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Joseph S. Michael was sworn in Friday as Washington County’s newest circuit court judge, but not before getting some fashion advice from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.
Gorsuch related that one of his first acts as a judge was to trip over his robe, prompting his wife to ask, “don’t you know to lift your hem?”
“My very first lesson in judging was a lesson in fashion,” Gorsuch said to laughter from the crowd of Michael’s friends, family and colleagues who packed the main courtroom of the old courthouse in downtown Hagerstown.
That robe is much more than a garment, according to Gorsuch.
“The robe reflects what we’re about,” Gorsuch said. “Every day you put it on, remember that it isn’t about you.
“It’s about the lives of those we serve in our community.”
Gorsuch said the public sometimes misunderstands the role of judges, who must make decisions without regard for their own or public opinion.
“We need judges unafraid to follow the law wherever it leads,” he said.
Gorsuch noted that for the current and former jurists watching from the jury box, the swearing-in ceremony is “almost like renewing our vows.”
“Today we hand the baton to a new member,” he said.
Gorsuch said five years ago he became eager to get acquainted with outdoor life.
“Joe has served as our unofficial ambassador of Maryland trout streams,” Gorsuch said
Circuit Court Administrative Judge Brett R. Wilson observed that the courtroom crowd included some of Michael’s “combatants,” a nod to his years of service as a prosecutor.
That was among the experiences that prepared Michael for the bench, according to Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals Joseph M. Getty.
“Your history of service to the people of Washington County … has prepared you for a new, exciting role in the circuit court,” Getty said.
One of Michael’s college buddies from the University of Maryland, Timothy S. Bogardus, recalled an image of Michael as president of their fraternity that might have helped get him selected for the judgeship.
“I like to think that that image of Joe with a gavel in his hand was a premonition of today,” he said.
Professor J. Amy Dillard of the University of Baltimore School of Law revealed that Michael had asked her to style her remarks as if they were a eulogy.
“Your eulogy will need a slideshow to show the beauty of the life you lived,” she said.
She called Michael a “master of our trade” with a deep commitment to the law.
Dillard also referenced the symbolism of the judge’s robe.
“You will get a new costume today, but you will remain the same,” she said. “I want you to be yourself under that robe.”
Michael was chosen and appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan from a field of eight attorneys who applied to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Daniel P. Dwyer. Michael said he plans to run for a full 15-year term in the upcoming election for state and local offices.
Several speakers referenced Michael’s love of the outdoors and conservation, including Michael Pedone, chief legal counsel for Hogan’s office, who delivered the governor’s commission.
He said that on Michael’s application to serve as a judge, he listed hobbies including fly-fishing, training dogs, shooting and fox hunting.
Pedone said, “Even if we don’t make him a judge, I want to know what this guy is doing this weekend” to laughter from the crowd.
Because Hogan is not a lawyer, Pedone said, his perspective as an ordinary citizen shows that he judges the applicants’ character as well as their qualifications.
Wilson said he has known Michael for 30 years, and “is a friend I am blessed to have.”
“Judge Michael is ready, qualified and welcome on this bench,” he said.
After taking the oath to a standing ovation and walking up to his seat on the bench, Michael pledged his commitment to the job.
“It’s not about us,” he said. “It is about all the people.”
Michael previously served as deputy state’s attorney.
As a prosecutor, he handled major felony cases. He also maintained a part-time private civil practice handling domestic cases and business matters. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland and his Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law.
Jury trials are held in circuit court, but cases also can be decided by a judge only. The court generally handles more serious criminal and major civil cases. Those heard in circuit court include juvenile, family law and domestic violence matters as well as appeals from district court, orphan’s courts and some administrative agencies, according to the Maryland Courts website.
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