A higher judge

I finally saw it in print, in the article titled, “Grandparents win legal feud,” in the June 19 Bangor Daily News.

You see, in the not so distant past, I was under the mistaken notion that judges were just that, “Judges,” like King Solomon of old, who had great wisdom, listened to both sides of the story, and made a decision.

Not so in the probate judicial system of Waldo County. I quote from the BDN, “The (Maine Supreme) court chided Judge Barrett for failing to allow the Blacks to submit evidence and for refusing to hear any testimony.” How familiar that sounds! In our case, when we spoke, he had the audacity to tell us not to speak in his presence.

To quote further, “The Blacks accused Judge Barrett of deliberately avoiding their case, `because it’s messy, and would require a lot of work.”‘ I was also naive enough to believe that was what a judge’s work was, to sift through the evidence to fairly mete out a judgment. What do they do to deserve that exorbitant salary that they receive?

The Blacks’ lawyer, Dawson, said, “As far as we know, this is the first time ever a judge has committed this type of error.” Dawson knows better than that. But, the dividing statement was, “… The family has spent thousands. …” If you do not have “thousands” to spend, neither the judge nor the lawyer is going to give you any assistance. When you have to borrow the few hundred dollars just to talk to a lawyer aobut the case, it is not important enough for them to consider.

And then, the judge was pompous enough to ask to shake our hand, and say that we would someday thank him for his decision. I know that in the courtroom and chambers this man is god, but to think that we would ever thank him for destroying lives is to believe in his own godship.

The article also said, “The 79-year-old probate judge is running unopposed for re-election in November.” Even though he is of the same political party as I, I would not give him the satisfaction of my vote. Isn’t it time that a younger man took the post? In today’s politics, I am not naive enough to add “who would judge fairly.” And I am not naive enough to believe that the Blacks and our case are the only dissatisfied citizens of Waldo County.

There is a judge higher than Barrett, and hopefully everyone will receive a fair judgment in that day, including the “god of the courtroom and chambers.” Isabel Morse Maresh Belmont