Standing at the Gate
Judge Trauger shines important light
I dedicated my most recent book A Sense of Justice, the 2023 biography of the late legal scholar Judge Gil Merritt, with these few words:
“For all the judges who stand at the gate in defense of our freedoms and the rule of law.”
I was reminded of that dedication this morning as I read about a decision issued by the U.S. District Court Judge Aleta Trauger in a lawsuit challenging one of our Tennessee Legislature’s more extremist anti-abortion statutes. (Read more about her decision here in the excellent report by Anita Wadhwani over on the Tennessee Lookout. That news article also links helpfully to the 49-page judgment entered on Friday by Judge Trauger.)
I hope the language of this profound decision can become a learning moment for more than just the lawyers at the courthouse, that it might reach our State Capitol, in the hope of a deeper appreciation of our US Constitution and First Amendment freedoms. And thence, I hope, to some measure of rescue for us all (but especially women and girls) from the extremist, punishing future that our lawmakers perversely foresee for us all.
May we all find a path out of this darkening quagmire soon.
Meanwhile, great kudos to Judge Trauger this morning for her wisdom and welcome clarity, of the kind and quality so sadly lacking now in the bizarre political weirdness up on Tennessee’s leaderless Capitol Hill.
Judge Trauger is standing at the gate.
Beautiful tribute to the wise and wonderful Judge Trauger. Thank you to her and to you, Keel, for your salute.
Love Judge Aleta Trauger! Watched her in private practice before she was appointed to the Bench. Trust her good judgement. Thanks for the post. Keep it up, we need you!