by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The ceremony to swear in Circuit Court Judge Jim Daniel may almost not have happened, but there was no doubt that he would one day have a seat on the bench of the Fourth Judicial Circuit.
Daniel was the second of four new Circuit Court Judges that will be sworn in this year, but he was almost satisfied with the official, nondescript swearing in that took place Jan. 2, so he could start his job in juvenile court.
“The wonderful ceremony we are enjoying today almost didn’t happen,” said Circuit Court Judge Hugh Carithers, Daniel’s mentor. “It is the prerogative of the judge not to have an investiture. During the mentor process I was trying to help ease his transition from public to private life and he told me he didn’t want to have an investiture. His reason was he just doesn’t want people making a fuss over him. The more I’ve gotten to know him, the more I’ve realized what a humble person he is.”
Living up to this statement, Daniel spent his time at the ceremony talking about and thanking the people who helped him get to the bench. He thanked Tad Delegal and Nelson Cuba for helping with his campaign for judge, even though he ran unopposed. He thanked his partners at the former Coker, Schickel, Sorenson & Daniel for his growth and development as a lawyer, and didn’t dwell on the fact that he is Florida Bar Certified in Appellate Practice. This distinction is held by only 163 of the over 86,000 members of the Florida Bar and by only five other attorneys in Jacksonville.
But before he could take his seat on the bench and extend thank yous, Daniel was welcomed by Circuit Court Judge Mallory Cooper who had investigated her subject quite thoroughly.
She painted a picture of Daniel’s accomplishments including high school achievements of playing on the soccer team, playing the tuba in the school band and cheerleading. Cooper also passed on something she was given at her investiture by the late Fran Coker, a statue of a child kneeing down and listening to a sea shell.
“This statue is to remind you, as it has me, is what litigants and attorneys are looking for is a real opportunity to be heard,” said Cooper. “As you are serving in delinquency and dependency now, this statue is particularly appropriate as it will remind you that the most vulnerable litigants, witnesses and victims that we see are children.”
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