Judge Robert M. Parker of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who headquarters in Tyler, recently told his colleagues on the court that he intends to retire on Nov. 1, 2002. His retirement, together with the death of former Judge Henry Politz, who once was chief judge of the court, and the appointment to the court of Judge Edith Brown Clement, should be of significant interest — and, perhaps, concern — to the bench and bar of the 5th Circuit. This change in the makeup of the court surely will result in a shift to the right. Already conservative, it’s anticipated that the court will become even more conservative in the immediate future. For civil trial lawyers, the court probably will become more reluctant to overturn jury verdicts. For prosecutors and defense lawyers, Fourth Amendment cases probably will be decided even more often in favor of the government if the issue involves probable cause for an arrest or search.

After a distinguished career as a civil trial lawyer, Parker was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas by then-President Jimmy Carter and was sworn in on May 4, 1979. He served on the district bench for 15 years, the last four as chief judge. Reminiscing, Parker says in an interview, “The district bench with a good docket is the best job in America.” Unfortunately, his docket became cluttered with crack cocaine cases, so an appointment to the appellate bench was a pleasant alternative. In June 1994, he took the oath as a judge of the 5th Circuit.

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