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Public Outreach and Education - Recent Events
| Constitution Day 2009 09-17-2009 | | Area high school students commemorated Constitution Day 2009 by participating in the U.S. District Court's third annual celebration of the establishment of the Constitution of the United States. The Chattanooga Chapter of the Federal Bar Association sponsored the event. Chief United States District Judge Curtis L. Collier provided the students with a historical perspective on the Constitution, which included a skit written by the judge and performed by students. Magistrate Judge William Carter brought the Bill of Rights to life with stories of his own experiences as a criminal defense attorney and as a judge. Magistrate Judge Susan Lee entertained and educated with a Constitutional Law Trivia Game, and United States District Judge Harry S. Mattice answered students' questions, encouraged them to read the country's founding documents, and sent them off to get cookies and pocket Constitution for the bus ride back to school. |  | |
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| | Judge Collier Teaches Civility 09-02-2009 | On September 2, 2009, Chief United States District Judge Curtis L. Collier teamed up with Max Bahner of Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel to discuss "Civility in the Practice of Law and in the Courtroom" for the Chattanooga Bar Association's seminar "Tools for a Successful Legal Practice." In an hour and a half presentation, Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner offered their perspectives on the need for civility in the legal profession.
Judge Collier emphasized the importance of civility in maintaining the public trust in the legal profession: "If law becomes just another business then it is unlikely the public will consent to the legal profession retaining its monopoly on the provision of legal services." Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner reminded attorneys of their fundamental role as an officer of the court and obligation to further an efficient system of justice.
Drawing on more than 80 years of combined experience, Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner shared war stories and cases to illustrate lawyers' duties to their clients, to opposing counsel, and to the court. Judge Collier stated: "Incivility is harmful to society and the profession because increases the costs of litigation and disputes, in fact rarely benefits the client, aggravates current hostilities, and irritates judges and juries."
Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner challenged the idea that civility is at odds with zealous advocacy, asserting disrespectful and unprofessional conduct can never be justified by an attorney's obligation to provide a client with zealous advocacy. They noted the most well-respected and effective advocates were also known for their unfailing professionalism both in and out of the courtroom.
Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner also provided tips on practicing law with civility. Mr. Bahner recommended attorneys avoid using personal pronouns to refer to a case and instead recognize the case is the client's, not the lawyer's. Judge Collier advised treating others with courtesy, decency and kindness. He warned against the dangers of communicating by e-mail, which does not allow time for reflection and cooling off.
After going over the Guidelines for Professional Courtesy and Conduct for the Practice of Law in Hamilton County, Tennessee, Judge Collier and Mr. Bahner answered questions from the audience.
United States Magistrate Judge William M. B. Carter, Court Clerk John Medearis, and United States Bankruptcy Judge John Cook also spoke. |
| | Judge Collier Discusses the Federal Judiciary at the Kiwanis Club 06-16-2009 | | Chief United States District Judge Curtis L. Collier spoke about the federal judiciary at a June 16 lunchtime meeting of the Kiwanis Club in Chattanooga. In discussing the least dangerous branch of government, the term suggested by Alexander Hamilton in Federalist Paper #78, Judge Collier explained the role of the judiciary and its importance to society. Possessing neither the power of the purse nor the sword, the judiciary requires public confidence for parties to respect its decisions. The independence afforded to the judiciary was contemplated by the nation's founders and is essential to the courts' guaranty of individual and minority rights. Because public understanding of the judiciary is important to an independent, well-functioning court system, Judge Collier spoke with regret about the general public's ignorance regarding government, especially in comparison to their aptitude for pop culture trivia. Judge Collier also talked about federal court in the Eastern District of Tennessee, discussed the types of cases the court regularly hears, and explained the responsibilities of the court and the appellate courts. The nation's independent judiciary provides for ordered liberty, Judge Collier concluded. |
| | Magistrate Judge Lee Speaks to Red Bank High School Government Class 03-03-2009 | |  | |
| | Chief Judge Collier Speaks to Dalewood Middle School Students 05-20-2008 | | On May 20, 2008, Chief Judge Curtis L. Collier served as the guest speaker at the Promotional Ceremony at Dalewood Middle School. At the ceremony, 103 students graduated from the eighth grade, completing their middle school education. These students will be attending high school in the fall. In light of this, Judge Collier spoke about the changes students would experience in their transition from middle school to high school. He spoke of the additional freedom students would have to make choices for themselves, and how their choices - both good and bad - would resinate throughout their lives. Judge Collier discussed the importance of being leaders, rather than followers, and motivating themselves to pursue their potential, rather than allowing peer pressure to define who they are. Based upon the numerous accomplishments of the Dalewood Middle School eighth grade class of 2008, as recognized at the ceremony, it is clear these students have already made great strides in advancing their futures. The Court wishes these students continued success in their academic endeavors. |  | |
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| | District Judge Phillips Speaks to Journalism Students 04-22-2008 | | This class of UT journalism students, along with their instructor, got a rare opportunity on April 22 to view Judge Phillips's courtroom from his perspective--the bench. Judge Phillips spoke with the students briefly in the courtroom, then gave the group a tour of the fourth floor chambers area and was joined by Judge Varlan in the conference room, where the two of them talked with the students and answered their questions. The class instructor is Georgiana Vines, shown front left, political columnist for the News Sentinel and the retired associate editor. |  | |
| | Chattanooga Court Holds Naturalization Ceremony 10-25-2007 | | On October 25, 2007, ninety-seven people from around the world, hailing from over twenty different countries, gathered at the Federal Courthouse in the Eastern District of Tennessee, Chattanooga. Those ninety-seven people left the courthouse as American citizens.
Chief Judge Curtis L. Collier commended the new Americans for having chosen to become United States citizens, and for demonstrating the tenacity required to earn that privilege. He spoke of the rights and freedoms shared by all Americans, and also of the responsibilities shared by all in supporting the country and its communities to maintain our experiment in freedom. Chief Judge Collier also spoke of the proud tradition of immigration in the United States, and the legacy past immigrants have passed onto all new citizens of America.
Lenore Levy echoed these sentiments in welcoming the new Americans on behalf of the Moccasin Bend Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and on behalf of all Americans. She spoke of the equal opportunity afforded in the United States, and the freedom for all Americans, old and new, to go as far as their strength and resolve will take them.
The Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps from Soddy Daisy High School and Sale Creek High School bared the flag of the United States of America during the ceremonies, and led attendants in the Pledge of Alliance. Kevin Higman of the Department of Homeland Security presented the citizenship applications to Chief Judge Collier, after which Cyndee Palmer administered the Oath of Alliance, the genesis for ninety-seven fellow Americans.
After the ceremony, the Chief John Ross Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution provided refreshments outside the courtroom, where friends and family gathered to congratulate and welcome America's new citizens. It was a day ninety-seven American citizens, their families, and their friends will remember for the rest of their lives. |  | |
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| | District Judge Greer Speaks to Northeast State Technical Community College 09-30-2007 | | In a Constitution Week program, Judge Greer spoke on September 13 to about 200 students,
faculty and staff members at Northeast State Technical Community College. He discussed the developments in Sixth Amendment constitutional jurisprudence and reviewed a number of U. S. Supreme Court decisions of the last decade.
He said that trial by jury had become the dominate method of trial in England as early as the 13th century and noted that all 13 American colonies adopted some form of trial by jury, which was "very much a part of our heritage by the time of the American Revolution and was guaranteed in Article III of the Constitution for all criminal cases and in the Sixth Amendment as part of the 1791 Bill of Rights."
Judge Greer told his audience of the discretion given to sentencing judges to impose a criminal sentence within a range of punishment both before and after implementation of the U. S . Sentencing Commission Guidelines that were required by Congress in the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. He was asked about his approach to criminal sentencing, which he described as his
"most difficult and unpleasant task" as a federal judge.
Judge Greer also answered the group's questions on such issues as prison overcrowding, Bureau of Prisons rehabilitation programs, mandatory minimum sentencing and a number of other topics. |
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