Wednesday, November 23, 2005
COMMENTS OF THE HONORABLE LARRY R. PATTERSON (INEFFICIENCY BAD--LAWYER/JUDGE MISCONDUCT NOT SO BAD
As the Legislature once again tackles Reform of the Family Court system, we thought it would be an appropriate time to revisit some of the previous decisions of the Legislature. Following are comments of The Honorable Judge Larry R. Patterson before the Judicial Merit Selection Commission as recorded in the Report of Candidate Qualifications of April 1, 1997 (see, http://www.scstatehouse.net/reports/j9707825.htm.)*
We have a very inefficient judicial system. We've got Judges--three of four judges get involved in one case. That's just a waste of time. Our Courtrooms are empty a lot of the times. The Federal System is far ahead of us in regard to being efficient and disposing of cases. Our caseload has dropped back--I'm trying case, '94 cases, in Spartanburg, and that's all I did in Charleston, was try cases three years old. There's no reason for that, we've got the manpower our system is just inefficient--period. We have a very inefficient system right now.
Q. Judge, how would you handle a situation which you became aware of misconduct of a lawyer or of a fellow judge?
A. Well, technically, we're supposed to report that...that's not a very popular thing to do, and it's not--particularly when I became a Family Court Judge.
As the Legislature once again tackles Reform of the Family Court system, we thought it would be an appropriate time to revisit some of the previous decisions of the Legislature. Following are comments of The Honorable Judge Larry R. Patterson before the Judicial Merit Selection Commission as recorded in the Report of Candidate Qualifications of April 1, 1997 (see, http://www.scstatehouse.net/reports/j9707825.htm.)*
We have a very inefficient judicial system. We've got Judges--three of four judges get involved in one case. That's just a waste of time. Our Courtrooms are empty a lot of the times. The Federal System is far ahead of us in regard to being efficient and disposing of cases. Our caseload has dropped back--I'm trying case, '94 cases, in Spartanburg, and that's all I did in Charleston, was try cases three years old. There's no reason for that, we've got the manpower our system is just inefficient--period. We have a very inefficient system right now.
Q. Judge, how would you handle a situation which you became aware of misconduct of a lawyer or of a fellow judge?
A. Well, technically, we're supposed to report that...that's not a very popular thing to do, and it's not--particularly when I became a Family Court Judge.
Q. What do you think is the appropriate demeanor for a judge?
A. The appropriate demeanor for a judge is to be courteous in the courtroom at litigants and attorneys. I've had no problems much with that in the circuit court, as much as I did in Family Court.
* Patterson served as a Family Court Judge from March 1981 until June 1991.
