And the experience imbalance between the judge and the clerk seems like it might kind of reinforce delusions of grandeur on the part of the judge.

I clerked for a state coa justice out of law school. She, like all of the other judges, had an experienced staff attorney. At the time each chamber had a briefing attorney, me or my cohorts. We got the really fluff cases early on. However, they quickly whipped us into shape and by the end of the year we were handling fairly complicated cases.

Several judges are now going to two staff attorneys. I can't speak for the change in direction.

Those of us in my judge's chambers did not have the same political /ideological view as she did. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what our views are if the judge isn't result orientated�.or at least that was my experience on a state intermediate court.

Thanks for that insight. I felt a little leary of speaking out of turn, as I've never had the perspective you have. So, I'm glad to learn.

I've been to a few CLEs where you gave updates. I never would have thought you didn't clerk for the CCA or on the federal circuit somewhere.

Honestly, I never tried. I figured that was something smart people did. I'm no Scott Brumley.

quote:

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Originally posted by David Newell:
Honestly, I never tried. I figured that was something smart people did. I'm no Scott Brumley.

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And really, who is Scott Brumley, except of course, Scott Brumley.

Exactly. Scott Brumley is so Zen he could be his own rock garden.

I'm not Scott Brumley, either, though I play him on TV. I think he's kinda like Kuato in "Total Recall." And I never clerked for any judge, either. But I can do a crossword puzzle. That's gotta count for something.

I don't have much to add to the substantive end of this. I suppose Priscilla Owen is out, huh?

Way too conservative. That Mars radiation must be getting to your head, Kuato.

Probably more the oxygen deprivation. I fully acknowledge that no one sitting on the Fifth Circuit, regardless of gender, has a snowball's chance in Brownsville of even getting sniffed. The only thing I've gleaned about this is that the fashionable pontification focuses on the need for a candidate from outside the judiciary. Indeed, one commentator on CNN had the temerity to suggest that perhaps we should look beyond Yale or Harvard law grads. See the heresy here. I wonder if that means my law degree from DeVry will cut the mustard?

I have a shocking idea. How about a justice who:

1. has actually worked as an attorney for at least 20 years;
2. has not taught law school as a full-time job;
3. did not graduate from Harvard or Yale or any of the "top 10" law schools;
4. has actually written and handled at least one appeal, criminal or civil, as lead counsel, and preferably, by him/herself;
5. has actually tried no less than 100 jury trials, to verdict, as first chair. (i.e. not with a trial team and a jury consultant).
6. has not worked for any civil law firm that is in the "top 500" law firm in this nation.

Most importantly, the candidate should HAVE NEVER been a member of the ABA, except for the free membership given to first year attorneys.

I know it is heresy to suggest this, and I duck for cover under my desk as I type, but what about one of the leaders in the field of *gasp shudder to think* prosecution for the next justice?

Or, it would be kind of cool if they nominated Meat Loaf.

I'm still thinking AndreaW.

Greg, you don't like civil lawyers deciding criminal law matters? I don't know why you would say that!

I nominate Jack McCoy, he's a real prosecutor who has criminal law experience.

Surely you're not suggesting that AndreaW is a civil lawyer just because she also happens to have written a book on expunctions.

You know she has a sword, right?

I'm talking about the Top 500 Civil Law Firm people, not AndreaW. If she has Greg's support, I'm all for AndreaW!

Ah! My bad.

You guys completely crack me up. I'll take the job if it's offered!

Newell! Apparently Sotomayer is the nominee after all.

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama tapped federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court on Tuesday, officials said, making her the first Hispanic in history picked to wear the robes of a justice.

If confirmed by the Senate, Sotomayor, 54, would succeed retiring Justice David Souter. Two officials described Obama's decision on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement had been made."

The rest of the article

Let's see if the official announcement matches up with this, and may the confirmation battles begin!

Better luck next time, Andrea.

SS should be more grounded than a Harvard law professor anyway.

JAS