Federal magistrate judge's investiture is a family affair

Abbie Crites-Leoni was on vacation when the realization struck.

"I was standing in the water, looking out over the ocean and just contemplating my experience in this field to date, and I guess in that moment, I just realized that I wanted to pursue any opportunity that might come to became a judge," the federal magistrate judge said after her investiture ceremony Friday afternoon at the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau.

Crites-Leoni replaces former Judge Lewis Blanton, who retired at the end of February.

The day of Blanton's retirement, Crites-Leoni was sworn in at a private, informal ceremony. But on Friday, her friends, family and colleagues gathered for a more elaborate occasion that included speeches by assistant federal prosecutor Larry Ferrell and several members of Crites-Leoni's family.

Addressing the crowd assembled in the courthouse atrium, Edward Leoni described the moment his wife decided the next step in her career.

"She blasted by me with an epiphany of such magnitude that she failed to notice me -- and my new Speedo," he said.

Crites-Leoni's stepchildren, Paul and Nathan Leoni and Carrie Steffens, took turns at the lectern.

"Even as a kid, I knew that Abbie was going to be a great judge, because my dad was always on probation," Paul Leoni joked.

Edward Leoni may have violated his probation with a stunt he pulled a few years ago while his wife was an assistant federal prosecutor.

Crites-Leoni had once competed in the Wyoming Junior Miss pageant, Leoni said, and he had a videotape of her performance, complete with "attire suitable for a Jimmy Buffett concert" and an unfortunate rendition of a Whitney Houston ballad.

Leoni gave the tape to one of Crites-Leoni's colleagues.

Ferrell got the tape and called Crites-Leoni and other prosecutors in to watch it on the pretext they would be viewing a video of a drug bust, Leoni said.

"We do not curse in our family, but when Abbie got home, she said, 'Edward.' 'Edward' always precedes wrath," said Leoni, who had been sick that day. "I knew even then my 107.2 fever would not get me out of this. ... She said, 'You are in such deep [expletive], you will need a snorkel.'"

Crites-Leoni eventually forgave him, and Friday, the whole family participated in her investiture, including her 2-year-old granddaughter, Rylann, who carried the Bible she used in the ceremony.

Crites-Leoni's mother held the Bible as Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry administered the oath of office.

The Bible had belonged to Crites-Leoni's late grandfather, a World War II veteran, and was with him when his submarine came under attack off the coast of Borneo, she said.

"The Bible he carried in World War II is the Bible upon which I swore my oath," she said.

In her speech, Crites-Leoni made reference to four responsibilities the Greek philosopher Socrates listed as the most important for a judge: to hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly and decide impartially.

She pledged to carry out those responsibilities faithfully and "forever act as a fervent and humble servant of the law."

epriddy@semissourian.com

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