When people think of judges, many times the image of a man in a black robe with a powdered wig rushes through their head. However, for one law professor, it may be the next step in his law career. Thomas R. Lee, who teaches at Brigham Young University, is one step closer to being appointed to the Utah Supreme Court, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. Lee, a 45-year-old who has never served as a judge before, won a unanimous vote by the committee favoring his confirmation. During the committee hearing, according to the news source, Lee spoke about how he would not legislate from the bench because judges interpret laws but don't create them. He started teaching at BYU in 1997, and taught courses in civil procedure, intellectual property and legal interpretation and analysis. "I'm proud of the work I've done," Lee told the news source. "I've been a tireless worker." According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a judge in 2008 was $110,220.  |