Here Come De Judges: Lawful Hard-Core Magistrates From Hardwood Court

"Order in the courtroom - here come de judge!" This mantra, a familiar refrain decades ago to fans of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, is associated with African-American comedians Sammy Davis Jr. and Flip Wilson playing magistrate with black robe and powdered wig. All should rise throughout the sports world and applaud anything to do with "judge" after basketball-player sized Aaron Judge (6-7) set A.L. record with 62 homers for the New York Yankees a couple of years ago.

Flipping off reality with half a peace sign amid #Dimorat judges allowing illegal aliens to vote after refusing to meet with Trump Supreme nominees, deranged #Dimorats were again a bigger joke than Davis' entertaining Rat Pack slapstick at freak-show Judiciary Committee nomination hearings defecating in public on Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh. Relying on Dr. Blah-Blah-Blah Fraud about unseemly incident at mysterious residence known only in myopic magistrate stalker Alyssa Milano's feeble brain, CNN Sucks/MSDNC (MSNBC) haughty hosts howled for misfit Michael #Avenaughty as Presidential candidate. Creepy porn lawyer client came handy with fictitious claim of firsthand knowledge regarding nominee participating in gang rape of Catholic males at "Handmaid's Tale" themed sorority party.

As for college basketball packing the court comparable to deranged #Dimorats, a striking number of former hoopers are party to honorably performing judgeship role in real life. Are any of them available to issue court orders helping protect fragile WNBA players from mean tweets after several of them physically assaulted celebrated Caitlin Clark on the court? The state of Florida flaunts a triune tribunal of ex-players judged as vital for Florida, Florida State and Miami among the following alphabetical list "honoring the Judge" by going from the hardwood court to hard-fisted court of law (including All-Americans Frank Burgess and Mal Graham):

CARLOS BEA, Stanford
Appointed to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2003 by President George W. Bush. Bea served in that capacity until the end of 2019. . . . Averaged 1.8 ppg from 1953-54 through 1955-56. Member of Cuba's basketball squad in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

BILL BERNING, Valparaiso
Circuit Court Judge of Allen County (Ind.) Juvenile Division. . . . Averaged 5.7 ppg in 1950-51 and 1951-52.

JOHN "JACK" BEYNON, Illinois
In 1971, he was named an associate judge in Winnebago County (Ill.) and became a circuit judge in 1981 before passing away in 1989. . . . All-conference quarterback was a two-year Illini hoops letterman in the mid-1930s.

JAMES "JEB" BOASBERG, Yale
In 2011, he was appointed U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia. Boasberg served as Presiding Judge of the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in 2020 and 2021. In late April 2012, he ruled the public had no right to view government photographs of a deceased Osama Bin Laden. . . . The 6-5 Boasberg averaged 2.7 ppg and 1.9 rpg from 1981-82 through 1984-85.

J. "DAVID" BONE, Northwestern
Elected as associate judge of the 7th Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville, Ill., in the early 1980s. . . . The 6-6 Bone averaged 4 ppg and 4.2 rpg in 1960-61 and 1961-62. He served as a platoon leader for a U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance platoon in South Vietnam.

OSSIE BROWN, Louisiana State
Served as Baton Rouge City Court Judge before he was elected as district attorney. In her 1974 book, The Dixie Mafia, author Darlene Kern described him this way: "Brown is one of the best criminal lawyers in America." . . . Juco recruit played for LSU in the mid-1940s.

FRANK BURGESS, Gonzaga
Appointed in 1994 by President Bill Clinton, he served as U.S. District Court Judge in Tacoma, Wash., until passing away in spring of 2010. . . . All-American guard averaged 28.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg from 1958-59 through 1960-61. Selected in the third round of the 1961 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of rebounder deluxe Bill Bridges (Kansas).

ED CAHN, Lehigh
After graduating Magna Cum Laude, he became a chief judge in Philadelphia from 1993 until retiring at the end of 1998, responsible for overseeing 35 federal district judges. He was nominated by President Gerald Ford in late November 1974 to a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. . . . First player in Lehigh history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Cahn, who earned second-team All-Pennsylvania honors, became his alma mater's all-time leading scorer in only his junior season (1953-54).

JAMES CAIN JR., McNeese State
Appointed by President Donald Trump to bench in U.S. District Court in Lake Charles, La., in summer of 2019. . . . Teammate of NBA standout guard Joe Dumars scored six points (hitting 3-of-5 field-goal attempts) while playing in 10 games for the Cowboys in 1984-85.

TOM CARROLL, Georgetown
In 1997, he began serving as a judge of the New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, Criminal Term, for more than 17 years. Retiring from the bench in early 2015, he was appointed a Judicial Hearing Officer. . . . Carroll scored six points in five basketball games for the Hoyas in 1963-64.

HARRY COE III, Florida
Circuit judge for 22 years was nicknamed "Hangin' Harry" for handing down what some observers deemed harsh jail sentences. Robert DuBoise, wrongfully convicted of rape and murder in 1983, and sentenced to death by Coe, was exonerated and released in late summer of 2020. As for Coe, he amassed thousands of dollars in gambling debts and used re-election campaign funds, among money from other outside sources, to pay them off before committing suicide in mid-July 2000 at the age of 68 (shot himself under an expressway). Coe, a lefthander who played hoops for the Gators in 1951-52 and 1952-53, compiled a 57-37 pitching record in the farm systems of the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies in four years (1953-56-57-58).

JAMES "CHIPPY" COLEMAN, Dartmouth
Superior Court juvenile judge in NJ from 1980 to 1987. . . . All-EIBL selection in 1945-46 and 1946-47. His college career was interrupted by serving in U.S. Army Air Corps in Italy during WWII.

BOBBY CONRAD JR., Clemson
In 2003, he was nominated to a federal judgeship (Western District of North Carolina) by President George Bush and served in that capacity until 2013. He had been instrumental in prosecuting supporters of a Hezbollah terrorist cell in the state. Conrad was scrutinized after sentencing a black man to life in prison for selling marijuana. . . . Illinois native averaged 4.7 ppg and 3.5 apg from 1976-77 through 1979-80. He led the Tigers in assists as a junior and senior. His son, Branden, played for South Carolina in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

HAL DeMOSS JR., Rice
Appointed judge in 1991 to U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals by President George H.W. Bush (served until retirement in 2015). . . . DeMoss averaged 1.1 ppg in 1949-50.

LEO DORADO, California
Appointed to the bench in 1988, Oakland Superior Court judge oversaw the 2003 marathon "Riders" trial of three police officers accused of corruption. Dorado left office in 2022. . . . He averaged 2.3 ppg for the Bears in 1969-70 and 1970-71.

STEVE EHLMANN, Furman
Circuit judge in St. Charles County (Mo.) until January, 2004, when he became the county's Director of Administration. Two years later, Ehlmann was elected County Executive. Previously, he served in the Missouri House of Representatives for four years and the Missouri Senate for eight years (serving two terms as Republican floor leader). . . . Forward averaged 1.4 ppg and 0.9 rpg in 36 games from 1970-71 through 1972-73. Played briefly in 1971 NCAA playoffs against Digger Phelps-coached Fordham.

HAROLD "JIM" ELLIS, Santa Clara
Appointed as a San Mateo County judge in 1988, where he served for more than 20 years. . . . Played seven games for the Broncos in 1962-63.

MARK FILLEY, Williams (Mass.)
Family court judge in his hometown of Troy, N.Y., from 1954 to 1971. . . . Filley played hoops in college in the early 1930s. Righthander appeared in one MLB game as a reliever for the Washington Senators in 1934.

WILLIAM "ROYAL" FURGESON JR., Texas Tech
Nominated by President Bill Clinton, he served as Judge in the U.S. District Court of Texas from 1994 to 2013. . . . Furgeson averaged 1.4 ppg in seven contests with the Red Raiders in 1961-62.

RON GAGNON, Providence
Appointed Associate Judge of the Rhode Island Superior Court in early 1988 before retiring from the bench in 2003. . . . Gagnon averaged 2 ppg for PC in 1950-51 and 1951-52.

HERB GALCHINSKY, Denver
Spent 16 years as Denver County Court judge. Mandatory retirement at 72 didn't prompt Galchinsky, nicknamed "Herby the Love Judge" by co-workers, to relinquish his weekend passion of performing weddings. "You get to see happy people for a change," he said. "You see a lot of things that are nasty in the courthouse. It's good for me to see happy people at the wedding and reception." . . . The 6-1 Galchinsky averaged 5.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg from 1957-58 through 1959-60.

TERRY GAMBER, Northwestern
Judge for the 2nd Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, retiring at the end of 2011. . . . Averaged 11.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg from 1966-67 through 1968-69, leading the Wildcats in total points as a junior.

EARLE GIBBONS, California
In 1969, Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him as a Municipal Court Judge. . . . Gibbons averaged 2.6 ppg for Cal from 1948-49 through 1950-51.

PAUL "BILL" GLENN, Florida State
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for more than 25 years. . . . Averaged 10.9 ppg and 5 rpg for FSU in 1965-66 and 1966-67. Team MVP as top scorer in coach Hugh Durham's first season with the Seminoles.

MAL GRAHAM, New York University
In 1982, he was named a judge in Massachusetts court system, serving in several capacities until his retirement in 2015. . . . Averaged 22 ppg and 4.8 rpg from 1964-65 through 1966-67. All-American as a senior when finishing third in the nation in scoring (28.7 ppg) before becoming 11th pick overall in NBA draft.

PAUL GRANT, Utah
At the age of 33, he was elected a city court judge. Eventually, Grant rose to the circuit court, where he earned a reputation as a decisive, no-nonsense judge with quick, dry wit. At the age of 56, he retired and moved to Wyoming in 1992. "I expected to stay on the bench for eight years, but there's the tyranny of the paycheck," Grant said. . . . Following a Mormon Church mission, Grant played sparingly for the Utes in 1958-59 under Hall of Fame coach Jack Gardner before quitting to enter law school. Father of 12 including three NCAA Division I players (Greg/18.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2 spg for Utah State from 1982-83 through 1985-86; Nate/5.7 ppg and 4.1 rpg for Utah State in 1985-86 and 1986-87, and Josh/15.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 3 apg and 1.5 spg for Utah from 1988-89 through 1992-93). Greg (Big West in 1986) and Josh (WAC in 1991 and 1993) were conference MVPs.

FRED GREEN, Illinois
Republican was elected as a County Judge in 1956 and Circuit Judge in 1964. He became an Appellate Judge in 1974, retiring in 1998. . . . Green averaged 6.2 ppg for the Illini's national third-place team in 1949 under Harry Combes.

JACK HEKKER, Georgetown
Municipal Judge in South Nyack, N.Y., for 24 years and two years as a judge in Orangetown, N.Y. He was appointed by Gov. George Pataki to serve on New York State Industrial Board of Appeals. . . . Hekker averaged 3.6 ppg with the Hoyas from 1950-51 through 1952-53.

BILL JOHNSON, Dartmouth
Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court from 1985 to 1999. Chairman of the N.H. Republican party from 1964 to 1966. . . . Scored eight points in 13 games in 1950-51.

MARC KELLY, Notre Dame
Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County in California since 2000. In the spring of 2015, the County Board of supervisors formally demanded his resignation following a decision to give less than half the mandatory sentenced to a man who sexually assaulted a three-year-old girl. But a grassroots recall effort fizzled following organizers failing to secure enough signatures to put a recall measure on the June 2016 ballot. . . . Collected 20 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists and 6 steals in 45 games from 1978-79 through 1981-82 under coach Digger Phelps.

JOHN KIRWAN, Detroit
Elected to Wayne County (MI) Circuit Court from which he retired in 1998 after more than 40 years of public service. . . . Team leader in scoring in 1948-49, member of the Titans' first-ever 20-win team as junior (1949-50) and All-Missouri Valley Conference second-team selection as senior.

ROSS KRUMM, Gettysburg (Pa.)
Serving from 1986 to 2012, he was chief judge for U.S. bankruptcy court/Western District of Virginia. . . . Averaged 4.5 ppg and 4.4 rpg from 1965-66 through 1967-68.

FRED LEWIS, Florida Southern
Justice on the Florida Supreme Court from end of 1998 to early 2019. . . . The 5-10 Lewis, born to a coal mining family in West Virginia, averaged 6.9 ppg from 1965-66 through 1968-69.

PLUMMER LOTT, Seattle
Justice for the Supreme Court of Kings County in Brooklyn from 1996 to early 2009, presiding primarily over felony cases. One of the best-know cases involved a con man who posed as film legend Sidney Poitier's son, inspiring the play Six Degrees of Separation and a 1994 film adaptation of the same name. Appointed as a Justice of the Appellate Division in spring of 2009. . . . Averaged 9.1 ppg and 6.2 rpg for SU from 1964-65 through 1966-67. As a senior, he grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in 62-54 defeat against defending champion Texas Western in West Regional of NCAA tourney.

ARNOLD LYNCH, Austin Peay State
District Judge in Kentucky for more than 12 years before hanging up robe in late 2014. . . . Averaged 1.1 ppg and 1.3 rpg in 16 games for APSU in 1974-75.

L. CASEY MANNING, South Carolina
Circuit Court Judge for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in South Carolina for 28 years until retiring in early 2023. Served as Assistant Attorney General for the state of South Carolina for five years (1983-88) and Chief of Prosecutions (1988 and 1989). In the spring of 2014, some observers think Manning took a "flop" on wrong court with a ruling establishing criminal immunity for legislators. . . . Averaged 2.4 ppg for three NCAA tourney teams from 1970-71 through 1972-73 under coach Frank McGuire.

JOHN McCARTY, Florida
In 1957, brother of former Florida Governor Dan McCarty was appointed judge of the 9th Judicial District, serving as a circuit judge until his resignation in 1959. He subsequently mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Governor himself in 1960. . . . Hoops letterman with the Gators in 1936-37.

JOE BILLY McDADE, Bradley
Senior U.S. District Court Judge in Central Illinois since end of February 2010. . . . Averaged 9.8 ppg and 7.2 rpg for BU from 1956-57 through 1958-59 for three NIT teams.

DENNIS McGUIRE, DePaul
Judge on Cook County 11th Subcircuit in Illinois since 2002. . . . The 6-8 McGuire averaged 2.1 ppg and 1.5 rpg for the Blue Demons from 1977-78 through 1980-81 under coach Ray Meyer, appearing in 1979 Final Four.

TYRONE MEDLEY, Utah
Utah's first black judge (appointed to Fifth District Court in late 1984) served on the bench until retiring in summer of 2012. . . . Averaged 11 ppg and 2 rpg for the Utes from 1971-72 through 1973-74 under coach Bill E. Foster. As a senior, he averaged 16.4 ppg was for their NIT champion.

MICHAEL F. MULLEN, Fairfield
In January 1987, he was appointed a Judge of the Court of Claims by New York Governor Mario M. Cuomo and for 20 years sat in the Supreme Court, Suffolk County. He was described by the New York Post as "a fair, no-nonsense, scholarly jurist who doesn't like cases to drag on." . . . Collected 18 points and 10 rebounds with the Stags in seven games in 1958-59.

JOEL NOVAK, Iowa
Appointed as a 5th Judicial District Court trial judge in August 1979, serving in that capacity until September 2017. . . . Averaged 3.5 ppg and 1.8 rpg with the Hawkeyes in 1960-61 and 1961-62 as teammate of All-American Don Nelson.

MIKE O'MELIA, Wisconsin
In 1984, he was appointed a Superior Court Judge for the State of Arizona. . . . O'Melia averaged 7.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64, earning All-Big Ten Conference third-team honors as a sophomore.

ANDY OWENS, Florida
Appointed judge for the state's 12th Judicial Circuit in 1983, serving on the bench until spring of 2017. . . . Averaged 19 ppg and 8.3 rpg with the Gators from 1967-68 through 1969-70. As an All-SEC first-team selection, he scored career-high 41 points in game against Mississippi State his senior season.

LARRY "CHOPPY" PATTERSON, Clemson
Circuit court judge in South Carolina had a by-the-book, tight-ship reputation. . . . Averaged 14.9 ppg and 3.7 rpg from 1959-60 through 1962-63 (redshirt in 1961-62). All-ACC selection his first two varsity seasons.

KENNETH RYSKAMP, Miami (Fla.)
Federal judge who presided over cases in the U.S. Southern District of Florida for more than three decades following President Ronald Reagan's nomination in 1986. President George H.W. Bush twice nominated Ryskamp to the appellate court, but he was defeated both times after senators, including Joe Biden and Bob Graham, raised questions about his sensitivity to minority groups. . . . The 6-6 Ryskamp averaged a team-high 9.5 rpg with the Hurricanes in 1954-55 under coach Bruce Hale.

HUGH SNODGRASS, Texas Tech
Appointed a Judge by Texas Governor Preston Smith to the 193rd District Court in 1969. . . . All-Border Conference first-team selection in 1935-36 and 1936-37.

BRAD WALLER, Cincinnati/Northern Illinois
In July 2014, he was appointed to position of resident Circuit Judge in DeKalb County (Ill.). . . . Averaged 5.3 ppg for UC in 1980-81 before transferring to NIU, where he averaged 11.9 ppg and 2.2 rpg from 1982-83 through 1984-85.

DERWIN WEBB, Louisville
First African-American to serve as a judge solely in Louisville's Family Court in the history of Commonwealth of Kentucky. He was publicly reprimanded by the Kentucky Supreme Court for an error in private practice causing a former female client to be married to two men at the same time. . . . Webb averaged 3.5 ppg and 1.7 rpg with the Cardinals from 1989-90 through 1992-93 under coach Denny Crum.

LAWRENCE WEISS, Rutgers
Presided as Union County (N.J.) District Court Judge, Superior Court, Criminal Part and Civil Part until mandatory retirement in July 2002. . . . The 6-3 Weiss averaged 4.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 1951-52 and 1953-54.

ALBERT WHITE JR., Baylor
Judge of Texas' 236th Judicial District from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. . . . Played for the Bears in the mid-1950s, scoring a total of 143 points in 1953-54 and 1954-55 under coach Bill Henderson.

BYRON "WHIZZER" WHITE, Colorado
United States Supreme Court Justice for 32 years after being appointed by President Kennedy in 1962. White, a dissenter in the 7-2 Roe vs. Wade ruling, was known for his regard for the power of Congress. On the bench, White was a fierce questioner who seemed to revel in backing a lawyer into a corner. White's most controversial verdict was his 1986 majority opinion upholding Georgia's ban on consensual homosexual conduct. . . . College Football Hall of Famer finished second in the 1937 Heisman Trophy voting after rushing for a national-leading 1,121 yards, passing for 475, returning punts and kickoffs for 746, punting for a 42.5-yard average, intercepting four passes and scoring a nation-leading 122 points. Played three seasons in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers (1938) and Detroit Lions (1940 and 1941). He led the NFL in rushing in 1938 and 1940 and in punt returns in 1941. White was one of the first big-money players, making $15,800 as a rookie. In a low-scoring era of basketball, he averaged 6.8 ppg for the Buffaloes in conference play in three varsity seasons (1935-36 through 1937-38). White scored 10 points in 1938 NIT championship game when Colorado was defeated by Temple, 60-36. He was a third-team all-league selection as a sophomore (7.7 ppg in Rocky Mountain) and first team as a junior (RMC) and senior (Mountain States). After CU's 48-47 victory over NYU in 1938 NIT semifinals, the New York Times wrote that "White was the guiding genius of the team and its steadying influence. The Rhodes Scholar, with a build as solid as an oak tree, was all-powerful on defense and an excellent shot when he chose."

PAUL "HOOKS" YESAWICH JR., Niagara
New York Judge served as a member of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court/First Judicial Department from 1974 to 1981. . . . Four-year letterman averaged 8.6 ppg as a senior in 1947-48 under coach Taps Gallagher. Yesawich's college career was interrupted by serving as officer in U.S. Navy during WWII. He was deployed on attack cargo ship participating in largest amphibious assault of conflict at Okinawa.