Judges and Judgment: In Praise of Instigators

Judges as Teachers .

“…Codes of conduct aside, it is inevitable that a judge's words and actions, in court or out of court,willresonate with some, to provide them with inspiration, motivation, support, or validation.Lawyers and litigants come into contact with different types of judges, and most often, there will be a judge who speaks for them,enlightens them, or resonates with the min such a way as to reinforce their confidence in the justice system, or to nurture their self-confidence and selfworth, so that they live up to their fullest potentials and be more fulfilled.This is confirmed by the many praises heaped on judges-especially in the United States, among these Dechalert (2019), who identifies Judge Judy as her role model, and says Judge Judy's individualistic philosophy and approach to work and life, inspired her to figure out who she is. Noble(1993), whopraises judge Higginbotham for setting a remarkable example by always being "fair, decent, and caring" (p. 551), Judge (2019), whopraises Judge Posner for allowing his humanity and the humanity of others to shape his judgment; and Bodnar(2019), who, while highlighting the missteps of a particular judge, emphasizeshow he was inspired by another one thus:…”