Golden Age: Renowned federal judge stays in step with times

prev
next

– Photos by Robert Chase

 

By Tom Kirvan
Legal News

“What do you get for the man who has everything, reads everything, and knows everything?”

The question was posed tongue-in-cheek by Chief Judge Gerald Rosen of the U.S. District Court on the occasion of Judge Avern Cohn’s 90th birthday party July 23 at the federal courthouse in Detroit.

Several “answers” were presented to Judge Cohn, who celebrated his 90th in grand fashion Wednesday with the help of a legion of friends, colleagues, and legal admirers.

For a “prolific letter writer” like Judge Cohn, what better gift than his own set of stamps, adorned with the image of the 35-year federal jurist.

“It will serve as fair forewarning to the recipient,” Rosen quipped of the stamp bearing the likeness of Judge Cohn.

The gift from the “entire family” of the U.S. District Court preceded the presentation of an award from the Historical Society of Michigan, which saluted Cohn with an “Outstanding Achievement Award” for his lifelong commitment to the state’s historical narrative.

His staff, in turn, presented a special bound volume of July 23 front pages from The New York Times, spanning the year of his birth, 1924, to 2013.

“Wow,” exclaimed Cohn, while leafing through the book. “Hopefully there will be more to come.”

That figures to be a certainty for a man who still handles a full caseload and is filled with love from his friends and family, including his wife, Lois.

“She is my partner, my wife, and my appellate court,” Cohn said with a smile.

As for the birthday festivities, the normally stone-faced judge thanked his staff for “putting this shindig together,” while reserving the right to offer a written “opinion of this affair” at a later date.

––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available