Speeches Category

Category: Speeches

Pillars of a Great Judge

What follows is the text of a speech I delivered Saturday, March 22 to the Butler County Republican Committee. In the haste of delivering the speech, I may have strayed from the drafted text, but I wanted to share for anyone who was not there and stumbles upon this page later.

Good morning, I am Jim Insco, and I’m a candidate for the Court of Common Pleas.

I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you the qualities I’ve learned over the past 21 years that define a great judge. The foundation of a great judge is built on four pillars: legal scholarship, obedience, diligence, and judicial temperament.

Legal scholarship—A great judge is a lifelong student of the law, committed to continuously learning and expanding their understanding of legal principles. It is through this dedication to scholarship that a judge gathers the necessary knowledge to render informed and sound decisions.

All the best scholarship is for naught, however, if a judge lacks the discipline and conviction to rule in accordance with the law’s dictates. We all recognize the dangers of an activist judge who imposes their own ideologies, biases, and prejudices on their decisions.

Scholarship and obedience are the safeguards and promote rulings are fair and impartial.

The third pillar, diligence, highlights the rigorous work required to uphold judicial responsibilities. A great judge helps keep his or her docket moving efficiently. Diligence means arriving prepared for arguments, having read the parties briefings, making timely decisions, and providing clear justification for rulings.

Finally, a great judge demonstrates a special judicial temperament. They respect the parties, litigants, lawyers, jurors, judicial process and the rule of law. A great judge leads by example in the courtroom and fosters an environment of dignity and respect for our legal system.

If these qualities resonate with you, I hope you’ll see that I embody many of them:

• Legal scholarship: I graduated from one of the top ten law schools in the country, earning honors and two degrees. My accomplishments during this time included participating in moot court, contributing to law review, and securing a position at a highly selective firm.

• Obedience: I’ve made difficult decisions to part ways with good-paying clients who sought legal justification or opinions endorsing programs I couldn’t reconcile with the law. My commitment to integrity and adherence to the law is unwavering.

• Diligence: I run a busy practice, serving sophisticated clients in a challenging legal environment. I’ve consistently delivered professional, timely, and high-quality service.

• Temperament: This pillar may be the wild card. We never really know if a lawyer will have the right temperament to set their ego aside and effectively transform from advocate to jurist until the dawn the robe and take the bench. I would like to think I will do that. I can share this: lawyers I’ve litigated against in tough, hard-fought cases—where we disagreed on nearly every issue—have often approached me afterward to express their appreciation for the respectful and professional way I handled the matter. I’m not one to yell, pound the table, or create unnecessary theatrics. I believe there’s a right way and a wrong way to do things, and I strive to embody the right way.

I hope I’ve earned your trust and endorsement. Thank you for your time and consideration.