Former Judge Opens Up About Being 'Goaded' By Attorneys

And it takes a toll on the health of judges.

It took me four, five years just to learn how to cope with attorneys. I’ve seen attorneys try to just take a judge off just by doing some really outrageous things, and trying to get the judge to lose their temper so they can get that judge recused. It happens all the time, and some people are just diabolical in the way they act, just to get the judge to make a mistake like that.

— Former Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ronald Dresnick tells Law.com being a judge means being tested by attorneys all the time and being “goaded” by advocates trying to get recusals. The pressure of the robe often means high blood pressure, insomnia, stress, and other health issues, according to a study by the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs.

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