Congratulations to the Honorable Karl Grube, on the We Save Lives 3D Badge of Courage

With immense gratitude and admiration for the many years of service to public safety. The Honorable Karl B. Grube has generously given his time and expertise throughout the years to many organizations with wisdom, advice, support and great humor. We look forward to his continuing guidance and invaluable contributions to our work and to our Community. Congratulations, well deserved!

Helen B. Justice, M.A.
Executive Director
DUI Counterattack, Hillsborough, Inc.
Tampa, Florida

I met Judge Grube or Karl, as he likes to be called, while serving on the Florida Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), several years ago. At that time I was immediately struck by the fact that he served on this committee as a volunteer and his dedication and passion about the issue of impaired driving. I was in the midst of trying to get two measures introduced into Florida; 0 per se for drugged driving and an oral fluid bill for roadside testing. I found him to be as equally supportive and concerned about drugged driving as he was about drunk driving. We didn’t have a great deal of success the first time around, but thanks to Judge Grube and the Florida TAC committee we were able to get a 0 per se bill introduced into this session, Senate Bill 1118 introduced by Senator Gibson and House Bill 299 introduced by Representative Darryle Rouson. This was no easy task. However, his persistence, and leadership on this issue paid off and though we have an uphill battle, we at least have a bill with two sponsors.

Judge Grube initially started as a public defender and is now a Senior Judge on assignment in both the criminal and civil divisions of Florida’s County and Circuit Courts. His accomplishments are so many, including chairing or serving on State Alcohol/Impaired Driving Assessment Teams for NHTSA all over the country and his continued presence as a speak at the Lifesaver’s Conferences. Plus, we would also like to congratulate him, for this year, 2014, he will celebrate 30 years as a member of the faculty of the National Judicial College.

Yet, he still finds time to volunteer and beside his commitment to highway safety, that is one of the reasons we have chosen him for our Voice for Highway Safety Award. He currently serves on the Florida Impaired Driving Coalition; the Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition; the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Coalition and the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition. Plus he is a member of the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee. He also serves on the Institute for Police Technology and Management (IPTM) Technical Advisory Committee where we met.

Judge Karl Grube is truly an inspiration to those who can’t seem to find the time to get involved or volunteer. He exemplifies my favorite saying by Edward Everett Hale, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”

Thank you Judge Karl Grube for not refusing to do the something you can do. I wish we had more judges like you.

Biography of Senior Judge Karl B. Grube

Judge Grube served as a County Court Judge in St. Petersburg, Florida, since his election to that office in 1976. In 2006 he took senior status after 30 years of service. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Elmhurst College, in Illinois, his Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University in Florida and 1992 was awarded a Masters Degree in Judicial Studies from the University of Nevada.

Prior to assuming the bench, he served as an assistant public defender followed by private practice, which included being city attorney for Redington Beach, Florida. Judge Grube was elected president of the Florida Conference of County Court Judges and he has served as assistant Dean of the Florida New Judges College. In 1991 he was elected Chairperson of the American Bar Association’s National Conference of Specialized Court Judges (NCSCJ). He currently serves as an NCSCJ District Representative. He is licensed to practice law in the States of Colorado and Florida.

He has chaired or served on State Alcohol/Impaired Driving Assessment Teams for NHTSA in Alabama, California, Delaware, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, Montana, Indiana, and North Carolina. He is a regular presenter and moderator at Lifesavers Conferences. He is a member of the Florida DHSMV DUI Programs Review Board and in that capacity has led many site review teams to ensure compliance with Florida’s administrative rules and regulations. In his capacity as a judicial educator, he has presented education programs for judges, prosecutors and defense counsel on topics including Judicial Ethics, Criminal Law, Evidence, and Jury Selection and Impaired Driving Trial issues. In 2012 and 2013, he served as the Associate Dean of the Florida College of Advanced Judicial Studies. He has served as education committee Chair of for the Florida Conference of County Court Judges and as a member of the Supreme Court’s Florida Court Education Council. He has chaired the National Judicial College’s Faculty Council and in 2014 he will celebrate 30 years as a member of the faculty of the National Judicial College.

Judge Grube served as the Regional Judicial Outreach Liaison for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (Region 4) for four years and most recently as the Florida Judicial Outreach Liaison from 2010 through 2013. He is a member of the Florida Impaired Driving Coalition; the Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition; and the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Coalition and the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition. He is a member of the Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Committee. He presently serves on the Institute for Police Technology and Management (IPTM) Technical Advisory Committee.

Judge Grube resides in Treasure Island Florida and, as a senior judge; he serves, on assignment in both the criminal and civil divisions of Florida’s County and Circuit Courts.