From the Judges Desk
Musings Upon Retirement
I
n February, when I signed up to write this article, I had a plan: we would take a quick stroll through Montgomery County Court history from 1987 when I was appointed to the bench through 2020, as I retire. Then COVID-19 hit. A leisurely stroll through anything does not now seem to be relevant. But what to write about? As may be the case with some of you, my brain is a bit addled with a combination of working from home and at the Courthouse – with masks and chapped hands, Zoom meetings, remote dockets and hearings, missing out-of-town grandchildren, and not seeing people that I am used to seeing regularly. We’ve all been there; we’re still there. So, instead of my planned memory stroll, these are just some musings by a retiring Judge. Perhaps it is part of “America’s story” that an Italian girl from the Bronx, whose dad and grandparents literally “came over on the boat” and through Ellis Island in search of a better life for their families, came to Dayton by way of Milwaukee, and served on the Montgomery County Common Pleas bench for 33 years. My grandparents were neither educated nor wealthy. My grandfathers both worked as bricklayers eventually going into business together building houses in the Bronx. My dad, who came to America when he was about 6 years old, became a citizen on his father’s papers and served in the U.S. Army. He married my mom and with her raised four children, living in a house built by my grandfathers, all while he became a successful neighborhood doctor – and I mean neighborhood doctor – his office was the first floor of our home. America’s story.
Back to Dayton
In 1974, the University of Dayton reopened its law school. I was a member of that first class. Our law school “facility” was the basement of the university’s library. Even that wasn’t ready for classes, so we spent our first two weeks going to random classrooms around
By The Honorable Barbara P. Gorman Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas barbara.gorman@montcourt.oh.gov | 937. 225.4392
campus. From that modest beginning, the school has grown in so many ways, becoming a moving force in the community. Today’s students don’t have to roam campus, but instead have the opportunity to pursue their education in the state-of-the-art Keller Hall. For those in the first class, we took a chance on the law school, and the law school took a chance on us. We all seemed to survive and prosper. Through my time as an adjunct professor and as the mentor of several student ex-terns, I have seen the continued growth and excellence of the young lawyers being trained at the law school. I am a proud alumna. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Montgomery County as a Common Pleas Judge for over three decades. My husband, our children and their families, our extended families and friends have made all the difference. This journey would not have been possible without the support of so many people. To the members of the DBA – you rock! I often praise the attorneys of Montgomery County. That praise is well-deserved. When it comes to our lawyers and how they interact with the court and each other, they are second-to-none for courtesy, professionalism, and ethical conduct. Our attorneys also give back to the community by giving volunteer hours to the Volunteer Lawyers Project and serving on non-profit boards, whether law related, social-service oriented, or focused on the arts. Since March, lawyers have found even more unique ways to work together and represent their clients as “normal” fled our consciousness. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the country and the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court is no different. The cooperation of lawyers working together and on behalf of their clients has been exceptional – but I wouldn’t expect less. We now hold remote proceedings. Face-to-face hearings are being held in courtrooms where masks, social distancing, Plexiglas and loud room air purifiers are the norm. All of these adaptations have been met with patience and grace by our legal community. continued on page 17
16
Dayton Bar Briefs December 2020
937.222.7902
