What does it take to receive the highest honor given by The University of Memphis to an alumni? Judge Robert L. “Butch” Childers has what it takes — a commitment to excellence, service to the community and determination to succeed.
Childers was honored as a distinguished alumni of the year at The University’s Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony, held March 2 at the Peabody Hotel.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Childers. “I am still amazed that of all the alumni that graduated over the years, I am really humbled and honored that my university would choose me.”
“He is absolutely wonderful, and he deserves this award and many more,” said Susan Wilson, secretary at the Circuit Court in Memphis.
Judge Childers has been the presiding judge of Division 9 of the Circuit Court in Memphis since 1984. He graduated from The University of Memphis School of Business in 1971 and the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 1974.
“I often think of him as a regular guy who became a judge — and I say that in a positive sense,” said Phil Campbell, a Memphis attorney.
Childers served as president of the Tennessee Judicial Conference in 1999-2000. The Tennessee Judicial Conference includes all Tennessee Supreme Court Justices, intermediate Appellate Court Judges and Trial Court Judges.
He also served as president of the Tennessee Trial Judges Association from 1991-96.
“What often strikes me about him is that he can relate to anyone and is always fair-minded,” said Campbell. “He never takes himself too seriously, and he never gets full of himself.”
Childers received the Wheatcraft Award from the Tennessee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
In 1998, he received the Volunteer of the Year award from the Memphis Area Legal Services, for his work in development of a plan to assist persons with low income with legal representation in divorce cases
“I love what I do, and I love what I call ‘the extracurricular activities,’” said Childers. “It’s a way to give back a small part of what I’ve been given.”
In 1999, the Tennessee Supreme Court established the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program Commission (TLAP), a statewide program to assist attorneys, judges and law students who are impaired. Childers was appointed by the Supreme Court as one of the fifteen Commissioners statewide to administer TLAP.
So why do they call Childers “Butch?”
“My mother gave me the name when I was a little boy,” said Childers. “I don’t know why my mother gave me the name, and she died before I could ask her.”
Childers has also been very involved with community efforts to address the problem of domestic violence. He has been a member of the Shelby County Domestic Violence Council since 1995. The Domestic Violence Court has been very successful in assisting victims of domestic violence and in requiring batterers to seek treatment in order to stop the violent behavior.
And how does Childers find time to do all of these “extracurricular activities?”
“You have to take time, because you will never find it,” said Childers.
