Download Magazine - Levin College of Law - University of Florida

and fax and phone with my law clerk and
administrative assistant. It wasnʼt that
easy when I first took the bench.
“Another change is that law is more
of a business than it used to be. Because
of that, not all lawyers who enter the
practice these days choose to stay with
it. That has a side advantage
for us judges—we can
attract some top notch young
lawyers as law clerks. Of
course, the fact that they can
leave clerking and command
salaries that are higher than
their judges doesnʼt hurt
either … at least it doesnʼt
hurt the law clerks.”
Plager took senior
judge status in 2000, which allows him
to have a part-time hearing schedule.
His enjoyment of the job prevents him
from fully retiring.
“Being on the bench is a constant
learning experience. Much of our
work involves the application of
federal legislation, including some
pretty convoluted statutory programs.
Statutory drafting and interpretation
are not always given the emphasis they
deserve in law school. Other cases we
hear are often fascinating insights into
“Another change is that
law is more of
a business than
it used to be.”
the latest cutting-edge technology,”
he said.
Two things that Plager encounters
as a judge particularly frustrate him:
poorly prepared lawyers and badly
drafted legislation.
“We get our share of each. When
they combine in the same case, finding
the right answer to a dispute can be
harder than it should be,” he said.
Though he doesnʼt teach classes
regularly any more, the quality of legal
education is a subject that still concerns
Plager.
“I graduated from law
school nearly 50 years
ago, but I still refer back
to basics I learned in my
first year of law school,
and I can still hear my
first year law professors,
like Professor Day,
talking to me. Sometimes
I worry about the
education that law students are
getting these days. Itʼs crucial
for lawyers to get the foundation in
basics, like the big three—Property,
Contract, Torts—that I was fortunate
enough to get at UF.” ■
UF Alumni Serving as Federal Judges
Rosemary Barkett (JD 70) U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, Miami Federal Appellate
Susan Harrell Black (JD 67) U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, Jacksonville Federal Appellate
William John (Sr. Status) Castagna (JD 49) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal District
Anne C. Conway (JD 75) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Orlando Federal District
Miles Davis (Magistrate Judge) (JD 73) U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Federal Magistrate
William P. Dimitrouleas (JD 75) U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Federal District
Patricia C. Fawsett (JD 73) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Orlando Federal District
Peter Fay (JD 56) 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Miami Federal Appellate
Steven H. Friedman (JD 77) U.S. Bankruptcy Court, SD Florida, West Palm Beach Federal Bankruptcy
Jose Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. (Sr. Judge) (JD 57) U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Federal Appellate
William Terrell Hodges (JD 67) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Ocala Federal Appellate
Marcia Morales Howard (JD 90) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Federal District
Paul C. Huck (JD 65) U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami Federal Appellate
Elizabeth Jenkins (Magistrate Judge) (JD 76) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal Magistrate
Bruce E. Kasold (JD 79) U.S. Court of Appeals: Veterans Claims, Washington, D.C Federal Judge
James Lawrence King (JD 53) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal District
Richard A. Lazzara (JD 70) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal District
Howell Webster Melton Sr. (JD 48) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Federal District
Steven Douglas Merryday (JD 75) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal District
Stephan P. Mickle (JD 70) U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Gainesville Federal District
Donald M. Middlebrooks (JD 72) U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach Federal District
James S. Jr. Moody (JD 72) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Federal District
John Henry II Moore (Sr. Status) (JD 61) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Federal District
Hugh Morgan (Magistrate Judge) (JD 68) U.S. District Court. Southern District of Florida, Key West Federal Magistrate
Thomas Morris (Magistrate Judge) (JD 71) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Federal Magistrate
Maurice Mitchell Paul (JD 60) U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida Federal District
Sheldon Jay Plager (JD 58) U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit Federal Appellate
Gregory A. Presnell (JD 66) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Orlando Federal District
George Proctor (JD 49) U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Florida Federal Bankruptcy
Raymond Ray (JD 71) U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale Federal Bankruptcy
William C. Sherrill Jr (Magistrate Judge) (JD 68) U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Federal Magistrate
John Richard Smoak (JD 72) U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida, Panama City Federal District
Ursula Mancusi Ungaro-Benages (JD 75) U.S. District Court. Southern District of Florida, Miami Federal District
George Cressler Young (Sr. Status) (JD 40) U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Orlando Federal District
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