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Judge remembered as ‘tough but fair’Thu, 04/12/2007 - 3:37pm
By: John Munford
Andrew J. Whalen Jr.: a family man with sense of humor Fayette County’s legal community has lost one of its most respected judges. Andrew J. Whalen Jr., who served 30 years as a Superior Court Judge in the Griffin Judicial Circuit, died Tuesday night at his home, according to his family. Funeral services will be held today at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Griffin, where Whalen was a life-long member. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Whalen served from 1954 to 1969 as the circuit’s top prosecutor, which was initially called Solicitor General, and later renamed District Attorney. From 1969 to 1999 Whalen served in the Superior Court Judgeship, and in the early years he was the only judge in the entire four-county circuit which includes Fayette, Spalding, Upson and Pike counties. Paschal A. English Jr, chief judge of the Griffin Superior Court Circuit, said Whalen was the most influential person in the history of the circuit and probably mentored all the circuit’s practicing attorneys in one way or another. “He was the epitome of a judge,” English said. Former chief judge Ben Miller Sr., who first began his judgeship under Whalen, took that compliment a step further, saying that Whalen was “the finest trial court judge I’ve ever seen or known.” Miller added that he often sought Whalen’s counsel on legal and other matters even long after Whalen retired from the full-time position. Current Griffin Circuit Superior Court Judge Johnnie L. Caldwell Jr. tried a large number of cases in front of Whalen while Caldwell served as 14 years as district attorney. Caldwell said Whalen was “tough but fair” and was also highly respected in the legal community. “When Judge Whalen spoke, it was kind of like E.F. Hutton: everybody listened and they listened well,” Caldwell recalled. In addition to being a dedicated attorney and judge, Whalen also placed a high priority on family, Caldwell said, noting that even during trials, Whalen would always call his wife Jackie to check in during his lunch break. Often times, during trials, Judge Whalen would let testimony continue for long stretches, and on many of those occasions Caldwell would approach the bench and ask for a restroom break. Whalen would follow such requests by announcing to the jury that “our DA has the smallest bladder of anyone I know,” Caldwell recalled. “He’d act like it just disgusted him,” Caldwell said, noting that Whalen’s acting was in good fun. “... He had a real sense of humor about him.” English agreed, noting that on yearly deep-sea fishing trips among judges and attorneys, he’d often come home with a sore stomach from laughing so hard at Whalen’s antics. “He was just a wonderful person to be around,” English said. Caldwell noted that Whalen was an accomplished fisherman and enjoyed the outdoors, and was also dedicated to his church, First Methodist in Griffin. But it was Whalen’s “tough but fair” legal demeanor from the bench that Caldwell says he always has tried to emulate. “He was, I would say, the judge’s judge,” Caldwell said. “He was the one other judges went to to ask questions.” Judge Whalen graduated from Griffin High School in 1940, attending North Georgia College from 1940 until 1942. At the outset of WWII, Whalen joined the U. S. Army, serving briefly in the Calvary before volunteering for the Army Air Corps with assignment in Hawaii. Returning to civilian life in 1946, Whalen entered the University of Georgia, graduating with a degree in Business Administration. He graduated from the Emory University School of Law in 1950 and immediately began practicing law in Griffin with former Congressman, John J. Flynt, Jr. He married Jacqueline Williams Whalen in 1946. They are the parents of two sons, Andrew J. Whalen, III (Drew) and his wife, Jan and Timothy J. Whalen and his wife, Jean and a daughter, Susie and her husband, Rick Blackshear, all of Griffin. He had 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Building Fund of the the First United Methodist Church of Griffin, 1401 Maple Dr., Griffin, GA 30224 in memory of Judge Whalen. login to post comments
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