Georgia Court of Appeals Chief Judge Stephen Dillard, known for his active Twitter account,  talks about role models, himself as a young lawyer and his hopes for others in the Georgia Bar Journal's latest issue.

Jake Daly of Freeman Mathis & Gary interviewed Dillard and put together an article on their conversation. Out of respect for a preference Dillard passionately defends on #appellatetwitter, the journal suspended its normal AP style and used the Oxford comma. Dillard also touches on what he misses about practicing law—trials, colleagues and writing “from scratch”—and devotion to his alma mater, Samford University, where he met his wife of 25 years.

His role models are his grandfather, his mother and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Daniel Manion, for whom Dillard clerked. Dillard also likes U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Joseph Story and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr.—plus a never-to-be justice, D.C. Circuit Judge Robert Bork.

Dillard's job as chief judge is administrative and ceremonial—the “face of the court,” Dillard said in the interview. He engages actively on social media because “when you serve the public, the public has a right to know who you are as a human being.” He describes himself as “not just a judge” but also a husband, father, “person of faith.” He enjoys reading, music, sports, his church, time with family and friends and his job.

His advice to lawyers appearing before him: practice—a lot. And he reveals that he'll be watching not only how lawyers treat him, but also how they treat each other.

He dislikes the term “zealous advocate” because he thinks it gives lawyers an excuse to “act like zealots.” The best lawyers he has seen “calmly and dispassionately present their arguments.” The admonition he gives weekly on his Friday tweets—“be good to each other”—is for lawyers as well as families.

Says Dillard: “We are engaging in confrontation on a daily basis, so we ought to commit ourselves to doing it in an honorable way.”