The title of this post is the headline of a charming feature posted today on Penn State’s website on about-to-be-Chief Judge Smith.

Of particular interest to me:

Smith very much enjoys the case work he is involved in on the 3rd Circuit, and the processes of both studying a case and deciding a case. While he admits that the Court of Appeals process of deciding by three-judge panels is very different than that used by the District Courts, where a single judge makes the decision, he likes discussing the case with colleagues on the panel and finding common ground, as well as determining the right words for a judicial decision.

“The Court of Appeals is a constant intellectual challenge,” Smith said. “And the opportunity to teach has provided congruence between the study work of appellate cases and the pedagogy of a law professor. There are similarities in both positions.”

As for his legal legacy, he doesn’t give it much thought. He hopes his colleagues and the lawyers who appear before him view him as someone who decides each case based on its merits, and not on ideologies, politics or agenda.

“If they see me as motivated by proper concerns,” he stated, “I will be perfectly satisfied.”