LIFE GOES ON

 Football season is over. The very mediocre super bowl is finished. DOM is besides himself with excitement over who President Biden will choose for the Supreme Court. Pitchers and catchers report soon, and life goes on. 

Have you seen some of the federal courtrooms, outfitted with plexiglass barriers? It reminds us of the good old days when one courtroom on the third floor of the Old Gray Lady (REGJB) was known as "the security courtroom" and had a bulletproof barrier between the audience and the rest of the courtroom. We recall the late, great, Judge Phil Knight sitting in that courtroom for years, presiding over the lowest docket because he got into work around 6am and reviewed the calendar, the files, and read all the motions before court started. Trials usually began well before 10 am. Other judges groused that the "blind clerk" favoured Judge Knight and cooked the books by assigning him less cases. Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Now we have top security at the entrance to the courthouses, stopping people from entering federal court with camera phones and other weapons. But no amount of security can stop a microscopic airborne virus, so we need masks and barriers.

Life goes on.

JUDGE KNIGHT REMEMBERED

He was an automatic finalist for the Papa Hemmingway "look-a-like" contest. He presided over what used to be known as the security courtroom on the third floor, where bullet proof glass separated the participants in the courtroom from the spectators. He was considered one of the brightest and hardworking jurists to ever wear a robe in the REGJB. His case load was always the lowest, due in part to his habit of arriving at the courthouse at the break of dawn to review his calendar and read the pending motions. On most mornings he was in trial before 10:00 A.M., having finished his calendar before many of his colleagues had arrived for work. 

We are speaking of course of Judge Philip Knight, and we were surprised and gratified to recently receive and read the following comment from a person who had served as juror before Judge Knight and must have recently come across our prior post here  on November 9, 2011, which sadly and belatedly  announced the death of the judge who passed away on May 5, 2011. You can read his obit here . It's worth a moment to read and learn about this man who was a war hero, and who worked as a letter carrier during law school to support his family. 

I am sad to know that Judge Knight passed a way. Back in Jan. 1987, I served as a juror in his room I had just gotten my citizenship, I was so proud of it, I was also proud to serve as a juror and do what I was supposed to do as a citizen of our loved country. I am Gay and I was very impressed with his striking presence, and handsome look. He was very nice to us all and it seems that he liked me, (as a person), I saw him laughing a couple of time at my comments while we were been questioned and picked by the attorney's. At one point I lift up my hand, and asked him if they can adjust the air condition, we were freezing, he said to me very firmly, Mr. Bahna, this is my court room and I like it like that, I suggest to you to come dress accordingly tomorrow, I said, this is Miami, if you will get us valet parking perhaps we could do that. He laugh and ask the attorney to proceed. I still have (framed) a little diploma he gave us, as he thank us for serving as a juror I never forgotten.

A very nice remembrance. And a reminder to judges and lawyers that jurors see and hear and remember many things and that sometimes their brief visit to the world we work in has a lasting impact.  

Check out our new poll on Rodriguez-Chomat and "finger girl". 
See you in court.