by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
The Judicial Relations Committee of The Jacksonville Bar Association helps promote good relations between judges, lawyers and the public.
“Its purpose is to try to improve and foster good judiciary relations between the bench and the bar as well as the judiciary and the general public,” said John Tucker of Foley and Lardner, who chairs the committee.
The committee deals with any issues or matters that are brought to its attention that they believe can be used to improve the relationships between the judiciary and either the bar or the general public,” said Tucker. “Jacksonville has always, and continues to have, good relationships between the bench and the bar and between judges and the general public. The committee has always been there, it wasn’t established because there were problems.”
For example, sometimes judges have a certain way they want things done in their courtroom.
“One of the projects we do from time to time is to provide the information about how those judges like things done, so that people are informed and everything can work more smoothly and efficiently in those courts,” said Tucker.
Another thing the committee has done is to have lawyers and judges meet to discuss what they believe the bar can do to address various situations, including scheduling concerns or finding volunteers to assist with pro bono cases.
The committee has about 20 members. They meet several times a year to basically try and discuss what they have been doing and what they might be able to do in regard to issues that people have brought to their attention.
“It is important to the group that the relationship between bench and bar remain as strong and as good as it has traditionally been in our area,” said Tucker.
As the chair of the committee, Tucker’s job is to schedule meetings and coordinate activities of various members.
“It’s almost like we are a standing committee to provide some vehicle for communication with regard to issues that may come up from time to time,” said Tucker.
Currently, the committee does not have any meetings between judges and lawyers scheduled, but Tucker said they will soon.