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For Judge Matthew P. Brookman, Friday wasn’t his first investiture ceremony with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, but it was an important one.
Brookman, a former magistrate judge, was formally sworn in Friday as a Senate-confirmed judge of the Indiana Southern District Court, taking the Evansville-based seat that now-Senior Judge Richard Young once held.
The ceremony Friday afternoon at the Winfield K. Denton Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse in Evansville was one filled with happy tears and pride.
Almost all the judges and magistrates for the Indiana Southern District were in attendance, as well as several mayors, assistant U.S. attorneys, family and friends.
“We feel lucky and very blessed that you have joined our court,” Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt told Brookman during the ceremony. “The Honorable Matthew P. Brookman represents all that is good, all that is fair and all that is just about our legal system at a time when people don’t necessarily trust the judicial system.”
Picking up on that theme, Magistrate Judge Tim Baker discussed statistics showing a lack of trust in the American judicial system among the public. He said Brookman is the “right person for the right job at the right time.”
“Him joining the court will bring more praise, more esteem to the court,” Baker said. “I’m so proud to call you a colleague and I’m so proud to have you as a district judge. But most of all, I’m most proud to call you my friend.”
President Joe Biden nominated Brookman to succeed Young last winter. He was confirmed by a Senate voice vote in March after receiving a unanimous endorsement from the Senate Judiciary Committee — a feat that is becoming increasingly rare in the sharply divided Senate.
One key to Brookman’s confirmation was the support of Indiana’s two Republican senators, Todd Young and Mike Braun, who worked with Sen. Dick Durbin, the Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee, to secure the confirmation.
“When we heard of Judge Young’s decision to step aside, we began asking who should be the next person who should assume this important responsibility, one name just kept coming up: Matthew Brookman,” Sen. Young said.
Steve Carter, general counsel for Braun, spoke on behalf of Indiana’s junior senator.
“Today we celebrate your willingness to continue your special role of service in our society for the benefit of our community, our state and our country,” Carter said of Brookman.
Senior Judge Richard Young speaks at the July 21 investiture ceremony of Judge Matthew Brookman, who succeeded Young after he took senior status. (IL photo/Alexa Shrake)
Judge Matthew Brookman speaks at his investiture ceremony July 21 at the U.S. federal courthouse in Evansville. (IL photo/Alexa Shrake)
7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Doris Pryor — also a former magistrate for the Indiana Southern District Court — compared her relationship with Brookman to that of a little sister following her older brother.
“And just like any big brother, you have always been patient and kind with making sure I had all the tools that I needed to be successful at whatever endeavor I needed,” Pryor said.
Before becoming magistrate judges, Brookman and Pryor both worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Pryor recalled a case involving a knockoff designer handbag.
“They honed in on the different shapes and sizes and variety of the products, the finest materials and resources, down to the stitching. It was important that we were representing this brand; for it to be authentic, it had to be approved and inspected before it even went out the door,” Pryor recalled.
Likening the case to Brookman’s confirmation, she continued, “I was so proud and honored when President Biden and his team, after sorting through the finest materials, interviewing some of the best of the best, (decided) that you would be best to place to serve as a district judge in the Southern District of Indiana. The experts have made a wise decision.”
Indianapolis Mayor and former U.S. attorney Joe Hogsett gave the motion for administration of oath of office. Judge Young then administered the oath to Brookman — his third time doing so. The first time was when Brookman was sworn in as an assistant U.S. attorney, and the second was when he was sworn in as a magistrate.
“Today, the Evansville Division, as I said, is about to have a new leader, and Matt, I can’t think of anybody better to do that,” Judge Young said.
Recalling how he stood in the very same courtroom 25 years ago for his own investiture ceremony, Judge Young said a lot has changed since then.
“We’re a very busy court and it’s going to be wonderful to have Matt take over the leadership of this court,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be around for a while, but you may find me on the golf course a little more often than usual.”
After Brookman donned a black robe with his wife and children at his side, he jokingly said it was too late for objections given that he actually started work as a judge on April 1.
“Most of my response is going to be thank you’s, frankly, because I owe so much to so many who have helped me get to where I am,” Brookman said.
He specially thanked his mentors and family and said while he is a St. Louis native, he found his home in the Hoosier State.
“I’m honored by all of your support and your confidence,” Brookman said. “I won’t let you down.”
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