First Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable R. Brooke Jackson
Retention Year: 2006
Recommendation: Retain
Reports:
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The First Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously recommends Judge R. Brooke Jackson BE RETAINED.
Of attorneys polled in the surveys, 83% recommended Judge Jackson BE RETAINED; 18% recommended NOT TO RETAIN. Of the non-attorneys surveyed, 96% stated he should BE RETAINED; 3% recommended he NOT BE RETAINED.
Judge Jackson was appointed to the First Judicial District Court in June, 1998. Prior to that, Judge Jackson was a trial attorney in private practice for 26 years, specializing in civil litigation. Judge Jackson is active in numerous community and education groups, and whenever asked, speaks to varied groups of all ages: parents, students, teachers in the Jefferson County School Districts, and to attorneys’ organizations. He encourages young local artists by displaying their works on the walls of his courtroom.
As a district court judge, Judge Jackson’s caseload has been comprised of civil, criminal, and domestic relations. The preponderance of his cases are criminal, mostly felonies. He hears juvenile cases only when standing in for another assigned judge.
Judge Jackson’s self-evaluation included his determination to continue to increase his knowledge of the law “because the law is so vast” but wrote that he feels he can “learn new areas as the need arises”. One of his concerns is that the legislature changes sentencing laws, sometimes “almost on an annual basis”. Judge Jackson stated that he believes in applying the law fairly and with intellectual honesty.
A periodical, “The Lawdragon”, has named Judge Jackson one of the top 500 judges in the United States for the year 2006.
Overall, after considering all the performance survey results, several unannounced court observations, and interviewing the judge in person, the Commission found Judge Jackson to be an intelligent, dedicated, hard-working individual who endeavors to render his decisions in a timely fashion and is committed to being an outstanding judge.