The news Tuesday of the passing of U.S. District Judge Allen Pepper was a shocker. It was just last week that I reported on a jury verdict in a case tried before Judge Pepper.
The Mississippi legal community expressed uniform admiration for Judge Pepper and sadness over his death. From Patsy Brumfield's article in the NEDJ:
Chief U.S. Dist. Judge Mike Mills: “I’ve lost a good friend, a wonderful person.” “He was a good judge.” "He will be missed all over the state of Mississippi.”
Ashland attorney Anthony Farese: He was “an excellent judge who firmly followed the law, but had compassion for his fellow man.”
Oxford attorney Christi McCoy: A finer person has never put on a black robe.” “He truly cared for the people he had to sentence.”
Tupelo attorney Guy Mitchell III: “He was a fair-minded man.”
From Jimmy Gates' article in the Clarion-Ledger:
U.S. Dist. Judge Neal Biggers: “He was a pleasure to work with and also just to hang out with."
Tupelo attorney Jim Waide: "They just loved him around the (federal) courthouse."
Former Greenville Mayor Heather McTeer: “had a strong history on the federal bench" and "was very supportive of his community."
U.S. Dist. Judge Sharion Aycock: “His life included practically every facet of public service - with over thirty years in private law practice, service on numerous state and national professional boards and committees, his military service, his church, his community, not to mention his exemplary service to the federal judiciary."
A bio on Judge Pepper locate by Cottonmouth states that Judge Pepper maintained a solo practice in Cleveland for thirty years before being appointed to the bench in 1999.
I did not know Judge Pepper and never personally appeared before him. But I have an affinity for any lawyer who can maintain a solo practice for thirty years. Attorneys who practiced before Judge Pepper loved him. He will be sorely missed.
Judge Pepper was a great person and an able Judge, who we were proud to count as a member of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. As mentioned in Gates' article, Judge Pepper held a strong belief in the jury system, the preservaion of which is a goal of ABOTA. He will be missed.
Judge Pepper was intellectually honest and also a very nice man. He will be hard to replace.
I tried two cases in front of him in the past year and he was true gentleman. He made everyone in the Courtroom feel at ease. He will be missed.
Most impressive about Judge Pepper was the fact that he practiced law a solo lawyer prior to becoming a federal judge. I can only hope that we appoint more federal judges like Judge Pepper; judges who have previously represented individuals, criminal defendants and understand the frustrations of running a law office. I believe that federal judges, as a prerequisite to appointment, need to have a background representing criminal defendants. It would make the sentencing process more fair, in my opinion.