Thursday, August 7, 2014

Humanity on the Bench


Before working in a courthouse, I tended to be in awe of the judiciary. Maybe that judicial wear—robes—intimidated me, conveying a clergy-like and unapproachable presence. Judges just seemed to float a bit above and beyond. Working (for a legal newspaper) in close proximity to judges, though, and learning where they purchased that judicial gear, made me appreciate both their humor and their humanity. They’re just like the rest of us, but they get to make big decisions. Some of those decisions are carefully weighed and clearly articulated; others, not so much.

Federal judges discuss some of their high-visibility decisions in Blindfolds Off by litigator Joel Cohen, of counsel at New York City’s Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. In my personal quest to understand how judges get where they do, I’ve put this book on my to-read list. Two points to Stroock for loading an excerpt onto its website—great way to drive traffic.  

—Lori Tripoli

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