Those Jaguars range in price from $25,000 to $37,000.

The Collection's president is Joseph DeMaria. He is a close personal friend of Judge Gale.

In a recent interview, DeMaria said Gale has been almost like a father to him.

DeMaria, 49, said he and his family used to provide Gale with a free new car every year because "he was like family." That practice stopped -- at Gale's insistence -- when he became a judge, DeMaria said.

The Collection still provides Gale with newer-model cars every year, said DeMaria, but the judge sends a check each month for "about $300" to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

He described the arrangement as similar to a lease agreement but said there was no contract formalizing it.

Asked why Gale didn't buy the Jaguars, DeMaria replied: "Why would you go out and buy one if you had someone in your family supplying you with one?"

In his written response, Gale described DeMaria as "a longtime close personal friend. He is considered part of my family, and I am considered part of his."

He said he has driven cars from The Collection for about 25 years.

"I pay monthly for the car that I drive and always have since becoming a judge, " he said. He didn't say how much.

At the Villa Regina condominium, seven floors below the judge, lives Salvatore P. Ingrassia.

Ingrassia, 62, is the president of Vesta Technology, a Fort Lauderdale waste-collection and disposal company.

Ingrassia and the judge are close personal friends. Fourteen years ago, Gale started The Italian Foundation, a local organization dedicated to celebrating Italian culture. Ingrassia is a member of the group's board of trustees.

On May 15, 1987, Gale married Ingrassia and his bride at the courthouse.

Ingrassia also shows up in the judge's courtroom for other reasons.

On Sept. 16, 1985, Gale named Ingrassia the court-appointed receiver in a foreclosure suit against the Ankara Motel, 2360 Collins Ave., Miami Beach.

A receiver is an officer of the court appointed in foreclosures to manage assets, do book work and file financial reports.

For his work in the Ankara Motel case, Ingrassia earned about $1,250 a week, court records indicate. He received a total of about $80,000 for his work. On Aug. 7, 1986, Gale signed another order appointing Ingrassia as the receiver in a foreclosure suit. This time, there were problems.

"You simply can't walk into court and say, 'Judge, I want a receiver, ' " Alec Ross, an attorney for the defendants, said recently. "You have to demonstrate there is a need by filing the proper papers." Ross' clients appealed. On June 30, 1987, the Third District Court of Appeal reversed Gale's court order.

The reason: Gale "erroneously appointed a receiver without testimony, sworn pleadings or an affidavit demonstrating" the need for one.

Gale discharged Ingrassia, but not before awarding him $1,000 for his work in the case.

In his written response, Gale described Ingrassia as "an astute and successful businessman." He said he has appointed him in five or six cases during his 18 years on the bench.

When parties in a dispute can't agree, judges appoint "someone who is known to the Court and who is known to be qualified . . . someone known to me to be trustworthy and competent, " said Gale.

On March 21, 1988, Gale again appointed Ingrassia as receiver in Southeast Bank vs. The Dade Development Corp.

This time, Ingrassia received $92,838.