & Precedent
74%★ earned
“…to stand by things decided.” (stare decisis) — the common-law maxim
Rulings cite governing precedent squarely; no documented misrepresentation of law or record.
6Independence from Party
72%★ earned
“The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential.” — Hamilton, Federalist No. 78
Sanctioned a same-party-aligned high-profile litigant, showing no documented partisan favoritism.
7Personal Integrity
76%★ earned
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
No documented corruption, criminal, or scandal matters; long clean record.
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Scores are Independent 2026’s own editorial read against the Seven Articles — ≥60% earns the star. The first two Articles are critical: fail Ethics & Recusal or Fidelity to Democracy and there is no seal, whatever else holds. Each Article carries its founding quote as the yardstick. On bias →