Jim Vickaryous

Court proceedings are not about the presiding judge. Great judges will focus solely on the issues at hand and not be the star of the show. There is one notable exception. Judicial investiture ceremonies are solely focused on the judge about to be vested. Investiture ceremonies have their differences depending on the jurisdiction. The common feature of all investitures is that the judge takes an oath. Investiture ceremonies are official court proceedings. Often, investitures are the only court proceedings where most of the judges of a circuit are in the same courtroom together at the same time. In my circuit, the county sheriff takes the place of the courtroom deputy to call the court to order. It’s a nice touch and I’ve always appreciated the sheriff’s thoughtfulness in doing it. The chief judge presides over the investiture ceremony. It starts with an invocation and ends with a benediction. They are public proceedings and people from all walks of life attend. They all have their own charm. I even attended one investiture in which a choir inspired all with their songs.

For good reason, local bar associations are often involved in investitures. My local bar association presents the robe to the incoming judge, along with a few congratulatory words, during the ceremony. During the year that I was president of the Seminole County Bar Association, three new judges were to be invested in ceremonies to take place on three consecutive Friday afternoons. It was my job to order their robes. I knew the lawyers that were to become judges very well. Embarrassed to ask, I procrastinated in contacting them about what size robe the bar association should get them. Being gracious, and indeed, judicial, one of the three called me and said, “Jim, no offense, but none of us want to tell you our dress size. We’ll order the robes we want and you can give them to us at the ceremony.” Graciously being let out of this awkwardness, I did not object. Their first judicial order was a wise one indeed.