F R O M T H E T H I R T E E N T H J U D I C I A L C I R C U I T C H I E F J U D G E
Judge Ronald Ficarrotta - Chief Judge for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
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to be tapped as Tampa’s first and only poet laureate in 1996 by
former Mayor Dick Greco. Then, on February 20, 2013, the
Hillsborough County Commission recognized Mr. Tokley as
Hillsborough County’s Official Poet Laureate.
You might ask why his story is so meaningful to me. Back in
2004, when the George Edgecomb Courthouse was opened,
Mr. Tokley wrote a poem to honor the occasion. In 2010, his
poem was engraved on a sidewalk-encased plaque in front of
the statue of Lady Justice. Unfortunately, during preparations
for the 2012 Republican National Convention, the plaque
sustained damage and was removed.
The plaque was no longer a physical part of the courthouse,
until July 11, 2018. On that day, I welcomed Mr. Tokley back to
the same place where his words were previously displayed. A new,
raised pedestal was unveiled to honor the immortal words of
Tampa’s Poet Laureate, Mr. James Tokley, Sr. Thanks to the
vision and dedication of Judge Claudia Isom and her Judicial
Assistant Marlina McClure, Mr. Tokley’s words are renewed for
all to embrace. May the visitors of today and many, many
tomorrows pause and reflect on A Modern Manifesto.
A MODERN MANIFESTO
Let me live in a land of Justice
… one where every human being
Has been judged and found the equal
of the greatest king or queen.
& Let me lift the lamp of reason
… so that all who seek may find
That the scales of hate have
been removed
& Justice is not blind!
O’ Let me shout the Bill of Rights
in every courtroom of the land
Until the civil sword of Justice
rests in every human hand,
& In the course of generations,
let the cause of Justice be:
That we pledge ourselves to Freedom,
But by Justice we are free!
Representatives of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit with James Tokley, Sr. at the plaque unveiling.
SEPT - OCT 2018
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HCBA LAWYER
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