Celebrating Judges ― ad nauseum

Anyone following legal community happenings has to have, like me, taken notice at all the events going on year-round to celebrate and bestow awards upon judges.  It happens subtly at the annual bar conventions, solo/small conferences, CLEs and damn near any event where lawyers can induce judges to attend as either audience or speakers.  One public interest group, Washington D.C.-based HALT, has a "Judicial Integrity Project [that] focuses on two key issues: financial disclosure and junkets for judges - the corporate practice of wining and dining judges under the guise of "judicial education."
 
Then, there are the not-so-subtle, gratuitous aggrandizements by the largest of these incorporated entities (the bar associations), which exist at the the state, district, county and even sexual orientation (e.g., GLBT), gender and racial levels (Nota bene, I'm not aware of any "heterosexual," "Caucasian" or "men's" bar associations, but I'll keep my eyes peeled)).
 

Here are a few examples, with links for your surfing enjoyment.  I'll add to this list, as I find them.  There is never any shortage of award banquets; dinners; ground-breaking, ribbon-cutting and building inauguration/naming ceremonies; accolades; photo-ops; commencement speeches; and events to bestow and heap honor and recognition upon our exemplary judiciary.

Grande Investiture Ceremony - Justice Stephen Breyer and former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor attended the ceremony, the climax of three days of celebration in honor of the appointment of Judge Robert Henry as the Tenth Circuit's Chief Judge position. “We’ve been blessed in our country to have as judges the finest talent that we have in our country,” O'Connor said, praising the federal court system.  According to the article, "the whole event seemed a bit like a group of dear friends getting together, teasing each other and praising one another’s accomplishments."
 
Colorado Judicial Institute Judicial Awards - Every year, the Colorado Judicial Institute recognizes judges with the presentation of the CJI Judicial Excellence Award to a district court judge, county court judge, and magistrate. These individuals are said to have "demonstrated excellence in their profession, earned the respect of collegues, [sic.] staff, citizens appearing before them and attornies [sic.].    (I think they need a new Web site designer with spell-check installed on his or her computer). 

First Annual Judicial Excellence Awards Dinner
"The excitement was palpable at the Marriott City Center just before six o’clock . . . Soon the room was awash in judges, attorneys, corporate leaders and citizens concerned with the quality of the judicial system in Colorado."
 
Second Annual Judicial Excellent Awards Dinner
The keynote speaker was Robert J. Grey Jr. President of the American Bar Association, partner at Hunton & Williams of Richmond Va., past chair of the Commission on Opportunities for Minorities, and the Virginia delegation to the ABA House of Delegates from 1994-1998.  Grey quoted Thomas Jefferson's fondness of our jury system.  I wonder if Grey also recalls that Jefferson predicted, "The germ of destruction of our nation is in the power of the judiciary, an irresponsible body - working like gravity by night and by day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its noiseless step like a thief over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall render powerless the checks of one branch over the other and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated."
 
Fifth Annual (2007) Judicial Excellence Awards dinner    Note the list of sponsors here.

Also, May 1st, 2006 marked the year-long celebration of the "40-year anniversary of Merit selection of judges in Colorado" (Click here).  Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey really fed us some malarkey: “Forty years ago, Colorado took a great step forward in building a better state . . . from that time on judges have been held accountable to the constitution and laws.”  Riiiiiiight.  The Governor even awarded a lovely "Proclamation Certificate," complete with gold seal and all (Click here). 
Celebrating the 40th year, however, wasn't enough. The Colorado Judicial Branch reminds us that we are now in the midst of celebrating the 41st year of judicial excellence right now!!! Hurrah!! (Click here).
 
In the First Judicial Bar Association's September issue, there's a sycophantic (if not nauseating) article, "Senior Judge Polidori: A Career of Caring and Accomplishment." The author, Keith Goman, has no shortage of obsequious flattery as could ever have been condensed onto a single page.  Compare Goman's tribute to Bryan Spofford's allegations concerning the Polidori household (click here).
 
In the First Judicial Bar Association's October issue, there a description of the First Judicial District Bar Association's Annual Judges and Awards Banquet held this past September 29 at the Mount Vernon Country Club. This annual event honored incoming and retiring judicial members, as well as recognized the annual award winners and outgoing President. "Attendees enjoyed fine dining while gazing upon one of the last unspoiled vistas in and around the metropolitan area  . . . Chief Judge Brooke Jackson recognized the incoming judicial officers from this past year . . .The First JD is definitely fortunate to add these fine jurists to their bench!"
 
Then we have the local lobbying groups, like the Denver Metropolitan Interdisciplinary Committee, which host their Annual Round Table Luncheons with Local Judges and Magistrates. Their announcement proclaims, "Each year our metro-area judges and magistrates join us to address important and timely issues. This you don't want to miss.  Sign up early as this luncheon always fills up fast!"
 

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last updated: 03/27/2008