Dedication: The Honorable Jerome Turner

GLEN REID, JR * Partner in the law fine of Wyatt, Tarrant 8c Combs, Memphis, Tennessee. I first got to know Jerry Turner, personally and professionally, after I joined Canada, Russell & Turner (CRT) in 1977. I had heard about his excellent reputation as a trial lawyer, but had never met him until shortly before I joined the firm. In fact, since CRT did not have any lawyers practicing criminal law, before finalizing my decision to join the firm, I talked to a number of lawyers who had defended criminal cases that I had prosecuted to get information about the partners at CRT. In discussions with Lucious Burch, Jim Causey, Hal Gerber, Frank Glankler, Jim Manire, and others, I heard nothing but good reports on Jerry Turner. He was described as an intelligent, industrious, and honest trial lawyer; one I could learn much from in the practice of our profession. The favorable comments were soon confirmed. Over the next several years, I worked for and with Jerry on a number of cases, many involving complex litigation. I was immediately impressed with his love for the law. While I much preferred the simple cut and dry legal issues, Jerry preferred the more complex, esoteric legal issues. In fact, he had an uncanny ability to quickly diagnose a set of facts and identify issues that were not readily apparent, but that would eventually surface in the course of complex litigation. As predicted, over the years, I learned a lot from Jerry Turner about the practice of our profession. While he helped me hone my skills as a trial practitioner, his biggest influence on me and others was in the area of professionalism. Jerry believed that being a licensed attorney was a privilege, not a right granted by a license hanging on the wall. He believed that all attorneys had a duty to be civil and courteous in the practice of law, no matter how much hostility or ill will might be generated by the litigants or adversaries. In our many discussions, Jerry stressed professionalism, and he practiced what he preached. In the early 1980s, Jerry was one of the first to begin stressing civility. While he always represented his clients with industry and enthusiasm, he recognized and emphasized that winning was a byproduct of the process and was never worth compromising principle or lowering the level of professionalism that our craft demands. When Jerry Turner became Judge Jerome Turner in 1988, he continued to practice what he preached. At his swearing in ceremony, he expressed his views of what was expected of him as a jurist: I have some fairly strong thoughts about what a Judge ought to do, and I think that you are entitled to hear them. The first and by far the most important, in my opinion, is integrity. This is a characteristic that is the ultimate demand of any Judge . . . Fairness and impartiality are critical. The justice we strive for implies fairness, and fairness demands that impartiality. Thirdly, and not least importantly, a Judge should be courteous, without anger and without arrogance, but even tempered. And that politeness should be shown not only to the jurors who appear in his courtroom to decide cases, not only to the parties and witnesses, nor only to the courtroom employees, but in my view, perhaps most of all, the politeness should be exercised toward the lawyers who appear before him on a day-in and day-out basis. And he must be patient with a new lawyer, willing to listen to the sometimes, maybe oftentimes, overly lengthy arguments of counsel. And not too quick to presume that he knows all of the law, but to study the arguments of counsel conscientiously. In the twelve years that Judge Turner was on the bench, he never strayed from his ideals. He judged every case that came before him with integrity, fairness, and impartiality. He was always polite and courteous, even when circumstances caused him to be firm with a litigant or a lawyer who stepped out-of bounds. He was always patient with the young lawyers, always willing to listen to both sides of an argument before making up his mind, and always studied the arguments of counsel before making a ruling. …

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