‘No shorts, tank tops or flip-flops’: Al Muderis headed for Florida courts

Dr Munjed Al Muderis had barely settled into his new Florida home, complete with a grotto and $US1.7 million ($2.6 million) price tag, before landing himself in court – again.

According to a US charge sheet obtained by CBD, the controversial orthopaedic surgeon was pulled over by police while allegedly driving over the speed limit in his brand-new grey Porsche in mid-October.

He was caught allegedly travelling 69mph in a 40mph zone (that’s about 110km/h in a 60km/h zone). But he also picked up a charge for driving unlicensed after presenting an expired Australian licence to police.

After the doctor explained he had lived and worked in Florida since September, according to documents, he pulled out something even more remarkable.

“The driver presented a document from Australia which appeared to be a boating licence,” wrote the reporting police officer in his court statement.

“I explained that when you become a resident of [Florida] and begin working, you have to obtain a [Florida driver’s licence].”

We aren’t surgeons ourselves – but even we understand the difference between a freeway and the ocean.

Documents obtained by CBD show Al Muderis was charged with two offences – speeding and driving without a licence. He paid the fine of $US233.25 for the licence infringement, according to a receipt filed with the court, but is contesting the speeding fine.

True to form, his criminal lawyers have entered a not guilty plea, demanding a trial by jury and discovery process. Court documents show the defendant – Al Muderis – is demanding the state produce “any and all” documents regarding the speed-measuring device and calls for witnesses.

Regular readers will remember that the once-celebrated doctor lost a high-profile defamation case against this masthead in August, with the Federal Court ruling the surgeon was dishonest and callous and prioritised fame and money over patient care.

The latest saga echoes the same allegations that aired during the failed case. That Al Muderis is someone who is unable to admit error, no matter the circumstance.

Representatives for Al Muderis declined to comment.

Now a US court date has been set for the morning of December 5 at the Martin County Court House on the boulevard of the same name that the trouble began. How poetic is that?

“No shorts, tank tops or flip-flops are allowed in the court room,” the official hearing notification warns.

Meanwhile, back in Australia, Al Muderis is still a frequent flyer in Australian courts.

His lawyers were battling a negligence claim brought by his patient Joseph Harvey in the NSW Supreme Court last week, demanding the allegedly injured patient hand over five years’ worth of bank statements, and the two-week appeal of his failed defamation case has been set down for June 2026.

A grand farewell

John Laws, the veteran broadcaster whose rich baritone provided the backing track to so many Australian lives over his many decades behind the microphone, was laid to rest at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney on Wednesday.

Among the first to arrive was former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, a man who, despite now sitting on the opposition backbenches, never fails to draw a media scrum.

Decked in a wide-brimmed hat emblazoned with the initials SK (a reference to one of billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart’s companies, which gave him the headpiece last year), Joyce posed for selfies with punters, before telling a gaggle of assembled media that Laws “gave people hope that they would be listened to”.

Joyce drew enough attention from the media pack that Nine television personality Richard Wilkins and 2GB radio shock-jock Ben Fordham, who now rules Sydney’s airwaves, slipped into the cathedral with little fanfare.

The two were seen inside with former Olympic swimmer Dawn Fraser.

No sign, though, of FM radio’s Kyle Sandilands, who described Laws as “a mentor and a mate”, but told listeners on Wednesday morning he wanted to avoid the media circus.

No sign either of Alan Jones, Laws’ former colleague and later bitter rival for radio supremacy, who is facing court next year over indecent assault and sexual touching offences, which he denies.

Jones has been spotted out and about in Sydney and Melbourne this week, but did not attend the service, despite some predictions he would.

There was, however, an appearance by former prime minister John Howard, about the only former Liberal leader the party’s warring tribes still unanimously warm to. Howard was one of 17 prime ministers to go up against “Golden Tonsils” during his decades of radio dominance – a record that won’t be beaten any time soon.

But political and business royalty can hardly compete with Hollywood royalty. Sporting golden sunnies and slicked-back hair, Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe, a long-term neighbour of Laws at Woolloomooloo, arrived with his partner, actor turned real estate agent Britney Theriot.

In his eulogy, Crowe said the pair rarely agreed on anything.

“However, we did agree that we liked each other and our differing perspectives never stopped us from making each other laugh,” he said.

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