Judges, court staff and friends gathered in Chief Judge Donald Moran's chambers Dec. 3 at the Duval County Courthouse to say goodbye to two judicial assistants who have a combined total of about 75 years in the legal community.
Linda Davis and Sandy Jackson were the guests of honor at the retirement reception held at the courthouse.
Davis was Circuit Judge Charles Arnold's judicial assistant and Jackson worked for Circuit Judge Peter Dearing. Both began their careers as assistants in the State Attorney's Office at different times — Davis in 1968 and Jackson in 1982.
"I could not have done my job without Sandy being there working with me, side by side," said Dearing.
Before working for Dearing, Jackson was a judicial assistant to Circuit Judge A.C. Soud.
"The only time I ever felt like fussing, she was being too nice to people on the phone who were being ugly to her. She would sit there and take it and take it. I told her, 'Sandy, hang up on them.' She wouldn't," Soud said.
Davis spent a majority of her career working for Arnold.
"She knew the system better than anybody, which was good for me. (Davis) knew so much more than I did about being a judge when I started, and she still does. There's no area of the law she doesn't know about," said Arnold.
Davis said she plans to do some traveling during her retirement. Jackson may be leaving the courthouse, but said she plans to still work part time for a private law firm.
Davis and Jackson shared tears and laughter with the crowd of about 60 during their farewell and said they plan to share more of the latter when they leave the courthouse.
"Sandy and I are going to have some fun," Davis said.
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