It was a combination retirement party and roast for a 9th Circuit Judge who's now officially ended his career.
Stephen Mathers' term officially ends Sunday, but a ceremony was held for him in the Knox County Courthouse on Friday. Mathers opted not to seek retention after 30 years on the bench, replacing his father Gale. So judges and attorneys filled the jury courtroom at the Knox County Courthouse to thank and kid him.
One, Associate Judge Dwayne Morrison, says when he was an attorney, there was always something he noticed about a day in the courtroom with Mathers.
"A few years ago, Judge Mathers might have a reputation of sometimes being a little moody or testy," Morrison said. "Some people [in Morrison's former law office] used to ask 'How's he doing today. What kind of mood is he in?' We used to come back to the firm and might even mention that to the other individuals there."
Morrison says tongue-in-cheek that changed, however, when Mathers got married recently, and most would now say he's never in a bad mood in the courtroom.
Mathers, however, says there was always a reason for his moodiness.
"I'd really like to say to Dwayne, maybe the reason why you and your firm members thought that I was testy was because of the job that you had done in front of me earlier in the day," Mathers said.
Mathers, for a good portion of the time he's been a judge, has been the man that's conducted jury trials in the county. Judge Paul Mangieri will be taking that over, and says he watched some of Mathers' last jury trial just to get a feel for how to do it, and in his mind, he would have dealt with everything the way Mathers did.
Mangieri says that's saying something.
"It shouldn't really surprise me that, when I said 'sustained,' [an objection] was sustained, and when I said 'overruled,' it should be overruled," Mangieri said. "Throughout the entire history of my practicing life, I learned plurality, relevancy, the rules of evidence, from [Judge Mathers]. He fashioned the way that I view the rules of evidence, and the application of the law."
Several other judges praised Mathers for his ability to listen and to be fair to everyone. Mangieri called Mathers a "discerning individual."
Associate Judge Steven Bordner won Mathers' seat in the November election over opponent, Knox County Public Defender Jim Harrell, and will be sworn in Monday morning.
(A display marking Judge Stephen Mathers' years on the bench.)
(A display marking Judge Stephen Mathers' years on the bench.)
(Judge James Stewart speaks at Judge Mathers' retirement ceremony Friday.)
(Administrative Judge Scott Shiplett presents a plaque to Mathers from the Knox County Board honoring him.)
(Mathers speaks one more time from behind the bench Friday.)
(Local attorneys, court reporters, and Knox County Courthouse employees give Mathers a standing ovation. WGIL News Story and Photos by Will Stevenson.) |
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