By: Brendan Kearney

When Baltimore attorneys Thomas J.S. Waxter III and Brian S. Brown called for Fran Meek on Thursday evening, the city circuit court’s longtime civil assignment supervisor asked, perhaps understandably, “I’m in trouble again?”

After 40 years of fielding calls from litigators and matching their cases with judges, Fran might have expected an 11th-hour postponement request or news that a settlement had fallen through.

But not on this night.

Waxter, Brown and dozens of other local attorneys, judges and courthouse staff had gathered in the second-floor lobby of the Clarence M. Mitchell Jr. Courthouse to celebrate Fran’s retirement. They were calling for the modest 62-year-old, described as a “pillar of this courthouse” and a “study in grace,” to stand before her fans and accept their praise (and a gift in a white envelope, courtesy of several local law firms).

Brown, a lead-paint plaintiff attorney whose cases are a staple of the court’s civil docket, thanked Fran for “dealing with stressed-out lawyers like me.” W. Michel Pierson, the judge-in-charge of the civil division, presented her with a plaque that recognized her four decades of service on North Calvert Street. Then it was Fran’s turn to speak.

Surprising no one, she insisted her job hadn’t been as difficult as people made it sound.

“It really isn’t,” she said, “because we all work together, and you make it easy.”

“C’mon, Fran!” a naysayer shouted jokingly from the back of the crowd.

Indeed, several attendees said it was Fran who made it easy for them, even as she juggled all the demands and personalities at the downtown courthouse.

“I could always call 410-333-3750 and know Fran would help me,” said Towson attorney Gerard P. Uehlinger.

“She was never flustered,” Retired Baltimore City Circuit Judge Clifton J. Gordy said. “In this chaos, sometimes that’s hard to imagine.”

Baltimore City Circuit Administrative Judge Marcella Holland remembered how Fran, whose last day was about a month ago, understood the busy judge didn’t have much time to hear cases between all of her meetings.

“So she dubbed the phrase, ‘Judge, can you take a shorty?’” Holland said with a laugh.

Well, Fran, after years of guiding many, including this reporter, through the wilds of the circuit court, it seems you’ve earned the right to some time for yourself (and your family). May it be a longy!