Retirement reception honors Steve Livingston

New Albany Municipal Judge Steve Livingston was honored by a host of family and friends at a retirement reception in New Albany, Friday, Oct. 18.

A New Albany native, Livingston has been a practicing attorney here for over four decades. Among other roles, he has served as a public defender, a youth court officer and a bankruptcy referee.

New Albany attorney Joe Davis presented Livingston with a plaque bearing the Great Seal of the United States and the inscription: Presented to Steve Livingston in appreciation of your faithful and dedicated service to the City of New Albany and Union County, October 18, 2019.

Davis said that, in addition to his judicial and law practice skills, Livingston is known as “one of the last of the great story tellers.”

Judge Livingston gestured toward attorney Chandler Rogers as he told of an amusing incident involving a client of Rogers’s in his courtroom.

Livingston’s skills as a raconteur were in top form Friday as he told stories about amusing incidents in his law practice and some that have occurred in the courtrooms where he presided as judge. His direct speaking style, expansive gestures and perfect sense of time, drew guffaws from those present for the reception at the Union County Chancery Court building.

Livingston is nearly as well known for his skills as a singer and musician as for his legal and story-telling skills. He has been a vocalist, keyboard player and bass guitar player in the rock and roll band, “The Dukes,” for more than 50 years.

The band was formed while Livingston and his band mates were high school students in New Albany. In 1965 the band traveled to New York City where they performed on CBS Televisions “Ted Mack Amateur Hour.” The band was re-constituted and started playing music together again in 2006.

Livingston and his wife Patsy have three adult children and two grandchildren.

Livingston Retirement Reception October 18, 2019

Shown during Judge Steve Livingston’s retirement reception Friday are his brother Joe Livingston; BNA Bankers Tom Coltharp and Hugh Tate; Union County Sheriff JImmy Edwards, telling a story; Union County Chancery Clerk Annette Hickey and New Albany attorney Joe Marshall Davis.

Circuit Judge Andrew Howorth visited with retiring Municipal Judge Steve Livingston Friday afternoon.

Those listening to Steve Livingston’s stories Friday included, from left: Circuit Judge Kelly Luther, Baldwin City Judge Tommy Comer, Judge Livingston and New Albany attorney Chandler Rogers.

Livingston “getting to do his relatives” at swearing in ceremony: http://newalbanyunionco.com/oaths-of-office-city-officials/