Judge Billings

Thank you, Charlie.

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Updated: 1:57 PM
LePage nominates legal adviser to become judge
Daniel Billings would become a District Court judge.

By John Richardson jrichardson@mainetoday.com
State House Bureau

AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage has nominated his chief legal counsel, Daniel Billings, to serve as a District Court judge.

Billings has become a well-known figure in Maine politics,...serving as legal counsel to...Maine Republican Party and LePage's transition team before...LePage's top legal adviser. ... former partner at Marden, Dubord, Bernier and Stevens ... where he focused on civil litigation and criminal defense.

Source

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Congratulations, Dan Billings! Job well done. :)

Congratulations, Dan! I hope no Canadians come before your court!

Congratulations Dan. Well done and well deserved.

Dale - true dat. Canadian student hockey players who Do Wrong in Maine will be shivering in their cleats and shin guards if they're called before Judge Billings.

Congratulations, Dan

Congratulations, Dan!

Great. Another liberal judge.

Dan is wise enough to know ensure that Canadians get due process.

After being called a variety of things by child molesters , drug dealers ,murders deer poachers and OUI violators I am proud to say I have been called ,in past, a troll by a soon to be judge!
Congratulations Dan .

Bruce -- well played, Sir.
:)

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Tom --- roflmao

Congrats for Dan. He obviously wanted the position on the bench, but I suspect we will not see his political commentary here on AMG, at least under his name. Typically, Judges do not openly engage in party politics so the party would also be expected to feel the loss of his involvement. I am sure Charlie Webster is so disappointed.

And that was the final nail on the coffin for Dan posting on AMG.......

Congratulations, Dan!

Which district do they have in mind for you? Do rookie rules apply to judges? Will they stick you in Portland traffic court?

Congratulations, Dan. Even Charlie Priest had good things to say about you in the BDN. LOL. Seriously, you'll make an excellent judge.

Dan,
Be honest - it was the thought of wearing a black robe every day to work like Darth Vader that did it for you, right?

Congratulations, Judge Vader.

: )

Congratulations Dan!

How'd I get a duplicate post? I only clicked it once? Not that it wasn't worth congratulating Dan twice mind you....

Great news for justice and fairness.

The Democrats will be lining up to support him just to get him out of politics. :)

All Rise!!

Governor LePage Announces Judicial Nominees
08/21/2012 11:21 AM EDT

For Immediate Release: Monday, August 20, 2012 Contact: Adrienne Bennett (207) 287-2531 Governor LePage Announces Judicial Nominees

AUGUSTA - Governor Paul LePage today announced the nomination of nine current judges to new terms on the bench and two first-time nominees to fill vacancies on the District Court. The judges being re-nominated to new terms are Supreme Court Justices Donald Alexander and Warren Silver; Superior Court Justices Jeffrey Hjelm, Thomas Humphrey, Thomas Warren, and Joyce Wheeler; Active Retired Superior Court Justice Carl Bradford; and District Court Judges Keith Powers and Kevin Stitham. Daniel Billings and John Lucy are being nominated to serve as District Court Judges.

"As Governor, I have been impressed with the high quality work of the Judicial Branch. My decision to re-nominate nine current judges reflects the fact that Maine people are being served well by our courts," said LePage. "I am confident that my two new nominees will live up to the high standards we expect from Maine judges."

Justice Alexander has been a judge since 1978. He was first appointed to the District Court by Governor Longley in 1978 and was appointed to the Superior Court in 1980 by Governor Brennan. In 1998, he was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court by Governor King and he was reappointed to that position by Governor Baldacci in 2005.

Justice Silver was appointed to the Law Court by Justice Baldacci in 2005 after a long and distinguished career in private practice. Justice Hjelm was appointed to the District Court in 1992 by Governor McKernan. He was first nominated to the Superior Court by Governor King in 1998 and was reappointed by Governor Baldacci in 2005. Justice Humphrey was appointed to the District Court in 1993 by Governor McKernan. He was first nominated to the Superior Court by Governor King in 1998 and was reappointed by Governor Baldacci in 2005. Justice Humphrey has served as Chief Justice of the Superior Court since 2004.

Justice Warren was appointed to the Superior Court in 1998 by Governor King and was reappointed by Governor Baldacci in 2005. Justice Wheeler was appointed to the Administrative Court in 1994 by Governor McKernan. In 1999, she was appointed to the District Court by Governor King and she was appointed to the Superior Court by Governor Baldacci in 2005.

Justice Bradford was appointed to the Superior Court in 1981 by Governor Brennan and was reappointed in 1987 and 1994 by Governor McKernan. In 1998, he was appointed an Active Retired Justice by Governor King and was reappointed to that position in 2005 by Governor Baldacci.

Judge Powers was appointed to the District Court in 1998 by Governor King and was reappointed in 2005 by Governor Baldacci. Judge Stitham was appointed to the bench in 1998 by Governor King and was reappointed in 2005 by Governor Baldacci.

Billings, a resident of Bowdoinham, has served as Governor LePage's Chief Legal Counsel since January 2011. Prior to that, he was a partner at Marden, Dubord, Bernier, and Stevens in Waterville where his practice was focused on civil litigation and criminal defense. He is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine School of Law.

Lucy, a resident of Orono, is a partner at Richardson, Whitman, Large, & Badger in Bangor, where he has practiced since 1990. He is a graduate of the University of Maine and the University of Maine School of Law.

The vacancies being filled by the nominations of Billings and Lucy were created by the retirements of District Court Judges Jessie Gunther and Ralph Tucker.

Judicial nominees must be reviewed by the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary and confirmed by the full Senate. The Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold confirmation hearings on the nominees on September 4th and 5th and the State Senate is scheduled to take up the nominations on September 6th.

LePage’s legal counsel gets committee’s OK to become judge
By Matthew Stone, BDN Staff
Posted Sept. 05, 2012, at 4:23 p.m.

State Sen. Cynthia Dill, a Cape Elizabeth Democrat who’s also a candidate for Maine’s open U.S. Senate seat, asked Billings if he was prepared to give up participating in the online Republican forum As Maine Goes, where Billings frequently offers his opinion on political issues.

“My posting abilities there are done,” he said.

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/05/politics/lepages-legal-counsel-get...

"“My posting abilities there are done,” he said"

All it takes is one hot,heated topic and.......

Dan's AMG membership has been closed for some time.

It was, however, very kind of Sen. Dill to ask the question. The Dems can pretend they never read AMG, but those reading the ISP's and the view numbers know better.
:)

Do state judges have the power to do something about Canada? ;->

Sadly, no. Nor about foreign hockey players.

Congrats Dan.........

So shocking that the blithering idiot Cynthia Dill (sorry NARAN, I meant to say "that distinguished State Senator Cynthia Dill") questioned Mr Billings about where he would be posting his opinions? Has this outspoken liberal forgotten the First Amendment?

What would HER reaction be if a conservative questioned where SHE would be allowed and not allowed to freely express her opinion?

Hate to be too uncivil here, but honestly: if Cynthia Dill is not a DUNCE... I can't say who is.

Duplicate post was warranted, Rick, she's THAT much of a DUNCE (which has been backed up ad nauseaum on here).

State Sen. Cynthia Dill, a Cape Elizabeth Democrat …, asked Billings if he was prepared to give up participating in the online Republican forum As Maine Goes, where Billings frequently offers his opinion on political issues.

“My posting abilities there are done,” he said.

Participation in political dialogue is “to be encouraged,” and shouldn’t disqualify someone from being nominated to a judicial post, Billings said. “But as a judge, that needs to be put behind.” (75)

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/09/05/politics/lepages-legal-counsel-get...

Best of luck, Judge Billings.

As I posted on the previous Judge Billings thread:

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I am anxious to see what signature sartorial adornments our friend DB will adopt, for his time on the bench. Those black robes are severe, and many judges soften the "mood" by wearing a bright color underneath, or some kind of fancy tie. I cannot see DB wearing fancy bow ties, or bright shirt collars, although one never knows.

After pondering the issue, I have reason to believe DB will go more for the "somber" side of couture, in his judicial appearance. After all, considering his fearsome judicial reputation-to-be, the defendant might as well be forewarned.

Behind the Scenes - The Billings Robing Room.

(The gold number is for evening social events).

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