NPR’s Scott Simon talks with Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justices Anne McKeig and Sarah Hennesy, about their new novice all-judge band, The Affordable Doubts.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
In Minnesota, one novice rock band guidelines Supreme. It is an all-judge band known as The Affordable Doubts.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) Properly, they mentioned you was excessive class. Properly, that was only a lie. Yeah, they mentioned you was excessive class. Properly, that was a lie.
SIMON: Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justice Anne McKeig started the band, and she or he joins us now with a bandmate, Justice Sarah Hennesy. Justices, thanks a lot for being with us.
SARAH HENNESY: Thanks for having us.
ANNE MCKEIG: Thanks for having us.
SIMON: How did this concept come about, Justice McKeig?
MCKEIG: Properly, it is one thing that I’ve wished to do for some time. I’ve at all times had a love for music, and I additionally acknowledge the stress of our jobs and consider that there is a variety of proficient individuals on the bench. So I simply despatched an e-mail out to the judges in our state, acquired a implausible response, and the thought simply was born. And did not actually suppose so much about it. We simply jumped in and began working towards, and it has been an incredible expertise.
SIMON: Justice Sarah Hennesy, what’s the lifetime of a decide like?
HENNESY: Properly, , I used to be a district court docket decide for 12 years, and I have been on the Supreme Court docket now for a bit over a yr. And one factor that each of these positions have in frequent is we’ve individuals in our courtrooms who’re coping with very troublesome moments of their lives and who’re in ache in your courtroom, and you’ll’t assist however tackle a few of that ache. And while you make troublesome choices that make their lives troublesome, that impacts you as nicely. And so this venture has been a means for us to make use of music, to make use of artwork, actually to heal.
SIMON: What are among the songs that you just play, Decide McKeig?
MCKEIG: We now have, as you possibly can think about, a variety of music tastes. However we do a variety of cowl songs. We’re performing some Mellencamp, some AC/DC, throw in some Beyonce.
SIMON: I acquired to let you know, I wasn’t anticipating that. However go forward, sure.
(LAUGHTER)
MCKEIG: I imply, once I say a variety, it is a variety.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) It is simply the identical previous, usual day after day. Anyone get me a sunshine getaway.
SIMON: Any authentic works, or is it form of exhausting to rhyme oh, yay (ph), oh, yay, oh, yay?
MCKEIG: It is a bit exhausting to rhyme that.
HENNESY: Sure, it’s. It is humorous that you just ask, although, as a result of it’s one thing that a number of of us who’re within the band have been in bands in our former lives and have written music up to now. And a few of us are very proficient musicians. And they’re , I feel, in writing some originals. In order that is likely to be the subsequent factor we transfer into.
SIMON: I am afraid the tune – nearly the one one about judges I might consider is – “Trial By Jury,” Gilbert and Sullivan?
HENNESY: I do not know that.
SIMON: Oh, you guys are such rockers, aren’t you? You actually are.
(LAUGHTER)
SIMON: It is…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “TRIAL BY JURY: WHEN I, GOOD FRIENDS, WAS CALLED TO THE BAR”)
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: (Singing) Once I, good mates, was known as to the bar, I might an urge for food recent and hearty.
SIMON: (Singing) However I used to be, as younger many barristers are, an impecunious celebration.
What do you suppose?
HENNESY: Are you free on September 26?
(LAUGHTER)
SIMON: Oh, my phrase. Do you put on black robes on stage?
HENNESY: Completely not.
MCKEIG: However we do put on black.
SIMON: You will have black T-shirts – proper? – I feel I’ve seen, proper?
MCKEIG: Positive, why not?
SIMON: Yeah, certain, why not? However why?
MCKEIG: Properly, for one factor, it makes me look thinner, which is precisely why I’d put on black.
HENNESY: Properly, we do not put on the robes as a result of actually the being within the band and doing this on the aspect is one thing to get us out of the judicial mindset to do one thing actually totally different, , transfer from one aspect of your mind to the opposite.
MCKEIG: Yeah, I imply, it actually has been lifting the spirits, I feel, of, as you possibly can think about, an especially hectic job, and likewise simply recognizing the entire nice work that our colleagues do after which attempting to make a connection, actually, with the general public. It isn’t like individuals typically are in court docket as a result of it is, , a beautiful expertise. It is often a disaster time of their life, and it isn’t one thing that folks wish to be part of. And so I feel this enables us to attach with the general public in a means that simply normalizes us as people. That is in all probability top-of-the-line issues about it.
SIMON: So let me ask you each, what do you would like these of us exterior the chambers actually understood concerning the lifetime of a decide?
MCKEIG: I’d ask that folks perceive that we’re simply that, which is human. We make errors. We do our best. It is a very severe job. It’s one which all of us are honored to partake in, however that this can be very hectic as a result of we actually wish to get it proper, and once we do not get it proper, the implications could be large, and we acknowledge that, and that weighs on us on a regular basis. It isn’t a job that you could go away on the finish of a day and go residence and never take into consideration. And that is a heavy burden, one which we settle for knowingly. However it will be good if the general public might additionally simply see us as common individuals.
HENNESY: I wish to be sure that everybody acknowledges that, in being a part of this band, this isn’t one thing we’re doing throughout our hours once we must be working. It is at all times on the weekend, and it is an important outlet for anybody on the market who has a troublesome job that they are coping with. I can not let you know how a lot bringing music into my life on the weekends has actually helped me to course of that.
SIMON: Are you able to inform us how bailiffs or clerks really feel about it?
MCKEIG: People who we all know are clerks – they’ve cherished the enjoyment that it is bringing and the optimistic response that it has been bringing as a result of once more, being within the courts, we do not at all times hear that aspect.
HENNESY: Yeah, I feel they respect – I do know our clerks a minimum of actually respect coming to seek out out that, , we’ve lives exterior of the courtroom, that we’re not at all times severe, that we’re not at all times speaking about instances, that we’ve one other side of our character as nicely that’s fascinating.
SIMON: Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justices Anne McKeig and Sarah Hennesy. They’re members of The Affordable Doubts. Justices, thanks very a lot, and rock and roll on.
HENNESY: Thanks a lot. It has been enjoyable speaking.
MCKEIG: Thanks in your curiosity.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
THE REASONABLE DOUBTS: (Singing) All people desires to take a bit probability.
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