Court Opinion

ID: 9698672
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 19:57:09.969422+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:42.630834
License: Public Domain

Sullivan, J.
(dissenting). I dissent.
The patience of a judge is neither more nor less than that of other men and women. All of us live to regret our words more often than our silence. But here the trial judge, if his patience was in short supply, did not demean counsel by his comments so as to cross over the line between that which is fair and that which is unfair.
This Court in People v McIntosh, 62 Mich App 422, 438-439; 234 NW2d 157 (1975), rev’d in part on other grounds 400 Mich 1; 252 NW2d 779 (1977), stated:
A judge is no less human because he has become a judge. He is not devoid of opinion or emotional reaction to those about him or always correct in those opinions and reactions. He has, perhaps, more bad days than good ones, and nothing about the occupation shields him from the stress and distress of counsel and litigants in their most trying moments. He is conscious that he is the one person involved whose presence, in itself, should have a benign effect on the course of trial, and that if he cannot fulfill that role, the end of an impartial trial may be lost. Ideally he would always discreetly and circumspectly subordinate his opinions and emotions so as to display courtesy *94and impartiality to counsel and litigants notwithstanding their actions.
It is not always possible; and it does not follow that every deviation from the ideal requires a new trial. New verdicts would ever stand were that so. Rather, recognizing both human fallibility and the stress of trial, each case is to be reviewed in its entirety to determine whether an atmosphere of prejudice has crept in which may have deprived the appellant of a fair trial.
Even if the trial judge was abrupt on occasion, he did not abuse defense counsel to the extent that a new trial is warranted. In other words, I do not believe the judge’s conduct influenced the jury to the detriment of defendant. As has often been said, a defendant is entitled to a fair trial, not a perfect one. No defendant can ask for more. This defendant did not receive less.