congressional_record: CREC-2026-05-07-pt1-PgE420-3
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| CREC-2026-05-07-pt1-PgE420-3 | 2026-05-07 | 119 | 2 | HONORING JUDGE HERBERT E. PHIPPS | HOUSE | EXTENSIONS | HONORING | E420 | E421 | [{"name": "Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.", "role": "speaking"}] | 172 Cong. Rec. E420 | Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 78 (Thursday, May 7, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 78 (Thursday, May 7, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E420-E421] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] HONORING JUDGE HERBERT E. PHIPPS ______ HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR. of georgia in the house of representatives Thursday, May 7, 2026 Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and pay tribute to Judge Herbert E. Phipps--a distinguished jurist, devoted public servant, proud Morehouse alumnus, as well as a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and a dear friend whose life exemplifies courage, service, and fidelity to the rule of law. The Dougherty County Bar Association honored Judge Phipps during their annual Law Day Celebration on May 6, 2026, in Albany, Georgia. Judge Phipps' journey began in a small rural community in Baker County, Georgia, where family, faith, and hard work shaped his character. From those roots he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College, a Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where he served as an editor of the Law Review, and a Master of Laws in the Judicial Process from the University of Virginia School of Law. After law school he returned to Southwest Georgia to join the practice of the legendary civil-rights attorney C.B. King, learning that the practice of law is a moral calling and that courage is an indispensable trait for lawyers and judges. He practiced as a solo practitioner from 1983 to 1995, served eight years as a part-time magistrate and associate judge of the Dougherty County State Court, seven years as judge of the Dougherty County Juvenile Court, and was appointed by Governor Zell Miller to the Dougherty Circuit Superior Court in 1995. In July 1999, Governor Roy Barnes appointed him to the Court of Appeals of Georgia; he was elected statewide to three six-year terms, served as a presiding judge beginning in 2010, and as chief judge from July 2013 through June 2015. Judge Phipps retired from the Court of Appeals in 2016. Judge Phipps' leadership extends far beyond the bench. He has served as past chairman of the Board of Directors of SB&T Bank of Albany and Americus; on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Appleseed Center for Law and Justice; as past president of the Lawyers Club of Atlanta and the Dougherty Circuit Bar Association; and on Georgia's Judicial Nominating Commission, the Georgia Supreme Court Commission on Racial and Ethnic Bias, and the Georgia Indigent Defense Council Advisory Committee. He is a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church (Albany), Sigma Pi Phi (Delta Delta Boule), The Inquiry Club, and the Old War Horse Lawyers Club, and has led numerous civic organizations in Albany, including the Albany Advocacy Resource Center and the Albany Sickle Cell Foundation. His service has been recognized with many honors: the Randolph Thrower Lifetime Achievement Award, the Chief Justice Thomas O. Marshall Professionalism Award, the Logan E. Bleckley Distinguished Service Award, the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association ``Guardian of Justice Award,'' the Nestor Award from the Georgia Legal History Foundation, the Justice Robert Benham Award for Community Service, induction into the Society of Benchers of Case Western Reserve School of Law, the Case Western Reserve University School of [[Page E421]] Law Centennial Medal, recognition as a Legal Legend by the Georgia Lawyer Chapter of the American Constitution Society, and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. His commencement address at Case Western in 2007, ``Lawyers--the Guardians of Truth and Justice,'' remains a testament to his faith in the profession. Sustained by a devoted family, Judge Phipps is married to Connie Curry Phipps. They are the parents of Herbert E. Phipps, Jr. and India K. Epps (and son-in-law Will J. Epps), and proud grandparents of Zoe Olivia Epps and Evan James Epps. This year, the Dougherty County Bar honored Judge Phipps on Law Day-- a fitting tribute from colleagues and neighbors who have witnessed his decades of service. Judge Phipps has long called on lawyers and judges to speak with courage on today's pressing social-justice issues, drawing lessons from the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the long struggle for equality. He reminds us that judges do not have the luxury of silence when justice is at stake. Judge Phipps has lived his life by the creed of former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren: ``Where there is injustice, we should correct it; where there is poverty, we should eliminate it; where there is corruption, we should stamp it out; where there is violence, we should punish it; where there is neglect, we should provide care; where there is war, we should restore peace; and wherever corrections are achieved, we should add them permanently to our storehouse of treasures.'' On a personal note, I have had the privilege of knowing Judge Phipps for over five decades. Our relationship began during my formative years as a civil rights lawyer, where I received training as an Earl Warren Fellow with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. I benefited from the mentorship of both Judge Phipps and C.B. King. Through their guidance, I learned the principles of justice, advocacy, and the unwavering commitment required to fight for civil rights, which have profoundly shaped my own career in public service. I am forever grateful for his fidelity and friendship. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join my wife Vivian and me, along with the more than 765,000 people of Georgia's 2nd District in honoring the service of Judge Herbert E. Phipps. Judge Phipps' life--from Baker County to Morehouse, from C.B. King's law office to the Court of Appeals--inspires us all. For his wisdom on the bench, his steadfast leadership in the community, the warmth of his friendship, and the dignity with which he has served, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Judge Herbert E. Phipps and recognizing the extraordinary example he has set for future generations. His enduring legacy is one of unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and the empowerment of marginalized communities, inspiring generations of legal practitioners and activists to carry on the vital work of civil rights advocacy. ____________________ |