Ep. 36 Getting to Know Justice Mary Wagner

On this episode, the newest member of the Tennessee Supreme Court, Mary Wagner sits down with host Nick Morgan to discuss her transition from the trial bench to the appellate bench. Justice Wagner also discusses growing up in a family of lawyers and her favorite music to listen to on the road. 
This episode is for all audiences. 

An audio only version Justice Wagner's investiture ceremony can be found as Episode 37 of Tennessee Court Talk.  

Produced by Nick Morgan, Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts

Transcript

00;00;04;22 - 00;00;31;23
Host
We are excited to welcome newly appointed Justice Mary Wagner of the Tennessee Supreme Court to the podcast. Justice Wagner has served as a circuit court judge since 2016 for Division seven in Tennessee's 30th Judicial District, which covers Shelby County. Before serving eight years on the circuit court bench. Justice Wagner was in private practice at Rice and Munson and Caperton in Memphis and serving as an adjunct professor, teaching legal writing and oral advocacy.

00;00;31;24 - 00;00;46;24
Host
She is a native of Memphis, Tennessee. Justice Wagner, welcome to Tennessee Court. Thank you. Similar to our conversation with Justice Page, who is retiring, we are catching you during a time of transition. As you take your seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court. What is that transition look like for you?

00;00;46;25 - 00;00;56;28
Justice Wagner
It's been busy wind down at trial court work and finish up all of that and move offices and anticipate the the new job. And very exciting.

00;00;56;29 - 00;01;09;20
Host
You attended the University of Colorado and earned her bachelor's degree in political science, followed by the University of Memphis for your law degree. Pretty straightforward path to practicing law. Was becoming a lawyer always your childhood dream?

00;01;09;23 - 00;01;33;28
Justice Wagner
I would say so, yes. I grew up with a grandfather and two parents as lawyers and literally grew up in their law firm. When I aged out of daycare, I spent summers and school holidays in the law firm and got to see the law in action and what they did, and ran things back and forth between their office and the courthouse, and really enjoyed it, and was inspired by what they did and what I saw the legal community doing.

00;01;33;28 - 00;01;37;13
Justice Wagner
And so, yeah, it was on my radar from pretty early age.

00;01;37;15 - 00;01;43;07
Host
What sort of changed your idea from being a lawyer to hey I could be a judge?

00;01;43;09 - 00;02;08;15
Justice Wagner
So when I was in law school, I had the opportunity to clerked for Judge Childers on the circuit court bench, and then after law school, to clerked for Judge Stafford on the Court of Appeals. And I got to see their role in the legal system from kind of a first hand experience, instead of from the lawyer side of the bench and getting to see the work that they got to do and how they were really advocates for the legal system and not just for a client, is really what opened my eyes to the judiciary.

00;02;08;17 - 00;02;12;18
Host
What do you think the biggest change will be from being on the trial bench to the Appellete bench?

00;02;12;21 - 00;02;33;20
Justice Wagner
I mean, the biggest change will be the pace of the work. You've got very serious issues. But as an appellate judge, you have, the time to contemplate and think about those issues and review the record. And as a trial judge, we're sitting there, sometimes literally, it feels like shots being fired at you live, making decisions.

00;02;33;20 - 00;02;36;06
Justice Wagner
And so that's going to be a big change.

00;02;36;09 - 00;02;44;06
Host
As you transition from the trial court to the appellate court. What do you consider to be the most important qualities of an effective jurist.

00;02;44;09 - 00;03;00;21
Justice Wagner
Of all jurists at all levels, whether it's trial or appellate? You know, someone who's willing to be open minded and listen to the entire case, the arguments and the proof and think very intentionally about their decision. And to be fair and impartial, I think, are the most important qualities.

00;03;00;23 - 00;03;10;11
Host
Justice Waggoner, you've had a big year, not only with your appointment to the Tennessee Supreme Court, but you also just recently turned 40 years old. What role do you think your youth will play on the court?

00;03;10;13 - 00;03;26;14
Justice Wagner
I like to tell a story about a, lawyer approaching me. When I was first coming to the trial bench and unlocking my door to my chambers and asking if I was a law clerk, and I said, no, ma'am, I'm the judge. And so, I hope as a justice, I don't get confused for a law clerk, but that's okay.

00;03;26;18 - 00;03;47;24
Justice Wagner
But I hope it is a connection between the court and the younger generations of the bar, and maybe the the students of the state and future lawyers and law students, and to show them, to be encouraged and be involved in our legal community and our bar associations and, and connected to the court. And so that's what I hope it my age shows.

00;03;47;27 - 00;03;55;29
Host
For people listening across the state who may not be familiar with you. We have a few fun questions for you. What would people be surprised to know about Justice Wagner?

00;03;56;01 - 00;04;16;24
Justice Wagner
Well, here's a fun fact not at all legal related. I got asked this a few years ago at a CLE they had. I guess the speaker type facts. But when I was in, law school, I played in a disc golf tournament in Arkansas, and so I was the first place female finisher in the disc golf tournament. And so that threw everyone off that I was, in my past life, a disc golf player.

00;04;16;28 - 00;04;18;03
Host
Do you still play disc golf?

00;04;18;05 - 00;04;28;28
Justice Wagner
Not as much as I like to, although my kids are getting older, so we started dragging them around the disc golf course. And they're starting to get into it. But, Yeah, the kids, when they get older, hopefully we'll play more.

00;04;29;01 - 00;04;30;09
Host
What is your favorite food?

00;04;30;11 - 00;04;36;08
Justice Wagner
I, I go back and forth between pasta and, Mexican food. So, spicy pasta dish would be.

00;04;36;11 - 00;04;38;26
Host
Interesting being from Memphis, not a barbecue.

00;04;39;04 - 00;04;45;12
Justice Wagner
I like barbecue, not barbecue. Nachos would be my top barbecue dish. But, no, not my go to.

00;04;45;14 - 00;04;47;18
Host
All right. What is your favorite board game?

00;04;47;21 - 00;04;53;13
Justice Wagner
My family is the we're mean Uno players. I don't know. Well, I'll take a five year old out playing. You know.

00;04;53;13 - 00;04;54;11
Host
Have you played flip UNO?

00;04;54;13 - 00;04;55;10
Justice Wagner
I have not played.

00;04;55;13 - 00;04;56;00
Host
For fun.

00;04;56;03 - 00;04;57;27
Justice Wagner
We're very traditional, you know, player.

00;04;57;28 - 00;05;06;00
Host
On a vacation flip UNO gets serious. You're going to be on the road a lot in this position. What is your favorite jam while driving down the road?

00;05;06;02 - 00;05;23;11
Justice Wagner
So most recently, my, Spotify is taken over by my two boys. So I'm excited to be in the car and have driving powers over the Spotify app. My go to would would probably be a good set of 90s country music. Avoid the the minion and Kidz Bop that is typically on my playlist.

00;05;23;14 - 00;05;28;10
Host
Speaking of your phone and Spotify, what's on your phone's home screen right now?

00;05;28;13 - 00;05;37;06
Justice Wagner
It's, old Christmas picture of, my husband and my sons and I at Christmas Tree Farm, but it's one of my favorites. So that's the the home screen.

00;05;37;06 - 00;05;39;04
Host
And finally, what inspires you?

00;05;39;07 - 00;06;05;22
Justice Wagner
So what inspires me would be, maybe the little things. I was packing my office yesterday, and I found a letter juror had written to me after his jury service and talking about how that experience, opened his eyes to the court system and how he was positively impacted. And so that little stories like that, seeing how we can as members of the legal community, the judiciary, impact ordinary citizens, for the better.

00;06;05;22 - 00;06;09;18
Justice Wagner
And so, little stories like that are, I think are the most inspiring.

00;06;09;20 - 00;06;25;23
Host
Justice Wagner, congratulations on your appointment. It's been a pleasure to sit down with you today. Thank you for taking time on Tennessee Court Talk and for your service to our state. To learn more about the Tennessee court system, visit tncourts.gov and listen to Tennessee Court Talk on all major podcast platforms.