Sometimes judges really are funny


Judge Warren White of Greene County, Missouri, displayed a droll sense of humor, as recounted by the late John K. Hulston (1915-2004), in An Ozarks Lawyer’s Story, 1946-1976.

After conducting a new trial of George Wilkerson, who had served part of a six-year sentence in the state penitentiary before a successful appeal, Judge White found Wilkerson guilty and ordered him back to prison, in this 1941 case.

Wilkerson complained, “Judge, I can’t take it. That’s too long. I’m too old a man to serve a sentence like that. It will kill me. I’ll die up there.”

“Well, do all of it you can,” Judge White replied.

About Harry Styron

I'm a lawyer and mediator who lives in Branson, Missouri, whose professional interests involve real estate, nonprofits, and local government. As of 2022, I'm shrinking my legal practice so that I have more time to mediate real estate disputes. I'm happy to mediate using video platforms like Zoom and WebEx, or in person anywhere in Missouri.

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