[blindlaw] Bench Bar Conference

[Daniel McBride]

Elizabeth:

Four County Criminal Court at Law Judges are retiring at the end of next
year in my county of residence.  I am seriously considering running.  In
fact, I have already formulated my campaign slogan.

On the far left side of the yard signs and push cards will be a photo of me
with my sunglasses on and my cane visible.  To the right of my photo it will
read "Daniel McBride for Judge of County Criminal Court One...Because
Justice Should Be Blind".

I cannot think of a reason in the world why you shouldn't run for one of
your judicial positions.  Further, I have no objection to  you using my
slogan if you like same.

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth
Rene
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2012 9:05 PM
To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blindlaw] Bench Bar Conference

Hi all,

I'm writing to reflect upon a bench bar conference I attended on Monday
through my county bar association.

Judges from every level of my state's court system, from muni court presider
to supreme court chief justice, spoke all day in panels to engage lawyers in
upcoming developments, bench bar relationships, election patterns and their
impact on judicial diversity, and future trends in court staffing.

One striking revelation consistently communicated from the bench was that 40
to 50 percent of the judges now sitting will retire within the next five
years.

This was disheartening to me because well-liked and well-respected judges
who have been icons of the court will soon be gone, I know I'll miss their
presence, and there'll be a kind of knowledge and experience gap yawning in
the near future that will take years to fill.

But as the day progressed, I started to have a new feeling.  Gee, maybe I
could be one of those new judges!

There'll be a labor shortage on the bench, which has to mean opportunity for
any qualified and committed person who wants to serve as a judge.  And
there'll be a little bit of time to prepare for it.

My state can't be all that unique.  So, my fellow blind lawyers, you might
have such an opportunity in store, too.

With the technology now available to us, the duties of a judge should be
easier than ever before to perform without sight.  With a growing number of
blind lawyers in practice, fellow members of the bar are coming to recognize
us as practitioners of skill and integrity.  WE can do this.

What do you think?

Elizabeth







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