By KEVIN CHIRI

Editor and Publisher

LAPLACE – In the words of Judge Thomas F. Daley, “I’m too young to win this award.”

The honor Daley referred to was the recent prestigious selection as “Jurist of the Year” by the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

Daley, who sits as the Fifth District Court of Appeals judge from this area, has been in that role for 12 years. And Daley has always been a community leader who has not been afraid to roll up his sleeves to be active, not only for the Bar Association, but also here in St. John and St. Charles parishes.

However even he was shocked when he received a phone call telling him that he had been selected “Jurist of the Year.”

The honor can come from anywhere among Louisiana Bar Association members, although it has traditionally been a member of the Supreme Court, federal court or the court of appeals.

This year it was Daley, 55, who was named for the award that is given “to an individual who has distinguished themselves in their chosen profession and have brought credit and honor to the legal profession,” according to the information released by the Louisiana Bar Association about the honor.

(See DALEY, page 2A)

“This is a great honor, and very humbling to get recognized like this,” Daley said. “It’s very nice to see my work merits recognition from such a distinguished panel of people.”

Daley has been on the Appeals Court since 1996, and before that, served as a district judge for the 40th Judicial District since 1991.

Daley received his Masters in law from the University of Virginia School of Law, his Jurist Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law, and his B.A. degree in Economics and English from Rutgers University.

Daley has done a lot of work over the past 15 years in helping set up and conduct classes for attorneys who need hours of continuing education, and he co-authored a Treatise entitled “Louisiana Law on Lawyering,” and “A Practical Digest of Louisiana Class Action Decisions.”

He teaches as a professor at the LSU School of Law and is a recipient of the Honorary Order of the Coif from the LSU School of Law. He frequently teaches in CLE programs for the Louisiana Judicial College, Louisiana Bar Association and LSU School of Law.

In his current position as an appeals court judge, Daley said the most basic thing that helps him do a good job is to read a lot.

“That may sound simple, but it’s true,” he said. “Appeals court judges get in trouble for what they don’t read. So I have always made it a point to read a lot with any case I’m considering, and to never stop paying attention in cases.”

Here in St. John, Daley is active as the chairman for the Keep St. John Beautiful Committee, as well as St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church.. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Margaret Mary Versaggi, and they have two daughters, Bernadette and Monique.

A ceremony to honor Daley, and the others selected for other awards by the Louisiana Bar Association, will be held on April 18 at the Ritz-Carlton.