Retired West Roxbury District Court Judge Paul Murphy will be honored tonight (October 24th) at a testimonial to benefit the St. Mark's Main Streets Program. Always modest and self-effacing, Paul Murphy would only lend his name to the effort as a way of helping others.

Many of his friends will gather in tribute to this lifelong resident of Dorchester. A man of great talent, he was drawn to a life of public service as a means to improve the lives of the people he served first as a legislator and later as a judge.

After establishing an outstanding academic record ultimately leading to a Harvard degree, Paul entered politics and was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he eventually became the majority leader. His thoughtfulness, intelligence and street sense assured his success as a politician.

However, there was another more cerebral, introspective side to Representative Murphy. While he could function well in the hurly-burly world of state politics, he was not entirely comfortable in that environment. His kindness, sensitivity and spirituality sometimes seemed more suited to a religious calling, so Paul did the next best thing. When Gov. Frank Sargent offered him an appointment to the West Roxbury District Court, he took it.

There was never a harder working judge. While others often asked for help, he declined saying there may be a greater need elsewhere for an available judge. He labored often alone in an increasingly busy court in a building that had been designed for the needs of the 1920s. Lack of space made it impossible to house enough personnel to fully serve the needs of the community. They all struggled to keep pace with the burgeoning workload.

Perhaps only those who have sat day after day in judgment of the troubled souls who troop by in battalions, each with their own tale of woe, can appreciate the effort that goes into trying to maintain one's equilibrium as you struggle to be fair, just, balanced and understanding in what often appears to be a sea of misery.

The growing Hispanic population in the area prompted Paul to become proficient in Spanish. He wanted to be able to communicate with them in their own language. Instead of a life of quiet contemplation of complex legal issues, he had been thrown into the maelstrom that daily breaks at the doors of our busier district courts. Yet he still found the time to study and to think.

That became apparent when I was one of a group of about twenty judges that participated in a "Law and Literature" program at Brandies University approximately fifteen years ago. The most interesting participant was Paul Murphy. His observations and insights reflected his deep understanding of literature, philosophy and theology. The legal insights offered by some of his colleagues seemed narrow and dry by comparison.

Like his deep faith, Paul kept his rich intellectual life to himself. We were only offered glimpses from time to time. When you're from Dorchester, you don't want to appear too smart. It might be considered pompous and that's something to be avoided.

After struggling for twenty-five years in one of the state's worst buildings, Paul was finally able to secure funding for a new court. Thanks to his oversight, it is one of the finest and least expensive of the new courthouses. Unfortunately, a serious motor vehicle accident denied him the opportunity to use the new facility. He retired without ever being able to enjoy the fruits of his labor.

After over thirty years of distinguished public service, Paul was finally able to hang up his robe and give his full attention to intellectual pursuits. Friends continue to seek his wise counsel knowing his experience bridges the gap between scholarship and life's dilemmas.

The new courthouse at Forest Hills remains part of his legacy but not the most important part. That would be the justice, laced with compassion and understanding, that he distributed to the thousands of persons who appeared before him over the years.

Paul Murphy today remains a quiet, unassuming, kind, thoughtful and quite remarkable son of Dorchester.

(James W. Dolan is a retired Dorchester District Court judge who now practices law at Dolan, Connly & Flaherty, 22 Redfield St., Dorchester, jdolan@dolanconnly.com)