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THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Federal judge speaks to Houston bar association
By TIMOTHY GRAHAM
HHJ Staff Writer
The Houston County Bar
Association held its annual
Luncheon and Bench/Bar
Meeting at the Houston
Lake Country Club recently.
Guests of the lawyers were
local judges and elected offi
cials. The guest speaker was
Federal Judge Duross
Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick is from Twiggs
County and graduated from
the University of Georgia
with a degree in forestry. He
started his legal practice in
Cochran and is currently
serving in Senior Status on
the federal bench.
Fitzpatrick was intro
duced by former state repre
sentative (and Perry attor
ney) Larry Walker.
“I am greatly honored to
introduce a good friend,”
Walker said. “He cares
deeply about his state, his
country, and his fellow
man.”
Fitzpatrick recalled his
days before the bench.
“Being a lawyer were the
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HH.J Timothy Graham
The Houston County Bar Association presented its 2004 and 20055 Liberty Bell Awards
to from left, Farise Bryant and Judy Howard. The awards were presented by Jay
Vjfalker, right.
HABITAT
From page 1A
the day, James and Lisa both
have hectic jobs but still find
time to volunteer at the
Village once, sometimes
twice a week.” They volun
teered most recently during
the International Festival.
“I love the teaching aspect
of the Village and giving
tours to the kids,” Lisa
Wenschlag said. “I really
want them to care. I try to
give them the full picture of
poverty housing - the bugs,
the smells, the sounds. Then
hopefully they’ll see how
important Habitat’s work
really is.”
Although the Wenschlags
are preparing to move to
Ohio soon, they hope that
the visitors they have inter
acted with have taken away
COUNCIL
From page 1A
• Clayton Mays was
appointed to the Board of
Planning and Zoning. In a
move to start adopting term
limitations for city
appointees, Mays was
appointed to no more than
two four-year terms.
• Byron resident Travis
Tucker asked Mayor Donald
Walker if the city intended
to post “no loitering” signs
in the parking lot of Sewell
Park.
DISCOUNT
From page 1A
100-percent participation
from businesses in the city
that can offer the discount.
Parker said she is working
hard to keep the list updated
and accurate. It can be
found online by clicking the
link on the Family Support
Center’s Web site at
www.robins.af.mil/fsc.
Military families can use
this program to take advan
tage of a variety of discounts
in the Middle Georgia area.
Some examples: the
best years of my life,” said
Fitzpatrick. “But I would
not go back to it because it
has changed so much.
“Although Law Day was
May 1, I will speak on the
twin subjects of the
Constitution and profession
al responsibility,” said
Fitzpatrick. “The American
legal system begins with the
Constitution and the true
meaning of the Constitution
begins with the Declaration
of Independence and its
foundation is natural law. It
is only through the consent
of the governed that a gov
ernment can truly exist.
“While lawyers have a
duty to uphold the law, they
also have a duty to behave in
a professional manner,” said
Fitzpatrick.
The judge than read off a
series of rules for profes
sional behavior for the legal
profession:
1. Don’t lose your temper
with a judge or another
lawyer.
2. Never file a lawsuit
unless you are prepared to
more than just the knowl
edge of Habitat’s work.
“One person really can
make a difference,” Lisa
Wenschlag said. “When you
get enough people believing
they can make a difference,
that’s when you can change
the world.”
Opened in June 2003, the
GV&DC is the largest
attraction in Americus,
hosting more thanlß,ooo
guests each year. Its purpose
is to share the Habitat for
Humanity vision of hope for
a world without poverty
housing.
The GV&DC is always in
need of volunteers. There is
a variety of tasks where help
is needed including tour
guides, landscaping, gift
shop, exhibit cleaning, and
“I already discussed this
with you on the telephone,
and I will not discuss it with
you further,” Walker said.
In their Thursday work
session, the council dis
cussed the purchase of a
new tour bus for the senior
citizens. The members were
told that the current bus
does not have a restroom
and that is a hindrance for
many of the seniors.
“We need to quit short
changing our seniors,” said
American Red Cross in
Warner Robins is offering a
$25 discount on a communi
ty first-aid and safety train
ing course. Kmart in Warner
Robins is offering a 10 per
cent discount on most mer
chandise in the store, except
for tobacco products, alco
hol, lottery tickets, and
other items. Macon State
College is offering military
personnel and their families
in-state tuition rates. And
even the Macon Knights are
offering a small discount on
try the case.
3. Always be honest with
judges; do not try to trick
them.
4. Brevity is the sole of
whit and the law.
5. If you have a lemon of a
case, try to make lemonade.
6. There is no excuse for
being unprepared.
7. You have two duties:
one is to be an officer of the
court and the other is to rep
resent your client zealously.
8. Be courteous to every
one.
9. Lawyers owe a duty of
professionalism to the pub
lic.
10. An emphasis on money
tarnishes the profession.
11. There is not enough
accountability in the legal
profession.
“There are too many
lawyers in some specialties
and not enough in others,”
said Fitzpatrick. “We need
more general practitioners
like in the old days. Modern
law firms are becoming legal
factories. The law cannot be
mass-produced. ”
much more. Interested vol
unteers can call Vickie Dort
at (229) 924-6935, ext. 2964.
The Global Village and
Discovery Center’s hours
are Tuesday through
Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 5
p.m. Regular admission
charges are $5 for adults, $4
for seniors, $3 for students
ages six and up (plus tax)
and children under 6 are
free. Groups of 10 or more
will receive a $1 discount on
all tickets and patrons rid
ing the SAM Shortline will
also receive $1 off admission
price. Groups of 20 or more
can schedule tours for any
time during the week,
including Sundays and
Mondays. To make group
reservations, please call
(866) 924-5823 or 924-6935,
ext. 2373.
Councilman Grady
Clemonts. “Without them
we would not be sitting
here.”
“I think we are pretty
much in agreement that we
need to do something but I
think we need to research it
further,” said Walker.
At that meeting council
members were given copies
of the proposed 2005-2006
budget. The council will
have a budget workshop at
6:30 p.m. Monday, June 6.
tickets.
Businesses who are inter
ested in joining the program
should contact Parker at the
Family Support Center, 725
Ninth St. Suite 100, Robins
AFB, GA 31098-2235; or by
fax at (478) 926-2361; or by
e-mail at
family@robins.af.mil.
“It’s just another way for
us to show support for the
military families that live in
this area,” Smith said. “It’s
formalizing something that
has always been done.”
LOCAL
He advised that a good
lawyer does not need adver
tising.
“Their good reputation
will be all the advertising
they will need,” he said. “A
good lawyer will also not
work so many hours that
they ignore their social and
religious ties to the commu
nity.
“Take stock of your pro
fession and be proud of the
work you do and for good
ness’ sake, stop telling
lawyer jokes!” he said.
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2005
Federal Judge Duross
Fitzpatrick was the guest
speaker at the Houston
County Bar Association
luncheon at Houston Lake
Country Club.
HHJ/Timothy Graham
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