By definition, half the people leaving the courtroom are unhappy. Any good judge can make more than half the people unhappy. The job is not to make people like you or make people think you're their friend.
Steven PaceyYou want a judge who makes objective decisions, and that's why temperament is such an important component of being a judge. You have to earn people's respect, because they know that you are deciding the case based on the facts and the law, not because they're trying to be your friend.
Steven PaceyOne of the more difficult things about being a judge is as you're listening to the evidence, you have to be formulating how you're going to explain your evaluation of that evidence.
Steven PaceyYou have to be patient. Litigants are emotionally involved - they're suing or being sued, or they've been in an accident or they're charged (with a crime). They are not very objective about their situation.
Steven Pacey