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“The attitude I will carry with me as I assume my circuit court judge duties is that the bench was created for the practicing bar and for the community — not as an instrument of any one judge.” These were “straisin-from-the heart” words spoken last night by newly appointed Circuit Judge W. L. Fitzpatrick, of Panamatty who soon will move to Port St. Joe, at a dinner given in his honor at Daisy Lee’s by members of the Bay County Bar Association. “I have full faith in each of you,” he said to members present. ‘And I will retain that faith and respect and such time as that trust is betrayed. I promise to treat you like gentlemen — but I expect you to be gentlemen,” he went on. In his 20 years of practicing law, Fitzpatrick said he had receive help everywhere he turned “A tremendous trust is placed upon us as lawyers and as judges. We, as lawyers, can control communi tes to a great extent; therefore, we must use our authority wisely and impartially.” Judge Fitzpatrick, the third cir cuit Judge in the 14th Judicial Cir cuit, received the gavel of authori ty from Attorney Howard Sapp in a formal ceremony, with approx imately 25 members of the Bar looking on. Several members present stood and expressed their opnions of Judge Fitzpatrick. Among them were Dayton Logue, county prose cuting attorney; Dempsey Barron, Bay County representative in the state legislature; William Leath; Jim Hansford; and Judge E. Clay Lewis. They referred to Judge Fitzpat rick as being “impartial and un biased in his convictions: ‘‘sin cere in his desire to do the reht thing; a man with common sense, humility, and a fine legal mind.” Judge Fitzpatrick told members (Turn to FUDGE, Page 2)
Newspaper Details
Panama City Herald
Panama City, Florida, US
Fri, Jul 26, 1957
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 28 Jun 2026
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