"'Black Robe Fever' ... brings out every latent character defect in an individual." "Black Robe Fever" or "Robe-itis"-the syndrome from which elevation to a judicial position generates arrogance and disdain for the perspectives of others-is seldom addressed or corrected. In fact, one jurist defined "Black Robe Fever" as the process by which "donning a 'judicial robe' brings out every latent character defect in an individual."

Author Steven I. Platt, who served for 30 years on the Bench of the Maryland Judiciary, now a full-time mediator/arbitrator, offers his views on the state of the judiciary (local, state, and federal). The role of "problem solver" contrasts dramatically with the more traditional and limited role of a judge as a dispute resolution officer. Are judges expected to be impartial arbiters, repositories of wisdom, pourers of oil on troubled waters, and parsers of legal complexities? Yes! But the system for recruiting and selecting judges is not premised on any stated list of qualities to be sought in judges. Black Robe Fever: The Role of the Judge in American Society represents a well-chosen collection of Judge Platt's essential, timeless writings on the state of the judiciary.

For 13 years, Judge Platt shared his opinion publicly in a blog and in a popular column in The Daily Record in Baltimore to broaden the discussion of what it truly means to serve on the Bench and to serve the people. In these troubled times when we are constantly bombarded with heavily divisive rhetoric, Judge Platt's words span across decades of political, economic, and legal strife offering a neutral, common-sense view based on decades of experience serving on the Bench in Maryland.

Chapters include: Chapter 1: The Role of the Judge in Our Society Chapter 2: Judicial Hierarchy Must Adapt to a Flattened World Chapter 3: Problem-Solving Courts Change Mission of Judiciary Chapter 4: Problem-Solving Courts by Choice or Challenge Chapter 5: Health Courts RX: Renewable? Not So Far Chapter 6: The Qualities of a Good Judge Chapter 7: The Life of a Judge Chapter 8: The Interaction and Interdependency of an Independent Judiciary and a Free Media Chapter 9: Judicial Philosophy: Does It Make a Difference? Chapter 10: The Philosophy of Legal Pragmatism Chapter 11: Various Feminist Theories of Jurisprudence Chapter 12: Law and Economics School of Jurisprudence Chapter 13: Should We Leave the Effort to Reconcile the Various Judicial Philosophies to Economics? Chapter 14: A Judge Cannot Have Any Agenda Chapter 15: Law or Politics? The People's Choice Chapter 16: Relativism in the Law Chapter 17: New Year's Resolutions Chapter 18: Graduation Speeches to Live By Chapter 19: Do We Still Believe in the Future? Chapter 20: Isaiah Berlin: A Prophet Without a Cause Chapter 21: Chief Judge Robert F. Sweeney: Remembering the Vision Chapter 22: The Five People You Meet in Heaven