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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Ind. Courts - New Bicknell City Judge Michael Edwards named "Judge of the Day" by national law blog

Remember this entry from Nov. 3rd, 2009, where the City of Bicknell finally got a judge? Their city judge, and his wife, had been suspended by the Supreme Court, effective immediately, on Oct. 14th "on accusations they stole thousands of dollars worth of traffic ticket fines from the court's account" (see this Oct. 14th ILB entry). Another ILB entry, on Oct. 29th quoted WTHI TV 10 on "the cost of returning order to its city court.." Bicknell now had no judge, so no fines were coming in, they were missing the thousands allegedly stolen, and they still had to pay the costs of the suspended judge, plus they would have to pay the costs of a new judge, whenever one was appointed by the Supreme Court.

Then came the Nov. 3rd ILB entry - a new judge pro tempore, Michael D. Edwards, had been appointed by the Supreme Court, effective 16th.

And the new judge, unlike the suspended judge, was a lawyer. But, it turns out, just barely.

Above the Law's (ATL) Kashmir Hill picks up on the story today. Hill explains "a Georgetown classmate tipped us off to the news." Here are some quotes:

Many ‘08 law school grads are about to take a step up to second year associate level at Biglaw firms across the land. You’re feeling pretty proud? And lucky to have a Biglaw gig these days, right?

Well, eat your hearts out. Michael Edwards, Georgetown Law ‘08 grad, has already been appointed a judge. He took his seat on the bench in Indiana City Court [ILB sic - should be Bicknell, Indiana, city court] on Tuesday.

ATL quotes WTHI-TV: "Michael Edwards is a Naval Academy graduate, former Marine, and now the city court judge in Bicknell."

ATL continues: "We sent Judge Edwards a Facebook message asking about his relatively quick costume change from cap and gown — he graduated from Georgetown in October 2008 — to judicial robe:" Here is the response:
Through law school, my dream was to return to southern Indiana and do the small town Atticus Finch thing. I was heading to one of the largest firms in Chicago to work in their litigation group, however, because of my staggering loans.

When my start date kept getting pushed back, I looked around for other options. I graduated from Annapolis and spent six years in the Marines before GULC, so I also had a military background. The Navy made me an offer to work for them as a civilian on a special project called SBX-1 at a base in southern Indiana where I’d use my military background and my JD. Anyway, the pay was better than BIGLAW with the cost of living difference, and the offer afforded me the opportunity to return to my hometown in southern Indiana and take some clients on the side.

I had just received my Indiana bar results in October while on a trip to Hawaii. A local judge (Knox County, IN) contacted me with the news that the Indiana Supreme Court needed a temporary replacement for a local city judge under indictment. I sent my resume to Chief Justice Shepard, and I was selected for the spot.

ATL concludes:
It’s been a busy month for Edwards. He found out he passed the bar at the beginning of October. He went to Hawaii for two weeks (see right), got married on November 7, and founded his own law firm yesterday, Michael Edwards Law Center LLC.

And he’s hiring. He says he’s currently sorting his judicial files and will soon hire and train a clerk.

Good work by ATL! The ILB is sorry it didn't follow up on the initial announcement!

Posted by Marcia Oddi on November 18, 2009 12:24 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts