4
THE LEGAL BRIEF
VOLUME 40, ISSUE 5
A View From The Bench
By Judge James Dixon Thurston County Superior Court
After thirty - two years in Thurston County courtrooms, it is time for me to retire.
I have no words of wisdom, nor words of advice to share. I do, however, have words of appreciation:
Thank you to all of the staff with whom I work. I value your support. I value your friendships even more.
Thank you to my colleagues for their support and hard work.
Thank you to all of our court clerks. I have enjoyed our conversations more than you know.
Thank you to the deputy prosecutors and defense lawyers who appear before me on a regular basis. I know what it is like to have a caseload, deadlines, clients and stress. You handle it well. Please remember that stress may impact your health so try to keep things in perspective.
Thank you to the people who clean our space. These buildings are old and well - worn. You work odd hours with little reward. All of us who work here appreciate you.
Thank you to victims of crime who appear in court and remind us that people are impacted by crime. To those who forgive, I am humbled.
Thank you to people whom, after being convicted, are remorseful, often insightful, and remind us that good people sometimes do bad things.
Thank you to citizens who appear for jury duty. You get ten bucks a day, arrive before we do, park in the south 40, share personal information with strangers, are herded like cattle and, along with 11 strangers, make difficult decisions.
Thank you to the lawyers who remind me that professionalism and courtesy are not lost art. It is a joy to watch pros work.
Thank you to drug court participants. You opt out of the easy route. You rise to the challenge.
Thank you to the former judges from whom I have borrowed. A special thanks to Chris Pomeroy and Dan Berschauer for going out of their way for me when I was unaware.
Thank you to the bailiffs. Your patience and senses of humor and unique personalities make trial days enjoyable.
Thank you to court security. I will miss our attempts at solving world problems.
Thank you to corrections staff for your professionalism and friendships. Thank you, Mr. Rhoades, for being kind to every person.
Thank you to facilities staff for patching our many holes. Thanks, Dan, for your sage advice.
Thank you to court reporters who suffer my habit of crowbarring odd phrases, and never letting on you have heard it 1000 times before.
Thank you to law enforcement for apologizing when you wake me at 3 a.m. for a warrant request. Thank you for protecting our community in these challenging times.
Thank you to the many civic organizations with whom I have served. You do good work. A special thank you to Coach Lydell Spry at Thurston County Police Athletic League who has dedicated his adult life to helping young people be successful. He is a hero.
Thank you to TCBA. I have enjoyed my active participation since 1990. You have evolved from an organization that serves the local bar to an organization that also serves the community at large, and preserves the tradition of congeniality.
Soon I will be off to another place to do other things. I have been privileged and honored to know you and work with you.
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