FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Longtime Broward County Judge John Hurley has seemingly seen it all from the defendants who pass through his courtroom.
From the angry, the obscene, the religious, the tired to the brutally honest, Hurley's handling of the criminally accused has become a staple of local and, at times, national news.
Hurley has become one of the best-known judges in South Florida, but Friday was his last day in the role for which he will be most remembered.
First appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush, Hurley has been handling first appearances since 2008.
"We've never had an agenda," Hurley said. "We were always taking each case one at a time, and I think that we can walk away -- at least I can -- with my head held high that we treated people fairly."
His last day was eventful. He faced former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor's wife after she was arrested on domestic violence charges. Then he met Larry Mells, who threw the podium to the ground after he was given a $300 bond on an open felony.
But Hurley's career has also been met with controversy. Public defender Howard Finkelstein demanded his removal for not providing counsel to homeless defendants.
"Why can't you get it through your head that you're not supposed to panhandle in traffic?" Hurley recently asked a defendant in court.
He is usually courteous. "Have a nice day" is his signature phrase. It is his response even when others are rude to him.
Hurley isn't going far. He will be overseeing misdemeanor cases.