by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
A packed Courtroom 4 of family, friend and colleagues sent Circuit Court Judge A.C. Soud into retirement Thursday after 26-and-a-half years on the bench. A portrait of Soud was also unveiled and will be hung among the others already on the walls, most of whom have passed away.
Then, a funny thing happened. Soud went back to work and right at this moment is filling in for Circuit Court Judge Linda McCallum. So much for retirement.
“A.C. isn’t going anywhere,” said Circuit Court Judge Charles Arnold. “Ginger (Soud’s wife) is not about to put up with him at home. In fact, he’ll be here Monday morning sitting in for Judge McCallum.”
Soud has entered the senior judges program which allows him to fill in for any judge in the state provided the local chief judge approves.
“I know you’ll enjoy being a judge in Key West or Tampa and all those other areas you and your wife can enjoy trips to,” said Arnold.
Thursday’s ceremony did mark the retirement for Soud, who was sworn in Jan. 6, 1981 in the same courtroom by Judge Marion Gooding, the father of current Circuit Court Judge David Gooding.
“This is uncomfortable,” admitted Soud.
And, the ceremony was part retirement, part roast. Former Mayor and current University of North Florida President John Delaney, former Brown, Terrell Hogan partner Tom Brown, Soud’s son Jeff and Arnold all spoke on Soud’s behalf. In between several touching moments that peered into Soud’s life on and off the bench, there were anecdotes about letters to former University of Florida football coaches, the yet-to-be-built County Courthouse and even what it was like growing up with a father as a judge.
Brown conveyed Soud’s pre-judge days attempt to explain to then-Gators head football coach Doug Dickey what was wrong with the Gators.
“He was a lawyer those days, a problem solver,” said Brown, explaining how Soud analyzed a season’s worth of play and players and sent Dickey a seven-page letter explaining how the Gators could improve. Dickey sent Soud a seven-page response. “Everything A.C. sent was ignored and at the end of a three-win season, Doug Dickey was fired and went on to sell tile. A.C. Soud became a judge and had a wonderful career as a jurist and Doug Dickey had to sell tile.”
Soud’s son Jeff talked about growing up with a fair, deeply-faithful father. He remembered his father’s swearing in ceremony, the instant respect that came with being known as “your Honor” and even the time when the police watched the house and the bomb squad opened suspicious packages.
Jeff, who has law a firm in the Blackstone building with his brother Adrian, also said he’d considered bringing the judge into the firm.
“After much thought, we decided we could create a position for dad because we could use a good law clerk,” he joked.
Circuit Court Judge Aaron Bowden conveyed several tales about the years he and Soud spent on the bench together, many of which were in the Juvenile Division. He also commented on an anonymous letter attached to a survey the Jacksonville Bar Association conducted one year.
“The letter said, ‘If Judge Bowden is a loose cannon on the deck, then Judge Soud is a scud’,” said Bowden.
Delaney said Soud always treated everyone — from the attorneys to the jurors to those on trail to the courthouse staff — with respect.
“All of the litigants were treated with dignity,” said Delaney. ”He brought decency and morality to the court.”
Soud thanked everyone who worked for and with him over the years and complimented the lawyers and judges of the circuit.
“The Fourth Judicial Circuit is probably the most efficient court in the state in getting through the maze of the thousands of cases filed each year,” said Soud.
Soud will be replaced on the bench by State Rep. Mark Mahon, who was appointed to the Fourth Judicial Circuit Friday by Gov. Charlie Crist.
“Representative Mahon’s 25 years of experience as an attorney combined with his outstanding service in the Florida Legislature make him uniquely qualified to hold this position,” said Crist.
Mahon’s term officially began Saturday and runs through Jan. 5, 2009. His appointment also creates a hole in the Legislature and a special election will be held to fill his Dist. 16 seat. To date, attorney Charles McBurney and former City Council member Lad Daniels have filed to run.