The Seventh Circuit: The Fittest Court in the Country?
The rail-thin Judge Richard Posner (7th Cir.), who favors grapefruit for dessert, has this to say about fat people over at his blog:
It makes sense, as the recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine finds, that friends' fatness would have an influence distinct from that of the culture as a whole....In my own ingroup of 16 judges (11 active members of my court, 4 senior members, and 1 nominee, who will replace an active member who will be taking senior status), only 2 are overweight (12.5 percent), compared to a nationwide average of 66 percent. Among my other friends, judicial and otherwise, the percentage who are overweight is probably no greater than 12.5 percent.
When we read this, we guessed that one of the two overweight judges was Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook. After all, a fondness for Arby's Melts is not a recipe for thinness. But one ex-Seventh Circuit clerk we contacted disagreed:
Actually, Easterbrook has lost a lot of weight. I am not sure who [Posner] meant. Also query whether he used the rigorous BMI > 25 test.
Good point. Did Judge Posner run around the Dirksen Courthouse with a pair of body-fat calipers? Or did he just eyeball his colleagues in the robing room, to see who was sporting muffin tops?
To Seventh Circuit groupies: Which judges are packing a few extra pounds underneath their robes? Please enlighten us, in the comments. Thanks.
Social Obesity -- Posner's Comment [The Becker-Posner Blog]
Comments
Lat, you miss a critical point here. Isn't it in poor taste for him to publically call out fellow judges for being overweight, even if they are? Good luck trying to get a consensus on any close cases with these fatties in the future!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 12:09 PM
Aside from his eating habits, Posner must have a peculiar genetic makeup. His son, Eric, is also unusually and peculiarly thin.
Oh and, FIRST.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 12:11 PM
"Posted In: ...., Fat People,...."
Nice.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 12:15 PM
Judge Posner,
If you read this, can you please hire a few tier 2 graduates next year? Top school grads have so many options as it is. They don't appreciate a clerkship with you. We, on the other hand, have very little to look forward to in life and a clerkship would infuse our drab existence with a rainbow of Posner.
TYIA,
Loyola 2L
Posted by: Loyola 2L | August 13, 2007 12:21 PM
I'm inclined to say Kanne and Coffey
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 12:23 PM
Clerker, if this all you have to offer, you and Merck should throw in the towel.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 12:26 PM
Dude. Loyola 2L is such a downer!!
Posted by: Yo | August 13, 2007 01:07 PM
when does L2L become L3L? or did he/she fail to earn the required credits to make the leap?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 01:07 PM
Loyola 2L, what's your BMI? It sounds like Posner don't like dem fatties.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 01:15 PM
12:09 is right. I mean, Posner better watch out if those 2 judges decide to throw their weight around!
Posted by: Agree with 12:09 | August 13, 2007 01:40 PM
Posner is such a bozo. Who the hell calls their colleauges fat on a well-read website where they or their clerks will definitely see it?! Totally Bush league.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 02:52 PM
Posner has reached "I am Keith Hernandez" status -- he says whatever he wants.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 03:04 PM
Kanne's not fat.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 04:09 PM
well, it's a good thing they weren't discussing who has the fattest ego, because then i think posner would qualify as morbidly obese.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 04:44 PM
Diane Wood isn't the fatty. She's a fox.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 04:48 PM
I saw Easterbrook about two months ago. Homeboy's still packing some serious pounds.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 04:49 PM
Posner is the man. He can say whatever he wants and he knows it. Hopefully he'll draw a panel with the two judges in question and be able to being his dissent: "Although my overweight colleagues disagree, as they are obviously compelled to follow one another's actions, thus creating their muffin-top-esque waistbands and the poor reasoning found in today's decision..."
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 06:36 PM
It's most likely Coffey and, perhaps, Cudahy.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 07:02 PM
Not Cudahy. He's a million years old, but he's not fat.
Not Diane Sykes either. Certified judicial hottie.
It sounds like it's (1) Easterbrook (if 4:49 is right) and (2) Coffey.
Posner said "overweight," not "obese." Even if FHE has lost SOME weight (and is no longer obese), he could still be overweight.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 07:30 PM
Posner is a freaking dork. Maybe we should sell babies.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 13, 2007 08:24 PM
Oh yes, Judge Posner, the reason barely any judges in your court and any of your social circle are fat is cause you are all friends.
Yes, it has *nothing* to do with the fact that you're all RICH AND PRIVILEGED AND HIGHLY EDUCATED with access to high quality food, time for exercise, and the best of the best in terms of medical care.
When's the last time Judge Posner got home from a 12 hour shift exhausted, with only enough money and time to grab McDonald's for his kids?
I rest my case.
Posted by: the clue phone is ringing | August 14, 2007 08:19 AM
simmer down, clue phone. posner actually acknowledged and agreed with most of your points in his original blog post.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 14, 2007 09:28 AM
8:19 - You should try reading Posner's entire article. He makes that very point.
Posted by: Already thought of that | August 14, 2007 10:04 AM
Well, it is certainly not my judge (Manion). He is as fit as a fiddle.
Posted by: Steve Dillard | August 14, 2007 12:42 PM