11th Circuit Historical News Volume XVII, Number 2 | Winter 2020 THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE U.S. COURTS IN THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT IN THIS ISSUE PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA ARCHIVES 1 The Birth and Evolution of the The Birth and Evolution of umental stair terminating in a shallow Sam M. Gibbons United States Courthouse, Tampa, Florida the Sam M. Gibbons portico containing four Corinthian columns … The height of the first floor United States Courthouse, 2 Chief Judge William H. Pryor Jr.: is strongly expressed in a continuous A New Honorary Chair for the Tampa, Florida horizontal band of horizontally rusti- Eleventh Circuit Historical Society JERRY M. GEWIRTZ cated marble one story high, topped by a strong rectangular string course. 3 Meet the Trustees: Tampa, Florida, has been home to two fed- The third and fourth floor heights are Robert C. Martin Jr. eral courthouses. The first federal court- combined in exterior expression, with house in Tampa, a building known to many rectangular windows appearing as ver- 5 Meet the Trustees: judges and practitioners as the “Classic tical elements separated by two-story M. Jerome Elmore Courthouse,” was completed in 1905.1 The high buff brick panels terminating at Classic Courthouse is included on the list the entablature. The entablature sup- 7 Judge Robert J. Luck: Learned at an of U.S. National Register of Historic Plac- ports a pronounced projecting cornice Early Age the Value of Hard Work es2 and is described in architectural terms bearing dentils and surmounted by a 9 Judge Barbara Lagoa: An Only as follows: continuous balustrade.3 In America Story Although designed in eclectic Renais- The Classic Courthouse was originally de- sance Revival style, the relative sim- signed for the U.S. Post Office.4 The build- 12 Senior District Judge William plicity and rectangularity of massing ing also served as a federal courthouse, first T. Moore Jr. Presented Bar and details indicates strong Greek Re- for the Southern District of Florida, next for Professionalism Award vival influence … The ground floor is the Middle District of Florida;5 and as a cus- 14 expressed as a stylobate of lightly rus- tom house.6 From 1984 to 1998, the Classic Judge J. P. Boulee’s Investiture ticated gray granite containing small Courthouse was used exclusively to house 17 Judge Rodney Smith's Investiture square windows. The first floor is the the Tampa Division of the U.S. District main floor and is reached by the mon- Court for the Middle District of Florida.7 21 The 2020 Eleventh Circuit Issue See "Gibbons Federal Courthouse," p. 22 Highlights Arbitration in the Eleventh Circuit WINTER 2020 1 NEW & NOTEWORTHY CHIEF JUDGE WILLIAM H. PRYOR JR. A New Honorary Chair for the Eleventh Circuit Historical Society WILLIAM G. "WILL" PARKER JR. Earlier this year, a rare thing happened: The sity of Alabama School of Law and Cumber- Historical Society (Society) got a new hon- land School of law. He also served five years orary chair when Judge William H. “Bill” on the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Pryor Jr. became Chief Judge William H. Historical Society President Halsey “Bill” Pryor Jr., taking over from fellow Al- Knapp welcomed new Chief Judge Pryor and abamian and immediate past Chief Judge thanked former Chief Judge Carnes for his Ed Carnes. Under the Society’s bylaws, the service. “As chief judge, the honorary chair chief judge of the Eleventh Circuit serves is uniquely positioned to help the Historical as honorary chair of the Society unless he Society fulfill its mission of documenting or she is “unable or unwilling” to serve, in the history of, and fostering an appreciation which case the chief judge appoints another for, the federal courts in this circuit,” Knapp circuit judge to serve as honorary chair. said. “During his tenure as chief judge, Judge In this case, Chief Judge Pryor eagerly ac- Carnes gave generously of his time to that cepted his new role. “The Historical Society end, and we thank him for that. In that same plays a vital role in building a culture of col- spirit, we are grateful to Chief Judge Pryor legiality among the bench and the bar and for his willingness to serve as honorary chair, also in fostering appreciation of the work of and we look forward to working with him in our federal courts in Alabama, Florida and his new role.” Georgia. I am happy to serve as the Soci- ety’s honorary chair, and look forward to William G. "Will" assisting in any way that I can.” OF THE U.S. COURT COURTESY OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUITPHOTO A 2004 appointee of President George Parker Jr. is chief deputy W. Bush, Chief Judge Pryor assumes his general counsel to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey. new role with a broad array of experience Parker currently serves “I am happy to serve as in the public and private sector, as well as on the Eleventh Circuit in academia. After graduating from Tulane Historical Society's Board the Society’s honorary Law School, he clerked for Judge John Mi- of Trustees. chair, and look forward nor Wisdom of the Fifth Circuit. He then practiced at two private law firms in Bir- to assisting in any way mingham, Alabama, before entering public service in Alabama state government, where that I can.” he would ultimately serve seven years as at- CHIEF JUDGE PRYOR torney general of Alabama. As a judge on the Eleventh Circuit, Pryor has taught classes in federal courts and textualism at the Univer- 2 11TH CIRCUIT HISTORICAL NEWS MEET THE TRUSTEES Eleventh Circuit Historical Society Trustee ROBERT C. MARTIN JR. Q: The Society’s mission includes a focus lika, Alabama, but unfortunately, no expe- not just on the Eleventh Circuit Court of rience with the Florida court system. Appeals but also on all of the federal courts I have always enjoyed practicing in federal in Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Please court because my experience has been that tell us a little bit about your background, those courtrooms were well run by the pre- with a special focus on your connection to siding judges. It is an environment in which the federal courts in those states. the attorneys can make more of a difference A: I graduated from the University of Geor- in presenting cases than in some of the courts gia School of Law in 1980, and began prac- in the state court system, where litigants of- tice at the law firm of Hatcher, Stubbs, Land, ten run amok without proper supervision Hollis & Rothchild in Columbus, Georgia, and administration of the laws and rules of my home. I practiced with Hatcher Stubbs the court. And in the federal court system, for more than 35 years until the bulk of its I have experienced presiding judges who attorneys joined Hall Booth Smith, P.C., an were able to run their courtroom with little Atlanta-based law firm, to form with its ex- interference or fanfare and with few words Editor’s note: This is the third installment isting lawyers in Columbus, the Columbus because of the respect commanded by the at- of our series “Meet the Trustees.” It is office of Hall Booth Smith, P.C. torneys who appear in front of them. Those our pleasure to introduce to you one of When I began the practice of law in 1980, judges, almost without exception, have also our newest Georgia trustees, Robert C. like many attorneys of my generation, I had enforced their rulings with good-natured Martin Jr., and our treasurer, M. Jerome a varied practice doing a little of everything. humor where appropriate. Elmore (see p. 5). The great thing about practice in those early In fact, our current local judge, U.S. District days was the number of cases that we were Judge Clay D. Land, once ruled against me able to bring to trial. There is no counting on an objection based upon the little-known the number of road wreck cases, including “Goose and Gander Rule.” When my witness jury trials for property damage cases in attempted to testify about a certain realm of Municipal Court, which we tried in those the case, the plaintiff’s objection was sus- days. It gave me a world of courtroom ex- tained based upon my having previously perience at a young age. objected to the plaintiff’s witness’ effort to en- For the bulk of my practice, I have han- ter into that same domain. (As an aside, as I dled medical malpractice cases, defending have mentioned to Judge Land, I think I may mostly physicians, and then doctors, nurses be the only lawyer who has tried a case with and hospitals in my practice in recent years. Judge Land as my law partner and co-coun- Typically, medical malpractices are brought sel, with Judge Land as one of the opposing in the state court system, but I have tried attorneys and also with Judge Land as the pre- several malpractice cases in federal court in siding judge in the U.S. District Court of the Georgia, both in the Middle District as well Middle District of Georgia.) as the Northern District. This publication often covers “milestone” Early in my career when I had a more events—the investiture of a new judge, the varied practice, I had different types of cas- dedication of a new courthouse and so on. es in federal court. Again almost all were in There is also value in preserving the social Georgia, with a smattering of cases in Ope- history of our circuit, that is, the day-to- WINTER 2020 3 SHARE Submit items for publication in the 11th Circuit Historical News to Wanda Lamar, executive director of the Society (wanda_lamar@ ca11.uscourts.gov).