The "sleeping judge" -- former Supreme Court Chief Justice Cliff Taylor -- must have been absolutely the worst justice to ever serve on the Michigan Supreme court, right?
I mean, falling asleep during the arguments in a case in which little kids burned to death in a fire. That positively has to mark you as the least competent person to ever put on a black robe for our state.
Am I right?
Turns out, I'm not.
According to a poll of Michigan lawyers, there's another judge who was just as bad as the recently-departed-from the bench Taylor.
The 2008 Michigawn Lawyers Weekly survey says that Taylor's bench-mate, Robert Young Jr., is just as bad as Taylor, virtually tied for dead last in overall performance.
Young's seat is up in 2010.
Need I say more?
2 comments:
Turns out the "sleeping judge" ad was a lie. Cliff Taylor never fell asleep during that argument. Even Geoffrey Fieger, who argued that case, did not corroborate it when given the opportunity. From other accounts by lawyers who were there, former Justice Taylor had his eyes closed while listening to arguments, but he was not asleep. As a lawyer who has argued before every division of the state court (district, circuit, court of appeals, supreme court), I have seen many judges close their eyes to allow them to focus on the argument and not on the arguer. Or, you might understand this analogy: Think of Simon Cowell when he looks away from a singer on "American Idol" to hear the singing and not be distracted by the visual appearance.
You are barking up the wrong tree, my fellow anonymous poster.
Yes, I agree that Cliff Taylor did not fall asleep. It was a scurilous ad.
But the Dems on this site believe in two adages: Perception is reality; and, Tell a big lie long enough and it becomes the truth.
Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of Taylor and the gang. I am happy to see him off the court, although I fear a Democrat-owned court will not be a good thing. Also, Hathaway is not viewed as a strong jurist and was about the 49th choice of Dems seeking someone to run against Taylor....most of the first 48 are kicking themselves since they didn't believe that Taylor could be beaten.
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