Preface: This is one of four articles, with some updating, published in Res Integra in 2017 to educate the members of the Lakeland Bar about local bench/bar presentations beginning in 2008 and concluding in 2010, the Centennial of the Tenth Judicial Circuit. These presentations were the catalyst to the creation of the Tenth Judicial Circuit Historical Society, Inc. which acquired transcripts and other historical information. The TJCHS is now inactive and all materials are being transferred to the Lakeland Library’s History and Culture Center.

Nov Dec Vol 11 issue 2 2017

THE CENTENNIAL AND THE CREATION OF THE TENTH CIRCUIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

By County Judge Mary Catherine Green

Part One: My Stairs to becoming a part of the Tenth Judicial Circuit

One of my earliest memories was when I was about five years old in the mid 1960’s. I was climbing the steps to my father Oliver L. Green’s law office on the second floor of the Oxford building which was near the Polk Theatre in Lakeland. He practiced with H. E. Oxford and his brother Lon. My father’s office had dark furniture and I would sit on his knee or hide under his desk.

In the 1970’s I remember my father running for State Senate. He lost the election, but the campaign propelled him into a newly created judicial seat through a Florida Constitutional revision. The bench and bar enjoyed campfire parties at my parent’s home. I remember Judge Clifton M. Kelly, Judge William K. Love, Judge John H. Dewell, Jack Edmund and many others being there. Our summer vacations often consisted of cross-country trips by station wagon to the judicial college in Reno, Nevada.

Upon becoming a County Judge in 1999, I noticed the new attorneys learned from watching experienced practitioners. Our dockets were increasing, and the legislature added complexity to certain areas of the law such as domestic violence. The Courts were slow to keep up with the required technology for evolving law. I remember a jury trial when the jury requested a playback, and I pulled out from the recorder a chewed-up tape in front of the panel. Fortunately, we were fast changing to electronic recording equipment. Judge Anne Kaylor was a leader in demanding updated technology, educating attorneys on how to create a professional record and was the webmaster of the first website for the Tenth Judicial Circuit.

We needed to all expand on Judge Kaylor’s example. In about 2003, I had a hearing with attorney Keith Miller and he made an impressive record of certain civil proceedings for the Court reporter. He kindly agreed to speak to my division attorneys. My office then organized quarterly presentations by local practitioners for all division attorneys. It was called “professionalism and making the record.” I will always appreciate Judge Bill Sites’ support for these efforts.
Lunch and CLE credits were soon added to bolster the presentations. Judge Angela Cowden took over the sessions for a while, and she did magnificent work. Judge Karla Foreman Wright steered a particularly important panel discussion regarding access to the courts by persons with disabilities. I know she very much valued the presentation by attorney Stephen F. Baker.

I came to realize that the presentations were historical perspectives and should be preserved, and that oral histories should also be done. In 2008, an oral history was completed of my father Oliver L. Green, and other oral histories followed. My judicial assistant Fran Walden and I also prepared for a series of presentations regarding the history of our Circuit entitled “History and Perspective,” transcripts of which can be found at tenthcircuitflhistory.com. These presentations were steered by the Virgil Hawkins Bar Association, the Hispanic Bar Association, and others. They included perspectives by Judge Susan Roberts (our first female County and Circuit Judge), Judge Timothy Coon (our first African American judge), Marie Alice Crano (our first female magistrate), Judge Karla Foreman Wright, the history of the Second District Court of Appeal by Judge E.J. Salcines, and much more.

As these presentations were unfolding, I was in contact with Circuit Judge Scott Silverman of Dade County and learned the Tenth and Eleventh Circuit were created by the same 1911 chapter law. I also discovered the Eleventh Circuit had an Eleventh Judicial Circuit Historical Society similar in many aspects to the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society. I realized that preparing for a centennial and forming a court history committee would be more than one person could handle, so the local bar created a panel.

To be continued…