[Nfbc-info] Blind Judge Makes History, Joins Michigan's Supreme Court

Tue Dec 30 04:57:04 UTC 2014

I have to also believe that Mr. Bernstein had or has to have learned Braille 
in order to get through Lawschool and getting through his job as an 
attorney. I know that I couldn't have gotten through my 18 years as a 
telephone cusotmer customer service rep without knowing braille. Again, the 
article doesn't say how tech savy he is or isn't. Again, I as I wrote 
earlier this afternoon, this (hopefully) will open up more doors for blind 
lawyers to go up the ladder if they wan to do so.

Rob Kaiser, President National Federation of the Blind of California Orange 
County Chapter cell#(760)792-0525 email;
rcubfank at sbcglobal.net
-----Original Message----- 
From: Charles Krugman via Nfbc-info
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 8:47 PM
To: NFB of California List
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Blind Judge Makes History,Joins Michigan's Supreme 
Court

working in the legal field most judges and/orlawyers blind or sighted put in
considerable time off the clock especially if they are trial lawyers. I have
worked for several personal injury and criminal defense lawyers and they
worked quite hard evenings or week ends to stay prepared.
Chuck

-----Original Message----- 
From: Lisa Irving via Nfbc-info
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 5:15 PM
To: 'Jim Barbour' ; 'NFB of California List'
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Blind Judge Makes History,Joins Michigan's Supreme
Court

Jim and all others,

Let's re frame this thought. How many of can raise our hands to  being a
workaholic? How many of as blind individuals has done work off the clock
because, yes, some tasks take some people; both blind and sighted, longer
than another co-worker. I can raise my hand on both accounts.

Lisa Irving
-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbc-info [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jim
Barbour via Nfbc-info
Sent: Monday, December 29, 2014 10:36 AM
To: Nancy Lynn; NFB of California List
Cc: nfbmo list
Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Blind Judge Makes History, Joins Michigan's Supreme
Court

Wow, I wonder if he plans to work off the clock for all his cases,
memorizing each of them.

I think This seems like a very inefficient way for a judge to work. I'm
curious what others think?

Jim

On Mon, Dec 29, 2014 at 12:28:27PM -0600, Nancy Lynn via Nfbc-info wrote:
> I got this from another list and thought it would interest you.
> Blind Judge Makes History, Joins Michigan's Supreme Court
>
> DETROIT (AP) -- 
>
>
>
> Richard Bernstein officially joins the Michigan Supreme Court in a few
days. But he's been working off the clock since November, preparing
>
> for 10 cases in an extraordinary way - memorizing the key points of every
brief read to him by an aide.
>
>
>
> Bernstein, 41, has been blind since birth. After winning the election, an
assistant at his family's Detroit-area law firm began reading briefs to him
for
>
> mid-January arguments, including a medical marijuana case and a labor
dispute covering thousands of state employees.
>
>
>
> "It would be much easier if I could read and write like everyone else, but
that's not how I was created," Bernstein said. "No question, it requires a
lot
>
> more work, but the flip side is it requires you to operate at the highest
level of preparedness. ... This is what I've done my entire life. This goes
all
>
> the way back to grade school for me."
>
>
>
> Michigan has never had a blind judge on its highest court, and few other
states have. In Missouri, Justice Richard Teitelman has been legally blind
since
>
> age 13. Judge David Tatel, who is blind, sits on a federal appeals court
in Washington, D.C.
>
>
>
> "Every new justice has to make a transition from whatever life he or she
had before," Chief Justice Robert Young Jr. said. "His will be different
than
>
> others, but he's extraordinarily successful and very driven. You don't
enter Ironman competitions without having a steel backbone."
>
>
>
> Indeed, Bernstein's remarkable background undoubtedly appealed to voters.
He has run more than 15 marathons, and in 2008 completed a triathlon by
riding
>
> a bike 112 miles, running 26.2 miles and swimming 2.4 miles with the help
of guides. In 2012, he made headlines in New York City after being struck by
>
> a speeding bicyclist while running in Central Park, a collision that put
him in a hospital for weeks.
>
>
>
> Bernstein is widely known in southeastern Michigan because his family's
personal-injury law firm regularly advertises on TV. He spent more than $1.8
million
>
> of his own money to campaign for the state Supreme Court. His slogan?
"Blind Justice."
>
>
>
> As one of only two Democrats on the seven-member court, Bernstein is
unlikely to crack the court's conservative sway. But he's still expected to
make a
>
> difference.
>
>
>
> "His own experience and background is different than anyone else's at the
conference table," said Justice Bridget McCormack, who was a law professor
before
>
> being elected in 2012. "Richard knows a whole lot about disability law the
rest of us don't. We don't get a lot of those cases. Who knows how it will
be
>
> useful?"
>
>
>
> Bernstein will be sworn into office on New Year's Day. Timothy MacLean,
his assistant for three years, has been reading briefs aloud to prepare him
for
>
> the court's first batch on oral arguments on Jan. 13.
>
>
>
> "We do use technology but technology can only take you so far," Bernstein
said. "I internalize the cases word for word, pretty much commit them
primarily
>
> by memory. I'm asking the reader to pinpoint certain things, read
footnotes, look at the legislative record."
>
>
>
> Hearing arguments and writing opinions is only part of a Supreme Court
justice's job. They meet weekly to decide whether to accept or reject
appeals in
>
> more than 2,000 cases a year. Because he's blind, Bernstein will be having
many conversations with his law clerks instead of communicating through
email
>
> or long memos.
>
>
>
> "My chambers will be unique," he said. "Not many clerks will have as much
interaction with a justice as mine will."
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