What can be said about a legend? A dynamic and integral part of the Maryland legal scene for nearly a half century, Steven I. Platt has enjoyed a career so intricately woven with the fabric of history that he’s been dubbed “the Forest Gump of politics.” From his days of campaigning for RFK to his long and storied career overseeing the court systems in one of Maryland’s largest counties, it’s a challenge knowing where to begin when attempting to convey an accurate depiction of his accomplishments and the lessons he’s learned along the way. How does one compose a true representation of this celebrated judge without being suspected of hyperbole?

Remarkable by any standards, Judge Platt’s accomplishments in his seven decades on this earth are even more impressive given today’s culture. In an era where people are famous for being infamous, many of his attributes, such as honor, veracity, compassion, and integrity, are considered “old fashioned.” Then again, fame is not something the judge has ever sought or placed much value on.

“If a job title makes you feel important,” he says, “then you’d better take a hard look in the mirror.” Balancing the solemn and weighty demeanor required of a man in his position is the judge’s delightful and frequently self-deprecating sense of humor. It is in this vein that he happily acknowledges the Forest Gump moniker. Indeed, if Judge Platt’s life could be presented in a series of rapid news clips, it would be obvious that he’s not only lived through some of the most pivotal points in history but, like Gump had a ringside seat, he often played an integral role.

After retiring from the bench in 2007, one of the things Judge Platt had on his bucket list was to chronicle many of these fascinating experiences in a letter intended for younger generations within his family. “I had thought about leaving a letter for my grandchildren,” he says. “As I began to compile my thoughts and recollections, the letter just kept growing. As I say in the letter that can be found at the back of the book, I want them to remember me in several ways, including some of my accomplishments over the course of my career and some of the interesting people I’ve met.”

That letter to his grandchildren eventually morphed into his memoir, Lessons Lived and Learned: My Life On and Off the Bench, which is an engaging account of the judge’s life filled with both humorous and pensive recollections. An artfully crafted autobiography, it reads like a Hollywood blockbuster. A friend of his approached him about the possibility of a screenplay and when asked about who he’d love to see playing him, he didn’t hesitate to say, “As a young me, Matthew McConaughey, as a middle-aged me, Tom Hanks, and as me now, Clint Eastwood.” Hollywood, are you listening?

In his memoir, Judge Platt shares not only very personal aspects of his life, but also priceless glimpses into the more private moments of some of history’s most notable players. Having worked on numerous political campaigns as a young man, particularly Robert F. Kennedy’s (RFK) campaign for president, he recalls it fondly as “working for stuff you believe in and having fun doing it.”

Upon hearing of RFK’s assassination, Judge Platt remembers feeling emotionally drained. “That really bothered me in ways that others had not. When JFK was killed, I was attracted to the whole image he had projected. He did what had to be done. He even had to tell his father to bug off. But I was devastated by RFK’s death. I was watching TV when it came on, probably on my college campus at the time. I still believe this country would have been different, better, had he succeeded.”

While, understandably, his memoir may be the most meaningful to Judge Platt, it is not his first contribution to the literary world. In fact, Lessons Lived and Learned is the fourth book penned by the judge and, according to him, the epilogue. A prolific and highly praised author, Judge Platt wrote a column for the Baltimore-based legal and business newspaper, The Daily Record, for 13 years. So popular were his observations and commentaries, he was persuaded to compile his musings into three separate volumes to be released simultaneously with his memoir.

Judge Platt’s gift for the written word was well-established even prior to his ascending to the bench. In fact, as he recalls, during his inaugural swearing-in ceremony, which the judge describes as a combination court proceeding and celebrity roast, Judge C. Philip Nichols, Jr. announced to all those present, “If Platt had lived during the 18th century, he would have written the Declaration of Independence instead of Thomas Jefferson.”

“The key to understanding [Judge Platt] is to know that at every moment he is gathering information of every kind to understand what individuals and groups have done, are doing, will do and why,” shares Billy Murphy, a notable lawyer in his own right and former jurist and close friend of Judge Platt’s. “This level of curiosity and analysis has imbued him with the wisdom that made him an effective politician, a great judge and a masterful, effective mediator. It also makes him a wonderful and compelling storyteller as you will see when you read his memoir.”

Many of Judge Platt’s friends and colleagues refer to him as a “judge’s judge,” and would love to clone him. In fact, several prominent attorneys consider his DNA to be the foundation for success. He is respected and admired by many of the folks who have had the pleasure, or displeasure, of appearing before him. A perfect example is a letter he received from a co-defendant in a murder trial who had appeared in his courtroom some 27 years before. The man thanked Judge Platt for “looking at what was happening in my case, paying attention to the evidence (or lack thereof) against me, and ruling fairly in dismissing half of my charges.”

His colleagues have also revered him for his courtroom composure and fairness shown to all parties. Rose Crunkleton, a practicing attorney and former law clerk to Judge Platt fondly remembers the myriad times attorneys would whisper to her, “‘You know he’s an excellent judge, right?’” Another colleague, Robert Bonsib of MarcusBonsib LLC, said, “Win or lose, one always felt that they had benefited from a fair, compassionate, and caring jurist.”

It is worth noting that Judge Platt was instrumental in creating and implementing the Maryland Business Technology Case Management Program, which was cited as a model for the nation. He is also recognized as the architect of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court Drug Court and the driving force behind a total restructuring of the operations and staff of the Prince George’s County Circuit Court Family Division.

“I was assigned management responsibility at one time or another during my 16 years on the Circuit Court for every division of that court except Juvenile,” Judge Platt recalls. “I enjoyed judging and I enjoyed the management of judicial personnel as well as operations and systems.”

Never one to mince words, Judge Platt began to contemplate leaving the bench when he felt he was no longer making a difference. “I had become increasingly frustrated with what I perceived as bureaucratic inertia and reluctance by the judiciary to recognize what I viewed as the changing legal culture, and to adapt its institutions and operations to address the altered expectations of the citizens that we served,” he says with conviction. “In addition, on a personal level, I found that the job of a circuit court judge was changing in a way that made it less fulfilling for me than it had been previously.” Judge Platt served for 30 years on the bench and has been recalled to preside over cases several times since. While in senior judge status, one can both engage in private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) activities for pay and be recalled to sit as a judge.

He started his own ADR company, The Platt Group, and is a member of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals where he serves on the board of directors of the Maryland chapter. He also serves on the Judicial, Commercial, Employment, Large Complex Case, and Construction Panels of the American Arbitration Association, the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, the International Mediation Institute (IMI), the Association for International Arbitration, and Resolute Systems. A popular speaker, Judge Platt still travels extensively and serves on the faculty of the National Judicial College in Reno, NV. “I have been very fortunate to have a career that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of,” says Judge Platt. “I guess I should thank my Jewish mother who decided early on that I was to be either a doctor, lawyer, or dentist. Well, I can’t stand the sight of blood and am hopeless doing anything with my hands; so that left law—and what a great ride it’s been!”