Cohen Milstein Attorney Wins Fights for Ex-Felons, Juvenile Inmates

Diana Martin, Of Counsel with Cohen Milstein in Palm Beach Gardens.

Diana Martin

Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll

Diana Martin has achieved success in two high-profile class actions highlighting her interest in cases with significant social impact.

Martin and a team of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll attorneys pursued a voting-rights case for ex-felons in partnership with the Fair Elections Center.

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker issued a permanent injunction in February, rejecting Florida's clemency system as arbitrary and requiring a new voting-rights restoration procedure.

The state appealed Walker's order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The court heard arguments in July and asked whether the case is moot based on voters' passage of a constitutional amendment in November to restore voting rights to as many as 1.4 million ex-felons.

The attorneys maintain issues are still alive because the amendment omitted people convicted of murder or sex crimes and didn't address bans on jury service and occupational licenses.

In a separate case, Martin, who is of counsel, and other Cohen Milstein attorneys in conjunction with the Human Rights Defense Center and the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County filed a putative class action challenging juvenile solitary confinement.

The federal lawsuit alleged the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office placed some pretrial juveniles charged as adults in solitary confinement — potentially for months — and denied access to adequate educational services.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a statement of interest in support of the inmates, saying the sheriff has a responsibility for ensuring young detainees receive special education and related services when needed.

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw initially defended the practice but announced last month that he would end it.

Martin serves as audit committee chair of Families First of Palm Beach County, is a former president of Florida Legal Services and served on the Florida Bar Foundation board.