Editorial
Front Page - Friday, February 11, 2011
Tennessee Bar honors Judge Robert M. Summitt
David Laprad
The Tennessee Bar Association will honor Judge Robert M. Summitt for his exceptional service on behalf of the American Bar Association during the ABA’s mid-year meeting in Atlanta. The reception will take place Feb. 12 at the Marriott Atlanta Marquis from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
- David Laprad
Each year, the Tennessee Bar Association honors a Tenn-essee lawyer or judge who has served his or her profession by participating in American Bar Association related activities. The TBA has selected Judge Robert M. Summitt as the 2011 recipient for his exceptional service on behalf of the ABA. The organization will commemorate Judge Summitt’s contributions to the organization during the ABA’s mid-year meeting in Atlanta.
The reception will take place Feb. 12 at the Marriott Atlanta Marquis from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Three law schools are lending their support to the function, including The University of Tennessee College of Law, the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey’s School of Law and Vanderbilt University Law School.
Judge Summitt began practicing law in Chattanooga in 1949. In addition to serving
as the attorney for Hamil-ton County, the attorney for
the Hamilton County School Board, the attorney for the World Boxing Association, the Hamilton County coroner and the Hamilton County sheriff, Judge Summitt entered politics and won the Democratic nomination for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1964. Republican nominee Bill Brock defeated him in the general election.
Judge Summitt continued his private legal practice until 1968, when Gov. Buford Ellington appointed him to the bench of the First Division, Eleventh Judicial District. Judge Summitt was elected to his first eight-year term in 1974, and was re-elected in 1982 and 1990. Upon serving 30 years on the bench, Judge Summitt retired on Aug. 31, 1998.
In addition to his service on the bench, Judge Summitt held offices in various judicial organizations including: president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference, chairman of the National Conference of State Trial Judges, member of the ABA House of Delegates and member of the ABA Nominating Committee.
Judge Summitt has served
as a member of several professional organizations, including the Chattanooga Bar Association, TBA, ABA, U.S.
Supreme Court Bar, Ameri-can Judicature Society, Amer-ican Judges Association, Inter-national Academy of Trial Judges and the Tennessee Trial Judges Association. He was a charter member of the latter organization and served on the Board of Governors of the CBA.
Judge Summitt also taught law at the University of Tenn-essee at Chattanooga and Chattanooga State Community College.
Before entering the legal profession, Judge Summitt served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is also a retired lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve.
In addition to serving his profession and his country, Judge Summitt has contributed to his community throughout his life. He’s been a member of the advisory board of the Boy Scouts of America since 1972 and has served the organization in other capacities, including as counsel president, vice president of Kentucky and Tennessee, executive board member of the Southern Region and national representative.
Judge Summitt has also served as a board member of the Chattanooga Salvation Army since 1955. He performed the duties of president for the organization from 2005-2007.
Judge Summitt has received a number of honors and awards. He was the 1959 recipient of the Jaycee’s Young Man of the Year award; the 1976 recipient of the Boy Scout of America’s Silver Beaver Award, a council-level distinguished service award; the 1984 recipient of the Downtown Sertoma Club’s National Heritage Award; and the 2001 recipient of the CBA’s Ralph H. Kelley Humanitarian Award. Judge Summitt is also a recipient of the Medal of Meritorious Service, a military award presented to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves through outstanding service to the nation.
Judge Summitt was born Jan. 14, 1924 in Monroe County, Tenn., where he received a public education. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees at UT.
Judge Summit is a member of First Centenary United Methodist Church. There, he
has served as teacher and president of the Men’s Sunday School Class and as secretary of the Board of Trustees. He’s also given his time to the Parish Relations, Finance and Membership Assimilation committees.
Judge Summitt was married to Florence Varnell Summitt for 46 years prior to her death in 2001. They are the parents of four children, all adopted as infants: daughter Virginia Anne Sharber; son Robert M. Summitt Jr.; daughter Laura Stephens; and son Martin Summitt. Together, their children have blessed them with six grandkids.
Remarkably, Judge Summitt has had time to enjoy a number of hobbies, including gardening, hunting, reading, bee keeping, fishing and farming.
While the reception will include a brief interlude to summarize the life and career of Judge Summitt and honor his service to the ABA, it will be a challenge to come up with words better than those his daughter penned in 2009 for Father’s Day:
“When I think back about my father, I remember a man who was busy at work, in the community and with his church, but who always had time for his family. I remember regularly sitting down to dinner together as a family and sharing stories about what happened during the day. I remember going to the courthouse and watching father in his huge black robe climbing onto the bench and presiding in the courtroom. I remember how careful he was to explain to the jurors the seriousness with which they needed to take their responsibility and how closely he listened to all sides of a disputed issue. I remember how as a circuit court judge, dad used to see some rough things, and would come home full of cautions against risky behaviors. As a parent now, I understand how protective and loving he was being.
“I appreciate the values he instilled in us. His values have always been family, faith, education, hard work, integrity and the community. Through example and encouragement, dad showed us how important it was to get a good education. By example with mom, he showed us how important it is to form a grounded relationship with a life partner who shares similar values. He also demonstrated and continues to demonstrate the importance of giving back to our community.
“As the fourth of five children whose parents lost their farm during the depression, dad worked hard to educate himself and achieve his many successes. He knows how important it is to reach out to others who are working hard or who, through circumstances beyond their control, are not able to move themselves forward.
“I can only hope that I will achieve half of what he has.”
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