When you walk into court and respond to the former lawyer dressed all in black, how do you address the apparition hovering a few feet above everyone else ?
If you are like Rumpole, you only call them "Judge".
In our long and illustrious career we have only used the appellation "Your Honor" in addressing three individuals:
1) Judge Jack Weinstein of the EDNY- the dean of all federal judges and the best District Court Judge of the last 100 years or more;
2) Judge Ed Cowart of the 11th Judicial Circuit, because he was the best Circuit Court Judge we have ever met, before or since; and
3) US District Court Judge Edward "Ned" "Boomer" Davis, the former Chief Judge of SDFL. Judge Davis was the epitome of a Judge. A courtly manner. Learned. Decent to all who came before him, calling him "your honor" just came naturally.
What do you call Judges?
Do you hold back on the "Your Honors"?
What current Judges merit being called "Your Honor"?
The Honorable Peter Adrien ?
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on the Great ED COWART. Our current Judges should review videos of Judge Cowart and learn how to conduct themselves appropriately in and out of court. He was the best I have ever had the honor to practice in front of. I also hold former Judge John Gleeson of the EDNY. He did not tolerate fools and was always knew each file in front of him, whether criminal or civil. He treated all with respect and never wore a robe except when he was presiding over a jury trial. He was a pleasure. I would say locally, Judge Michael Hanzman is by far the best I have seen in a long time. Unlike the others, he does not need the Money and is extremely intelligent.
ReplyDeleteJudge Hanzman is by far the best all around we have ever had. Cowart was fantastic but no where near as intellectually capable. Hanzmans orders are insane and he runs a court room with efficiency and professionalism. desserves Your Honor.
ReplyDeleteFor professionalism, fairness, compassion one need look no further than THE HONORABLE DAVID MILLER. Not only a legend in his own mind but at least a half dozen others.
ReplyDeleteThere is no one better than Judge Michael Hanzman. I wasn’t a tenth of the Judge he is. He is brilliant, always does the right thing according to the law, is prepared, treats everyone with respect and writes the most scholarly orders. Bravo for all of your dedication.
ReplyDeleteI call them "Judge" but, in the interest of efficiency and time-saving, I'm seriously considering calling them "Yo".
ReplyDeleteWhat do you call Milton Hirsch? Mr. Chief Justice? Milord? Your Right Excellency? You Honour? Your Shakespearian Eminence? Something else of equal or higher dignity?
ReplyDeleteI think Hirsch wants to be called "Your Excellency". He has been out of control this week.
ReplyDeleteWe have a very good fed bench in the sd fla.
ReplyDeleteThis one is easy. Judge De La O deserves "your Honor" every day......smart, empathetic, patient, prepared, humble and it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes. Also judge Fine (easy on the eyes too) and judge Sayfie deserve to be called your Honor.
ReplyDeleteI will never in a million years call judges Blumstein, Glick or Miranda "your Honor".
I LOVE Judge Fine!
ReplyDeleteYour Honor--from the perspective of a civil lawyer(yes we too read the blog), Hanzman, De la O, Fine, Walsh and Ruiz-Cohen. They've earned it. I will never in a million years call judges
ReplyDeleteManno-Schur or Rebull your honor.
Any news whether Ren Gen will be doing a 4th of July pop up at Southpointe park on So be?
ReplyDeleteI haven't had a great kobe beef frank since they closed down.
De la O, Tinkler-Mendez and Walsh: Your Honor.
ReplyDeleteWard, Glick, Tunis, Venzer, Johnson, Wolfson, M. Hirsch, Diaz and Miranda: Judge
R. Hersch and Blumstein:
Jordan
ReplyDeleteMoreno
Scola
Hoeveler
Seitz
Torres
O'Sullivan
Turnoff
Luck
Ruiz
Gayles
and a more controversial pick: Cueto.
That's my local shortlist (I don't care about anyone's NYC bias. You like it there so much, feel free to live and practice there.)
All judges that I have been happy to be in front of. They expected the lawyers to know what was going on, cut through the bullshit, didn't hang anyone on an inconsequential procedural slip, but expected you to perform like a professional, and they more things right than wrong.
I actually think that most of our judges (not all) are pretty good.
Typo: Ned Davis was SDFL, not SDNY.
ReplyDelete