Officially, it was called “Passing of the Gavel,” but it wasn’t the mallet that judges use to begin and end proceedings that passed from one judge to another. It was a set of keys.
Former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida Timothy Corrigan handed the door keys to the five federal courthouses in the district to Chief Judge Marcia Morales Howard at a ceremony Nov. 7 at the Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse in Jacksonville.
“I am overwhelmed,” Corrigan said as he addressed about 100 fellow judges, attorneys, court staff and guests gathered in the 13th floor library space.
As the most senior active judge in the Middle District, Corrigan, 68, took the chief judge position in November 2020, succeeding Steven Merryday of Tampa.
Corrigan decided then he would serve for four years in the role, as had Merryday, and then elect to take senior status after that period (eligibility rules include that a judge must be at least 65), thereby stepping down as chief judge, he said Nov. 13.
Howard, 59, became Corrigan’s successor based on seniority.
After graduating from Duke University School of Law in 1981, Corrigan was law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Gerald Tjoflat, who attended the ceremony. A year later, Corrigan entered private practice until 1996 when he became a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Jacksonville.
In May 2002, Corrigan was nominated by President George W. Bush to the U.S. District Court to fill a new seat authorized by Congress and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in September.
Corrigan was installed as chief judge of the district that spans from Jacksonville to Fort Myers in 2020.
“It has been my honor to serve,” Corrigan said.
He and Howard first became acquainted in the 1990s, Corrigan said, when both were in private practice and were asked to take over the active cases of an attorney who died suddenly.
“In 2003, I was a brand new district judge who helped select judge Howard to be a magistrate judge,” Corrigan said.
In 2007, Howard was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed for the seat vacated by U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger.
“I have consulted with her on innumerable occasions and always received wise counsel,” Corrigan said.
Corrigan said he was a speaker at Howard’s investiture.
“I said then that she was the future of our court. Now, she is the leader of the court and our future remains bright,” he said.
Howard, a graduate of the University of Florida Levin College of Law, said that while taking over the administrative duties of the Middle District is a daunting task, she will be supported by her courtroom deputy of 30 years, Jodi Wiles, and her career law clerk, Peggy Miller.
“It is my greatest privilege to be a member of this court. I get to work alongside a remarkable group of people who are committed to seeing that justice is served every day,” Howard said.
“It is the court family that makes the American justice system the best model of justice humanity has seen.”
Howard said she will continue Corrigan’s legacy of professionalism, preparation, transparency and communication.
“He has been a mentor to me in every endeavor I have pursued,” Howard said.
As he assumes senior judge status, Corrigan may continue to hear cases and will continue to advocate for the court.