A Conversation With ... Becky Borthwick

As a municipal court judge for the city of Springfield, what type of cases will you handle?
My job is really interesting here because we see a lot of different people. On traffic days, some are just coming in to pay a traffic ticket, while others may have had their first rear-ender in town. We are looking to see if that person is a new driver that a class might be helpful for, or is he or she an older driver that might need a mature driving class to sharpen their skills. That’s what I like about my job. I get the opportunity to talk with people. We also see many nontraffic cases such as stealing and many alcohol- and drug-related charges. The municipal court has a great probation office. There are several programs we can offer. I see a lot of people who tell me they are homeless. Sometimes I will include probation as part of their sentence knowing our probation officer might have the ability to place them or help them find housing. Today, I did my first two weddings and it was very exciting. It’s nice to have someone here who is excited about walking in the building, wants to be here. We are sharing part of a special day with them.

Greene County Circuit Court is one of the busiest in the state and has a multimonth case backlog. How does the municipal level compare?
We have a heavy caseload, but we are well staffed. Our deficiencies are in our building – that is what we are trying to call attention to. Being part of the city of Springfield, we have so many things to be excited about, but yet we have a municipal court that is something we really don’t want to show off. On Monday, we had this courtroom full three times in an hour and a half with a line out into the parking lot. Obviously, in the winter or if it’s raining, that’s not working for people. It’s not just people who are in trouble that come to the municipal court. People don’t understand that it could be your 16-year-old who had their first traffic offense who might be waiting outside. You are not necessarily talking to people who are all here for stealing or serious crimes. Also, we need holding cells, which we do not have now.

You were previously a managing partner with Springfield-based insurance defense firm Franke, Schultz & Mullen and took the bench July 1. What past case knowledge will you draw on as a judge?
I was a trial lawyer and we specialized in insurance defense. I was comfortable in the courtroom talking to juries. It was something I was very passionate about; I loved being a trial lawyer. Trial skills are absolutely what you need to be an effective judge – knowing how to make rulings, understanding the legal arguments, conducting the court with a certain level of decorum. I have been lucky enough to put on presentations for colleagues about decorum. I think it is something young lawyers don’t always understand. It’s not always about the fight, it’s about how to get things done. It’s about accomplishing the goal for your client through zealous representation, not about the fight. If you make it about you, you have lost sight of your client. As a judge, I’m still keeping the courtroom focused on what we are doing. It is not based on the lawyers’ personalities; it’s that person who is standing in front of you.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time on the bench?
I’ve been practicing almost 20 years. I want my legacy on the bench to be the same as a trial attorney: I was fair to my colleagues and the people in front of me. Obviously, as Springfield grows, our court services need to grow. I hope to take an active role in that growth as our court moves toward modernizing our electronic-records systems. I think I have a good temperament for that. I am very patient, I like technology and I’m not afraid of change.[[In-content Ad]]