Download Magazine - Levin College of Law - University of Florida

Brenda Owens-Philhower with herdaughters Dominique Owens (17),left, Elnora Evans (14), and husbandDonald Philhower. Philhower-Owensis clean now and has opened her ownaddiction recovery program, RecoveryRoad Inc., in Ocala, Fla.Owens, who initially split his time betweenSarasota and Bradenton doing civil and divorcecases. “It’s still nerve-wracking. I stillget nervous when I go into court. And this istrue about every judge — you always want tomake the right decision. And I’m not going totell you that the right decision always makesyou feel good, because the law is not alwaysfair for every person in every instance. Butyou want to make the right decision. And ifyou can help someone you like it.”In a quarter century as a judge, Owenshas presided over some high profilecases, including death penalty cases,which he calls “such a horrible tragedyfor everyone involved that you will neverforget them.”Today, Owens feels the greatest satisfactionin helping others achieve victoriesin their lives. Though he has no childrenof his own, Owens recounts their storieslike a proud father.Owens beams when he talks of the morethan “20 clean babies that have been born in”the Court Intervention Program. He tells ofthe young man dressed in a suit and tie whorecently visited his office and was such a farcry from the “horrible heroin addict” he’dseen years earlier that Owens didn’t evenrecognize him. The man had since graduatedfrom college and now had a successfulcareer with a wife and children. At the program’srecent graduation, Owens marveledat the progress made by another man whohad been estranged from his family.“He struggled, and we had a hard time.It took him close to two years to get out ofthis year-long program, but he never quit,”Owens said. “And there he is with his kidsand his wife. So it’s very, very rewarding.I basically live for that.”Owens tells participants in the programthat everybody’s life is a series of problems,and encourages them to work withcounselors to find the self-discipline theyneed to make good decisions. The problemmany have is replicating the structure theyhave in the program once they leave it.Remarried several years ago, Owenscredits the support of his wife, Melissa,a third-grade teacher at Bay Haven ElementarySchool, along with a very strongfaith with helping him get through theemotional ups and downs that can comewith his job.“I’m not going to tell you that everynight I can close the door and go homeand shut it out because a lot of timesthere are a lot of cases that you’re sittingup late at night not only doing legal researchbut just wondering ‘did you makethe right decision, what is the right decision,’” Owens said. “But in general byapplying those principles you’re able toclose the door and realize that if you’regoing to be successful in the courtroomyou have to also be successful outsidethe courtroom. And you can only besuccessful outside the courtroom if youcan leave the courtroom in the courtroom.So as best you can you have to beable to do that.” ■FALL 2008 29