Called to order

Becoming a judge was always on the docket for Linn

BY ELLEN GILLETTE

You can tell a lot about a man by what he prominently displays in his office. The following quote from Neil Gorsuch’s book A Republic, If You Can Keep It is taped to Judge Michael Linn’s wall beside the door of his chambers at the St. Lucie County Courthouse:

“...The robe does mean something – and not just that I can hide coffee stains on my shirt. Putting on a robe reminds us that it’s time to lose our egos and open our minds. It serves, too, as a reminder of the modest station we judges are meant to occupy in a democracy.” 

Born in Charleston, West Virginia, to a stay-at-home mom and a special agent for the IRS, Linn grew up in southern Georgia and northwestern Florida. History and science were favorite subjects at Pensacola Christian Academy, but his interests were broad. “I was a complete band nerd,” Linn said. “I started playing trumpet when I was 10 and stayed with it through college.”