Smithfield judge's favorite task is marrying people

By Debra Hawkins

November 28, 2007 | SMITHFIELD -- Weddings, speeding tickets, fines and handing down occasional prison sentences are all in a day's work of a judge.

Terry K. Moore has served as the Smithfield Justice Court judge since April 1990, a career Moore says he chose when he needed something more challenging in his life than being the director of parking at Utah State University.

"When parking wasn't in the paper for something, it was a good week," Moore said. "I wanted to do something more challenging, maybe use my brain again. Being a judge is a good challenge. There is lots to learn, lots to read and lots to keep up on."

Moore said his typical day in court doesn't start until 5 p.m. every Tuesday and goes until about 6:30 p.m., except twice a month when the court holds trials, which Moore said if there are enough trials, the day can start as early as noon.

"Eighty-five percent of what we see in court is traffic violations, accidents, speeding, failure to yield. We get three or four thefts each year and usually three or four assaults, but a lot of what we do is court propitiation -- seeing where people are with their fine payments."

Moore said even with all of the cases he has seen, he has never had a problem with people acting out.

"I have never had to use my silly little hammer in 17 years," Moore said. "When you are 6-foot-4 inches and weigh over 300 pounds, people tend not to mess with you."

Moore said he thinks one of the main reasons he has had so little trouble with disorder is because he has learned what people who come to court are really looking for.

"People who come in to court just want to be heard," Moore said. "So if you are willing to listen, it all works out. If you didn't have to listen, you could put a monkey up here."

Moore said the judge that was in Smithfield before him did all of his work in his chambers, out of the public view, but that was one of the things he wanted to change.

"People ought to know what happens to the person ahead of them and if you want to stay, they should be able to see what happens to the person behind them. It is an educational experience," Moore said.

Moore said he is a professional who can separate his feelings from one case to the next -- a trait he said he thinks is important because of an experience he had when he was younger.

"The only time I ever went to court, I was 17," Moore said. "The guy in the line before me made the judge mad and so he nailed me. I had to pay a $60 fine for something little, which was a lot of money back then."

Moore said the fines imposed on each defendant are split between the state and the city, with the state collecting a 35 percent surcharge on all traffic violations. The rest of the money the court collects from the fines go to funding the court and the police department, but Moore said he ignores the revenues the court brings in.

"When I impose a fine, I want to do what is right and fair so I don't want to pay much attention to the revenue," Moore said. "I am certain it costs a lot more to run the police department than the court brings in."

Moore said with everything he does, his favorite thing is being able to perform weddings. He said he has performed between 18-20 weddings this year already.

"I often wish I had kept a log of all the people I have married because you always wonder if the marriage takes, if they are still together," Moore said.

Amid the weddings, Moore said his least favorite part of his job is watching people with substance abuse problems refuse to change their lives.

"People with substance abuse problems are not going to change until they want to change," Moore said. "I can throw them in jail but it won't help. They are a danger to themselves and the public in that state."

Moore said with everything he has seen, his number one goal with crime is just to stop people from doing it again. He said he wants people to pay attention and be more careful, especially when it comes to driving.

"People drive crazy-like in the canyon, speeding, and then you get to Brigham City and they are sitting there at the same stoplight as you," Moore said. "Doing 10 miles over the speed limit is only going to get you there seconds earlier. When you go from 50 mph to 70 mph, it doubles your risk of dying in an accident. It is better to be late somewhere than having your parents have to show up at your funeral."

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