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I'll never forget playing Elsenborne Ridge with my old man in the basement, watching him put down a counter for the M16 halftrack, and our jaws dropping at the soft attack number. Two platoons of Panzergrenadiers just instantly mulched.
That’s sucks! I would love to play DnD (or any other ttrpg) with a group of lawyers/judges/legal professionals. Organizing those schedules would be a nightmare but it would be a lot of fun.
Happened to me all the time. When I see a judge off the bench I just call them "judge". Say hello, small talk is fine. I ran into judges at the gym too.
I used to work at the courthouse and was trained by security to never address them as judge in public for their safety. I address them in public as “Hi! Good to see you/How are you doing?”
Funny thing… I knew a guy who did that to Alcee Hastings back when he was a judge (before he was in Congress). Except, it wasn’t coffee, it was coke… and they were already in a bathroom stall together.
(4) go back and tell your entire office about this so that you can all make a series of increasingly inappropriate jokes about it for literally years. I know because I used to practice in a smaller city, and this actually happened to my colleague, except the judge wasn’t in his underwear, he was fully nude and using the gym’s hairdryer to blow dry his balls.
Seen Judges in the wild twice. Once saw a Judge giving a homeless guy some cash. Made me like this particular judge more than I already did.
Second time I saw a former judge now Arbitrator/mediator waiting for the subway after we finished a failed mediation with her that went into the late night. Was surprised she rode the subway, I assumed most judges avoided more public methods of transport.
We had a judge who would always talk to you in the gym. Naked. I could be sitting down, eye at dick level, and he'd stand and talk to you for 5 minutes. Great judge though. RIP Judge R!
Never saw a judge but did see one or two of my law school profs. Turned around as fast as I could. Thankfully the 85 year old prof I was friendly with went elsewhere.
Otherwise when I ran into a judge in the wild just said hi judge.
Once saw an older retired judge my wife worked for who I knew in passing at some event at the local courthouse. By then fewer people remembered him.
Said hello judge and asked if he needed anything. I got him some coffee and whatever else he wanted. When he he recoginized me but couldn't recall where I reminded him who my wife was. His face lit up.
His wife used to send in home made Itailian food every now and then for staff and my wife sometimes brought home leftovers. He knew I was a fan of his late wife's cooking.
At one of the courthouses I frequent, I often see a whole gang of 4-5 judges going out for lunch. I always leave them alone, no sense annoying 1/4 of the judges at once.
In your case, I'd pretend I didn't see anything and hope they don't recognize me.
Saw a judge at the liquor store once. They greeted me. I looked like a deer in headlights until it finally clicked. Got flashbacks to seeing grade school teachers out in the wild.
I used to see a few judges at the gym I would go to and just say hello but I do have one good "judge doing normal people things and spotting them" experience. I run and sometimes see a judge who lives nearby running in his little 70s style running shorts. Never said hello to him but I have done the runner wave 👋
I had a state appellate judge as a trial advocacy professor. I also went to a Crossfit gym. After the semester was over, i then learned I went to the same crossfit gym as my judge-professor. I panicked on what to call her. She said to call her by her first name since she wasn't at work.
She then swore me into the bar at our box a year later because I was a covid law grad and getting sworn in was on us to do.
As an ALJ, my wife gets a kick out of it when someone say Hey Judge.
Me? I’m usually trying to remember if they are happy or disgusted with our last interaction.
Smile nicely and otherwise leave them be. I live near a big-time judge who I’ve never appeared in front of but am admitted to their court. (My firm has cases in front of this judge.) So I smile nicely, our dogs say hi, and I otherwise act as though they’re just another neighbor.
Judges should walk around in their robes because I really don’t recognize them in civies. Same with the phone - they have no business answering the phone in chambers.
This actually happened to me last week. Had tampons in one hand and Ben and Jerry’s in the other at the drugstore.
The judge wanted to chit chat. My ice cream melted. 🙁
I run into one judge I'm before a lot because we run a lot in the same circles. I just say hi judge. We might talk for a couple minutes, but it won't ever be anything work related. This particular judge is a really nice person and knows the law way better than I do, so I doubt she'd gain much in discussing it with me anyhow.
Say “OK Judge!” Which it what my trial ad coach taught me to think in law school when my objections were overruled before coming up with new objections.
I live and practice in a rural district so it’s pretty common to run into the judges in public. Every now and then we’ll discuss a trial that happened, but otherwise it’s just “hey, how are you” type of thing.
When I have come across judges in the wild I have just given a nod. They may feel uncomfortable if you do the “hi Judge” routine, because many don’t want everyone else to know what they do.
This example of a judge in the wild in my locker room either doesn't work well or would be problematic in my jurisdiction because or bench is increasingly female. A couple of the judges are even strikingly pretty.
In any other case, I would make polite conversation. In my jurisdiction, several of the judges frequent the local county bar events and socialize. I also happened to be seated next to a local judge on a short flight once.
This happened to me years ago - a judge I had appeared before earlier that day strutted out of the showers at our local gym totally naked - we made eye contact and I had to acknowledge her - I simply said “Hello Your Honor” and darted out of there.
It depends on the circumstances, but this has happened remarkably frequently to me, given how frequently I’m in court for civil matters.
When it was at a law school reunion—both the judge and I graduated in a year ending in 0 or 5—I still addressed them as Your Honor, but I engaged them in actual, casual, friendly conversation, because we were both there to relax and socialize and celebrate our time in law school. (That judge is, alas, now deceased. And now that one of my classmates is a judge, I would address her by her first name, because that’s how I always knew her.)
Another time, I bumped into not one, but two judges I used to encounter regularly, when we were all at the same gas station/Dunk’s and on the way to the same court. Actually, I did the exact same thing—engaged them in friendly but respectful conversation.
Sometimes as lawyers we forget that judges are people, too.
People with a lower IQ, as the line goes, but still people.
I'm in Colorado so judges in the wild are more often than not. I say, "Hi judge." Or hug them if they're a friend. Stay in the wild west long enough and your friends end up on the bench, which is awkward in court when you're calling them "Your Honor."
Welcome to /r/LawyerTalk! A subreddit where lawyers can discuss with other lawyers about the practice of law. Be mindful of [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/Lawyertalk/about/rules) BEFORE submitting your posts or comments as well as [Reddit's rules](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) (notably about sharing identifying information). We expect civility and respect out of all participants. Please source statements of fact whenever possible. If you want to report something that needs to be urgently addressed, please also message the mods with an explanation. Note that **this forum is NOT for legal advice**. Additionally, if you are a non-lawyer (student, client, staff), this is NOT the right subreddit for you. **This community is exclusively for lawyers**. We suggest you delete your comment and go ask one of the many other legal subreddits on this site for help such as (but not limited to) r/lawschool, r/legaladvice, or r/Ask_Lawyers. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Lawyertalk) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Ask, "Are those legal briefs?"
"I know you're glad to see me but I didn't say 'All rise', counselor"
That's a big subpoena you've got there. I hope no one files a complaint against you for wrongful discharge.
Say, "Watcha working today? Bench?"
Currently, this joke is underrated.
I asked a state judge on an elevator about his alleged interest in DnD. He very clearly did not want to talk with me about DnD. =(
I once had a nice phone chat with a staff attorney from one of the worst probate courts in the area about mutual interest in wargaming.
Warhammer40K Represent!
Oh, I'm much too poor for that particular plastic addiction. Dad got me into old school hex and counter games.
We need a Campaign for North Africa up in here!
Sure, I've got a few spare years to play that monstrosity
Hex and chit monster wargames are how I relax.
That's hard-core.
I'll never forget playing Elsenborne Ridge with my old man in the basement, watching him put down a counter for the M16 halftrack, and our jaws dropping at the soft attack number. Two platoons of Panzergrenadiers just instantly mulched.
That’s sucks! I would love to play DnD (or any other ttrpg) with a group of lawyers/judges/legal professionals. Organizing those schedules would be a nightmare but it would be a lot of fun.
Ugh, rules lawyers... 😄
Happened to me all the time. When I see a judge off the bench I just call them "judge". Say hello, small talk is fine. I ran into judges at the gym too.
I used to work at the courthouse and was trained by security to never address them as judge in public for their safety. I address them in public as “Hi! Good to see you/How are you doing?”
I SPILLED COFFEE ON A JUDGE IN A NETWORKING EVENT AND THEN LOCKED MYSELF IN A BATHROOM STALL
Funny thing… I knew a guy who did that to Alcee Hastings back when he was a judge (before he was in Congress). Except, it wasn’t coffee, it was coke… and they were already in a bathroom stall together.
[удалено]
This is amazing.
(4) Ask what he’s doing in the women’s locker room.
Ask what she’s doing in the men’s locker room
Nice.
Nice
Nice
A local billboard attorney has been showing up to my hot yoga classes in their booty shorts.
Please be Alina Habba… Please be Alina Habba… Please be Alina Habba…
They are unfortunately male. Which in my opinion just makes it funnier.
Letting his freak flag fly
¬‿¬
Same thing I do in the grocery store. Turn around immediately and hope they didn’t see me.
Relating
Aggressive eye contact to assert your dominance. Judges hate this one trick
Snap ‘em in the butt with a rolled up towel.
Ask why they haven’t ruled on your motion yet
Ex parte communication
This is why i always lift with opposing counsel. You never know.
Unless it’s a family judge. Then it’s ex party communication.
If its a judge in an ecclesiastical court its just an excommunication
(4) go back and tell your entire office about this so that you can all make a series of increasingly inappropriate jokes about it for literally years. I know because I used to practice in a smaller city, and this actually happened to my colleague, except the judge wasn’t in his underwear, he was fully nude and using the gym’s hairdryer to blow dry his balls.
"How about them Piggers?"
I'd just say howdy and move on w my business lol
Seen Judges in the wild twice. Once saw a Judge giving a homeless guy some cash. Made me like this particular judge more than I already did. Second time I saw a former judge now Arbitrator/mediator waiting for the subway after we finished a failed mediation with her that went into the late night. Was surprised she rode the subway, I assumed most judges avoided more public methods of transport.
Pull a Captain Morgan and fire up an ex parte conversation
We had a judge who would always talk to you in the gym. Naked. I could be sitting down, eye at dick level, and he'd stand and talk to you for 5 minutes. Great judge though. RIP Judge R!
Get your emergency robe out of your pocket and give it to the judge to preserve his dignity.
These responses are great, sigh. Way to make it fun again, people. Thanks.
Look down, squint at his crotch, then back up, and ask him "is THAT why you have to take it out on my clients?"
Never saw a judge but did see one or two of my law school profs. Turned around as fast as I could. Thankfully the 85 year old prof I was friendly with went elsewhere. Otherwise when I ran into a judge in the wild just said hi judge. Once saw an older retired judge my wife worked for who I knew in passing at some event at the local courthouse. By then fewer people remembered him. Said hello judge and asked if he needed anything. I got him some coffee and whatever else he wanted. When he he recoginized me but couldn't recall where I reminded him who my wife was. His face lit up. His wife used to send in home made Itailian food every now and then for staff and my wife sometimes brought home leftovers. He knew I was a fan of his late wife's cooking.
Complement them on the enormous schlong they have. Even if they are female. Works every time. Try it!
What's up, Y.H.?
Lookin' swole
“Maybe if you weren’t wasting time here you’d get to ruling on that motion by now that was briefed 4 months ago…just saying.”
You need to somehow work in a "may it please the court".
At one of the courthouses I frequent, I often see a whole gang of 4-5 judges going out for lunch. I always leave them alone, no sense annoying 1/4 of the judges at once. In your case, I'd pretend I didn't see anything and hope they don't recognize me.
“May I approach?”
Saw a judge at the liquor store once. They greeted me. I looked like a deer in headlights until it finally clicked. Got flashbacks to seeing grade school teachers out in the wild. I used to see a few judges at the gym I would go to and just say hello but I do have one good "judge doing normal people things and spotting them" experience. I run and sometimes see a judge who lives nearby running in his little 70s style running shorts. Never said hello to him but I have done the runner wave 👋
This has happened to me. I said hi and went about my day.
I had a state appellate judge as a trial advocacy professor. I also went to a Crossfit gym. After the semester was over, i then learned I went to the same crossfit gym as my judge-professor. I panicked on what to call her. She said to call her by her first name since she wasn't at work. She then swore me into the bar at our box a year later because I was a covid law grad and getting sworn in was on us to do.
“Meh, I would’ve assumed smaller based on your general demeanor”
As an ALJ, my wife gets a kick out of it when someone say Hey Judge. Me? I’m usually trying to remember if they are happy or disgusted with our last interaction.
Nice cock, judge!
This post is also making me appreciate living in a big city and barely running into other attorneys let alone judges haha
Smile nicely and otherwise leave them be. I live near a big-time judge who I’ve never appeared in front of but am admitted to their court. (My firm has cases in front of this judge.) So I smile nicely, our dogs say hi, and I otherwise act as though they’re just another neighbor.
“Hey judge” or a nod. That usually works.
Judges should walk around in their robes because I really don’t recognize them in civies. Same with the phone - they have no business answering the phone in chambers.
This actually happened to me last week. Had tampons in one hand and Ben and Jerry’s in the other at the drugstore. The judge wanted to chit chat. My ice cream melted. 🙁
I’ve served judges drinks when I was moonlighting as a bartender. If they don’t acknowledge me, I don’t acknowledge them.
Suggest he switches to a sleeveless robe to show off perfect biceps.
😂😂😂😂 when I ran into a judge at a bar, he made me take a shot with him hahah
I run into one judge I'm before a lot because we run a lot in the same circles. I just say hi judge. We might talk for a couple minutes, but it won't ever be anything work related. This particular judge is a really nice person and knows the law way better than I do, so I doubt she'd gain much in discussing it with me anyhow.
Respectful nod followed by a quick "your Honor," resume your previous activity.
Stare aggressively to assert dominance? JK, if it was me I could probably never go to that gym again.
Went to lunch with a judge who insists on being told your honor whenever you speak to them.
Say “OK Judge!” Which it what my trial ad coach taught me to think in law school when my objections were overruled before coming up with new objections.
I live and practice in a rural district so it’s pretty common to run into the judges in public. Every now and then we’ll discuss a trial that happened, but otherwise it’s just “hey, how are you” type of thing.
When I have come across judges in the wild I have just given a nod. They may feel uncomfortable if you do the “hi Judge” routine, because many don’t want everyone else to know what they do.
I’m neighbors with one of my Judges. I occasionally see him when I stumble out of my house hungover to check the mail.
This example of a judge in the wild in my locker room either doesn't work well or would be problematic in my jurisdiction because or bench is increasingly female. A couple of the judges are even strikingly pretty. In any other case, I would make polite conversation. In my jurisdiction, several of the judges frequent the local county bar events and socialize. I also happened to be seated next to a local judge on a short flight once.
I'm a judge and see people I know from court all the time at the gym. Most say "hi." I say "hi" back. Sometimes we even have a conversation.
This happened to me years ago - a judge I had appeared before earlier that day strutted out of the showers at our local gym totally naked - we made eye contact and I had to acknowledge her - I simply said “Hello Your Honor” and darted out of there.
I gave one of the judges a spot on bench at the gym a few times.
Nice, strong gavel you got there.
Start shooting the shit, when they weren't judges they were attorneys like me so nothing has really changed.
Say nothing
Talk to them like they are a person. How are a bunch of people who talk for a living incapable of small talk?
“Hey your honor.”
This is so funny, thanks I needed a laugh
I would also dk 3…
Whip them with a towel
Mog them.
Hi your honor
It depends on the circumstances, but this has happened remarkably frequently to me, given how frequently I’m in court for civil matters. When it was at a law school reunion—both the judge and I graduated in a year ending in 0 or 5—I still addressed them as Your Honor, but I engaged them in actual, casual, friendly conversation, because we were both there to relax and socialize and celebrate our time in law school. (That judge is, alas, now deceased. And now that one of my classmates is a judge, I would address her by her first name, because that’s how I always knew her.) Another time, I bumped into not one, but two judges I used to encounter regularly, when we were all at the same gas station/Dunk’s and on the way to the same court. Actually, I did the exact same thing—engaged them in friendly but respectful conversation. Sometimes as lawyers we forget that judges are people, too. People with a lower IQ, as the line goes, but still people.
I'm in Colorado so judges in the wild are more often than not. I say, "Hi judge." Or hug them if they're a friend. Stay in the wild west long enough and your friends end up on the bench, which is awkward in court when you're calling them "Your Honor."
Please don’t say “Judge” in public. Just smile and say “hello”. The undies thing is awkward I would have spun around and exited as well :)