The Honorable Maxine Cohen Lando

Dade County Circuit Court Judge Maxine Cohen Lando died Wednesday, Feb. 29, after a valiant fight against cancer. Always courageous, both on the bench and in this last battle, she was a former Dade County Public Defender and County Court Judge, who became a Circuit Court Judge in 1995. She developed Dade County’s Domestic Violence Court, a national model. A graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Miami School of Law, she was a pioneering judge, always attuned to justice and the law; a leader in family and criminal court, she most recently served in the civil division. She was a member of the Florida Bar serving on the Judicial Independence Committee, the Southern District of Florida Bar, the Cuban American Bar Association, the National & Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and the Florida Association of Criminal Lawyers. She received the Jewish Legal Society’s Devorah Judge Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Florida Council on Crime and Delinquency. The Florida Supreme Court named her a Mentor Coordinator for new judges in the 11th Circuit. A faculty member of the Advanced Judicial College, she lectured on New Judges’ Trial Skills, and taught at the County Court Judges’ Association and at UM’s School of Continuing Education. She was a board member of Transition, Inc. and Kidside, Inc. and a life member of Hadassah and Young Patronesses of the Opera.

Maxine was a devoted mother, daughter and sister. She was a talented pianist, and knew and loved good food, wine, music, opera, Broadway, film, design and fashion. A gifted mezzo soprano, she sang with the Philharmonic Chorus Master Choir, the Bet Shira Choir, and the Miami-Dade Clerk’s Choir. Widely traveled, well read, deeply informed, witty and always wise and loving, she is survived by her beloved daughters, Rachel Hillary Lando of Park City, Utah, and Sari Brooke Lando of Coral Gables, and her adored mother, Jean Cohen Bush of Bal Harbor. She is also survived by her loving sisters, Goldie (Ken) Wetcher of Naples, Florida, and Suzanne (Allen) Migdall of Fort Lauderdale, and her niece and nephews, Karen (Jonathan) McHugh (children Aliza Jane, Sean and Casey), Steven (Katerina) Rappaport (son Benjamin Maurice) and Alexander Matthew Migdall, as well as her aunt Ada Cooper and her uncle Seymour (Pearl) Gordon, and her friend and former husband Marvin Lando of Miami. She was the widow of the late Michael Gill, RN, and is also survived by his children and grandchildren. She is survived as well by her loving “second mother” Mary Jackson. Judge Lando was a member of Bet Shira Synagogue (7500 SW 130 St. Miami), where services will be held Friday, March 2 at 11 am followed by burial at Mt. Nebo, 5900 SW 77 Avenue, Miami (305-274-0741). Those who wish to make donations can honor Bet Shira or the Chabad of the University of Miami (305-206-4013).