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Bar News - February 6, 2004 Dinner for Chief Justice Brock to be a Major Event SPACE IS LIMITED for the NH Bar Association dinner honoring the career of retired Supreme Court Chief Justice David A. Brock. Brock retired from the court on Dec. 31, 2003, after 25 years of service on the court, including the last 17 as chief justice. The dinner will take place at 7 p.m. following the Midyear Meeting Reception at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford. In a brief interview with NH Public Television recorded on his last day in office, Brock, 67, appeared relaxed. He said that he believed the time was right, both for personal and professional reasons to step down. Recalling the difficult period when he faced a NH Senate impeachment trial and was acquitted, Brock said the Supreme Court recovered well in the aftermath. "I am so proud of what we have accomplished since then...eliminating the backlog of cases. We are now deciding most cases within three months of oral argument. And now the court is preparing to begin a new policy of accepting virtually all cases brought before it." Interviewer Ally McNair questioned Brock about how his years on the bench have changed him, and cited a quote from a 1998 Bar News interview with Brock: "If I have changed, it comes from gaining a deeper understanding of the frailties of human nature and the vast array of problems that people have." In his answer to her question, Brock elaborated on the role courts now play in people’s lives. "There has been a sea change in the issues that people bring to the courts," he responded. "More and more, people look to the courts to resolve their problems, usually in an adversarial situation. When you read the record and hear their complaints about each other, you realize the full range of problems that people can have. This has made judging more challenging and complicated, and I have come to realize that you have to temper the administration of justice with a sense of humanity to come up with pragmatic decisions that hopefully can resolve these disputes." The interview concluded with McNair asking Brock what he was going to be feeling on the drive home on his last day. "Utter exhilaration and happiness," said Brock after pausing a moment as a smile broadened on his face. "I feel good about the decision….It was the proper time for me to make the decision to leave, both from a personal and professional viewpoint. "I am very proud of having worked for the state of New Hampshire, to provide the most efficient justice system we can have within the existing resources. The people should know how hard we and our staff work. There is such a committed, dedicated and loyal group of employees within the judicial branch who exert themselves, sometimes beyond what is reasonably expected of them to do their jobs." If you have questions to suggest for an upcoming Bar News interview with Justice Brock, send them to dwise@nhbar.org.
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