The Third Circuit honors its newest judge, Stephanos Bibas

There isn’t much glory in writing a circuit blog, but now and again it leads to wonderful things, and so it was yesterday when I had the privilege attending the investiture of the Third Circuit’s newest judge, Stephanos Bibas. It was an inspiring and joyous ceremony.

Present for the event in the Ceremonial Courtroom were Justices Kennedy and Alito, most of the Third Circuit’s judges, Sixth Circuit Judge Kethledge (who clerked with Bibas for Kennedy), Eighth Circuit Judge Stras, DC Circuit Judge Katsas, and many other legal luminaries, as well as Judge Bibas’s family and “dozens” of his fellow parishioners.

Chief Judge Smith presided with grace and aplomb. Judge Krause spoke warmly of having known Bibas since his days as a (“quite clean shaven”) Kennedy clerk. White House counsel Don McGahn read the Presidential Commission, and he said Bibas gave one of the most impressive interviews he’d seen. Bibas’s frequent collaborator and longtime friend Dean Richard Bierschbach, described him as “a wonderful paradox,” combining ferocious intellect and intensity with warmth and humility.

Judge Bibas spoke too, beginning with a passionate affirmation of his religious faith and offering heartfelt thanks to his colleagues past and present. He also recounted how he had attended Judge Krause’s investiture and remembered sitting there thinking to himself (roughly), “well, it’s never going to happen to me, but I’m glad it happened for Cheryl.”

Of course it did happen for Judge Bibas, and yesterday the Third Circuit community celebrated it.

 

Note: I’ve embedded Twitter posts that include photos of the ceremony by UNC law professor Carissa Hessick.