a retired judge...

a retired judge... 

                                                           

  According to the National WWII Museum, Since 1988, The United States Congress and the president have annually issued resolutions and proclamations declaring March as Women in History Month. 

   Rather than highlight women from the past who led by example and were considered role models, today's post, as in previous March posts, features the accomplishments of a contemporary figure.  A woman who has made her own bit of history.

  A doctor, two barbers, a housewife, an airline pilot, and, a structural engineer for UPS, all women, have been featured in this blog during Women in History Month. 

  This year, the spotlight is on a woman who recently retired from the judicial branch of government, Judge Judith McDonald-Burkman, known by some as, Judge Judy.

  No, not Judge Judy Sheindlin who was appointed by New York City Mayor Ed Koch in 1982 to serve as a Family Court Judge and later became an entertainer.

  People have called me Judge Judy for years, she smiled.  Some children even think I am!

  Judith McDonald-Burkman lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband Roger.  The couple have been married 38 years and have two adult offspring.  They are expecting their first grandchild. 

  Judge Judy, tell me how you started out.  Where did you go to school?

  I received three degrees from the University of Louisville, she said.  I got my BA in 1981, my MAT in '83 and my JD four years later.  

  What stage in life were you living when you decided law was going to be your career?  

  While I was teaching and coaching at the high school level, I had an epiphany that maybe I should apply to law school, she remembered.  Since I was certified to teach, I knew if law school didn't pan out, I would have options. 

  So, you really had no pressure.

  No, I didn't, she agreed.  The typical pressure associated with law school and passing the Bar Exam was not as overwhelming because of my teaching certification. 

  Overall, are you happy with your choice?

  Yes, I am.  My huge regret is that my thoughts of a law career didn't come earlier when I could have shadowed my father while he was a sitting judge and learned invaluable tools of the trade.  I did pick his brain constantly once I started practicing law.  

  It is graduation time.  What was the first step in your new career?  

  I started with the small to medium litigation firm of Mosley, Clare, and Townes, she replied.  I stayed with them for 12 years litigating personal injury, domestic relations and contracts.

  How did you make the leap from practicing law to Circuit Court Judge?

  In 1998, I was appointed by Governor Patton to serve as judge in Jefferson Circuit Court following the retirement of a sitting judge, she explained.  I then had to run for election to retain my seat. 

  Do you remember the first time you took the bench and heard your first case? 

  I vividly remember my first day on the bench and my first trial, she recollected.  Having been a trial attorney for 12 years, I was comfortable in my surroundings, however, when the black robe goes on, the gravity of your duty becomes very real.  

  Do you remember your emotions at the time?

  Though I was nervous as expected, I realized quickly I had no down time during hearings and trials, Judy concluded.  Judges must be able to listen, assess, and make rulings quickly while in court-daydreaming becomes a thing of the past.

  Give me an example of the kinds of cases that came before you.

  I heard felony cases like murder, rape, robbery, assault, child sex abuse cases and others, as well as civil cases where the amount in controversy exceeded $1,500.

  You served for 23 years, so, you won the election in 1998.

  Yes, I was successful in 1998 and I ran unopposed in 2006 and 2014.

  What is a great memory of your time on the bench?

  Believe it or not, there were several positive memories, she smiled.  The ones that come to mind are four or five criminal defendants whom I sent to prison.  Each came to my courtroom years later to thank me for sending them or to show me they had turned their lives around.

  How about a favorite memory when you were a practicing lawyer?

  Practicing law was filled with vast amounts of learning and interaction with the legal community, Judy responded.  I have fond memories of many lawyers and judges.

  Was it difficult to separate your own feelings from the law when you had to decide a certain type case?

  Yes, she affirmed.  A black robe cannot absorb my personal feelings if the law says otherwise.  Judges do not have the luxury of making a law to conform to their own beliefs.

  Was being a judge a job you could leave at the office when you went home?

  No, it wasn't, she said.  I still have thoughts, memories, flashbacks of several cases.

  Did you ever have a doubt about a decision?

  I never doubted the decisions I made because the law required such, she affirmed.  I doubted several laws, however.

  When you look back on your career, did you ever think of yourself as a role model?

  There's no doubt I was a role model for young females both as an attorney and a judge, she stated.  In 1987, there were far fewer female lawyers than males and in 1998, the same disparity existed on the bench.  I have, and, continue to speak to young women on Career Days at their schools about opportunities in the legal field.  

  Now that you have retired, what do you plan on doing?  Do you have a bucket list?

  No bucket list, she shook her head.  I have wanted to experience doing nothing at all or anything I wanted at any time of day.  I volunteer, have time with great friends, travel with my husband, walk the dog, and, now, I am preparing to be a grandparent.

  Any major hobbies?

  Gardening, reading, pickleball, walking and beach trips head my list.

  What about traveling?  Any place you want to go?

  We do want to travel, but, only domestic travel, and with our chocolate lab, Jolene.

  What about that grandchild?  When is the big day?

  Our first grandchild is due in mid-May and we are over the moon about him, she laughed.

  Judge Judy, thanks so much for your time.

  Coming up:  an interview with one of my former students who is now a social media influencer; more POS (People Over Sixty), another job$ somebody's gotta do, and; the next oddities, observations and ?'s. 

   And, finally.  One of my favorite sitcoms was the original Night Court (1984-1993).  Harry Anderson played Judge Harry Stone, John Larroquette was prosecutor Dan Fielding, and Markie Post was Christine Sullivan. 

  Some of the lines the judge and the prosecutor shared were classic.  Here's one of my favorites by Dan Fielding as he is addressing Judge Harry Stone. 

  What do you mean 'what did they look like?' They looked like killers! They were mean-lookin' and they had noses and they had dark suits!

  HUH?  What's up with that?