The American Bar Association Judicial Division has selected Hon. Thomas L. Ludington of the U.S. District Court in Bay City as recipient of the 2023 Hon. William D. Missouri Civility Award.
The Missouri Award honors judges and legal professionals who exhibit exceptional qualities of civility, courtesy, and professionalism toward colleagues, litigants, and the public. It is named in honor of the late Hon. William D. Missouri of Maryland, who embodied courtesy in the courtroom.
Ludington, who will receive the Missouri Award at the 2023 ABA Annual Meeting in Denver on Thursday, Aug. 3, was nominated for the honor by his chambers staff and was supported with letters from fellow judges.
“Not everyone who appears before [Judge Ludington] leaves with the satisfaction of victory,” wrote U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson. “But to a person, they all understand that they have been heard and their cause has been taken seriously … Judge Ludington treats those with whom he interacts with dignity and respect. He is a kind and gracious man.”
Ludington is the only judge in the U.S. District Court serving the Northern Division of Michigan’s Eastern District.
The Northern Division staff “treats every litigant with respect and kindness,” wrote U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy. “This emanates from Judge Ludington, there can be no doubt about that. He sets the tone for the building and all of its staff, and it is one of kindness and cooperation.”
Ludington, a Midland native, has served as a federal judge since 2006. Prior to that, he was 42nd Circuit Court chief judge for 11 years.