"We'll Be Back" performed by the federal trial and appellate judges in Houston and Galveston

An adaptation of "You'll be back" from Hamilton

In my very biased opinion, our federal bench and bar in Houston and Galveston is one of the most talented in the nation. Exhibit A. Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod (5th Circuit) and Judge Charles Eskridge (S.D.TX) bring down the house in a rendition of "You'll be back" from Hamilton. Watch till the end for some very special ensemble appearances from other members of our judiciary.

With their permission, I am happy to post the video of "We'll be back."

Comments

[LawTalkingGuy]

Josh,

I know you don’t read or care about the comments, but please reconsider thinking this is any way funny, cute, or good. It is actually in very poor taste for judges to make light of such a serious issue. Particularly when it comes to criminal defendants who may be awaiting trial in jail. This isn’t a game to them and other litigants. The canceling of jury trials involves incredibly weighty and difficult decisions with a number of factors to consider. The judges making those decisions shouldn’t even appear flippant about it.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

I'm surprised you didn't ding them for cultural appropriation. I didn't see a single black judge.

And how did Sam get in there twice? Twins?

[LawTalkingGuy]

Judge Hanks is black

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Ha! You fell for my trap. Had to go look, didn't you? I'm surprised you don't slag him as an Uncle Tom who culturally appropriated that white enslaver Hamilton.

[LawTalkingGuy]

I actually think cultural appropriation is a pointless and illiberal concept.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

And where is your humanity and empathy when it comes to the much more weighty act of politicians shutting down entire economies?

Putz. Pffffttttt!

[LawTalkingGuy]

That’s also a hard decision and one not to be made lightly. Lightness is what’s on display here.

[Bob from Ohio]

LTG

In the immortal words of Sgt Halka: Lighten up Francis.

[LawTalkingGuy]

No.

[DaivdBehar]

Law Talking Guy. Try to calm down. I support judges showing some humanity.

[LawTalkingGuy]

They could show their humanity by being empathetic not flippant in this difficult time.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

Where's your empathy, your humanity? False virtue signalling is false virtue.

[LawTalkingGuy]

People who use the term virtue signaling often seem to be deeply amoral people who confuse genuine acts of caring as something performative or transactional. They think it’s only signaling instead of genuine because they can’t envision a situation where they themselves would advocate or behave morally without some kind of tangible benefit to themselves.

[Á àß äẞç ãþÇđ âÞ¢Đæ ǎB€Ðëf ảhf]

What a bunch of hooey! There;s not a single coherent assertion in all that nonsense. You oughta write a book, it would sell millions.

[LawTalkingGuy]

I think I struck a nerve. If you don’t want your morals criticized, have you ever considered being genuinely empathetic instead of assuming empathy is performative?

[Bob from Ohio]

"If you don’t want your morals criticized,", you must agree with me. Very wise.

[Noscitur a sociis]

Jesus Christ.

[Beldar]

The canceling of jury trials involves incredibly weighty and difficult decisions with a number of factors to consider. The judges making those decisions shouldn’t even appear flippant about it.

You presume a great deal, LTG.

Not many cases end up going to trial — neither civil cases, nor very many criminal cases. The wheels of justice haven't stopped turning, ever, and now they're (very carefully) resuming jury trials. A close colleague of mine just completed, the week before last, a multi-day civil jury trial in the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

I'm acquainted with several of the judges who participated in this. I tried a jury trial before Judge Elrod when she was on the Harris County District Court bench, and I practiced law for six years with Chief Judge Lee Rosenthal (in the center of the display at the end). I can vouch, from personal experience in addition to widespread reputation after 40 years in the Houston trial bar, that these are indeed extremely capable judges of fine judicial temperament.

Your judgment that they're being flippant instead of showing empathy is precisely the opposite from mine.

[Sarcastr0]

The number of arguments you need to marshal to countervail the evidence in this post is telling, no?

[tkamenick]

No.

[loki13]

Don't believe what your lying eyes tell you.

Believe what Beldar Beldar-splains to you, instead.

Q: How does Beldar say, "Eff you?"

A: "Trust me!"

[Beldar]

Your comment is a content-free drive-by anonymous ad hominem. Readers may certainly decide how much weight your comment and mine each deserve, and I'm entirely content with that.

[Beldar]

("Your" in that last referred to "loki13.")