BROWARD JUDGE IN POT-SMOKING CASE RETIRES

FORT LAUDERDALE - Three months after being cited for smoking
marijuana in a public park, a Broward County judge has announced his
retirement.

Circuit Judge Lawrence L. Korda, who has been on voluntary paid leave,
will formally leave the bench July 2.

In a June 11 letter of retirement addressed to Gov. Charlie Crist,
Korda wrote: "It has been my honor to serve the Court and the State
for over thirty years."

Korda's attorney, Mike Dutko, said Thursday the Family Court judge has
been contemplating retirement for the last few years, but "recent
events have factored into his decision to retire now."

Three police officers said they saw Korda smoking a joint under a tree
in a Hollywood park. Korda was ticketed, only disclosing he was a
judge when asked his profession, according to Hollywood police. A
police report indicated Korda was near about 15 children when he was
ticketed.

Upon retirement, Korda, 59, plans to do private family-mediation work,
Dutko said.

Korda's marijuana case gained national attention because it came just
three weeks after he briefly handled part of the paternity battle over
Anna Nicole Smith's daughter.

Last month, Korda reached an agreement with prosecutors on the case.

The misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge will be dismissed in
November if Korda stays clean during six months of random drug testing
and performs 25 hours of community service. He already finished a drug
and alcohol awareness course that was part of the agreement reached
with the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, which Gov. Charlie Crist
specially assigned to prosecute the case. If Korda fails a drug test,
he will have to face the charge and possible jail time.