PROVO — Fred Howard believes in angels.
Their heavenly voices urge the 4th District judge to make righteous judgments on vital matters such as clothing ownership disputes and battles over boyfriends.
A placard at Howard's home reads, "House of Nine Angels," a direct reference Cynthia, Carolyn, Christy, Catherine, Candice, Camille, Cheryl, Charlotte and Connie.
"They're all angels, you know," Fred Howard says of his nine daughters, who were first given the celestial moniker by grandfather Jackson Howard. "They have a lot of enthusiasm, and they are a ton of fun."
Fun might be a relative term coming from a man who considers his judicial post "stimulating." Covering the criminal court calendar, Fred Howard has to mete punishments to Utah Valley's most hardened criminals.
"Like most jobs, it has its own share of challenges," said Howard, a Provo native. "The difficult decisions can be emotionally draining. But, frankly, there are few jobs where you can really enjoy the benefit of serving your community and at the same time find the work interesting and earn a living."
Many of the judge's daughters visit the courtroom to watch their dad in action. Catherine and Carolyn Howard are law students, as well.
"Our family is a big part of watching the trials," said Carolyn Howard, who is named after her mother. "When we come home, we discuss what was going on. It's always adding to the drama. There's enough drama at our own home, and then you add the drama of the courtroom."
Carolyn Howard, who wants to be a public defender after graduation from law school, teaches an English class at Utah Valley State College. She asked her students to attend the Robert Steven Hatch murder trial — overseen by Judge Howard — in order to write a persuasive paper about his possible guilt.
A jury found the Spanish Fork man guilty last month of killing his estranged wife. Carolyn's students, however, remained divided about his involvement in the crime.
"Everybody wants to watch a murder trial," Carolyn Howard said. "It's been a subject that's been very interesting to my students. I don't have problems getting their attention now."
Judge Howard, a Brigham Young University law school graduate, encourages the public to sit in on court proceedings, as well.
"Most people are unknowledgeable or have no exposure to the court system," Howard said. "The fact is, we have a great system because we are able to handle extraordinary problems in a peaceful fashion. Sometimes it's boring, sometimes it's tedious, but sometimes it's quite dramatic."
Nonetheless, Howard concedes that the sometimes-devilish antics of his nine angels can often rival the courthouse chaos. While his wife, Carolyn, insists that the judge is always "merciful," Howard said he struggles to keep order in his family court.
"In the courtroom I have more order than in the home — I have a bailiff there," Howard joked. "When you are in the courthouse, there is an expectation that you have to enforce the law. But at home, you are trying to entreat people."
According to Angel No. 6 — Camille — the girls are easily entreated, thanks to their father's kind demeanor. Fred Howard's courtroom colleagues share the sentiment.
Utah County prosecutor David Sturgill calls Howard "the greatest."
"Most people say that he is one of the nicest judges, and I think it is because he has all girls," Camille said. "He's nice because he doesn't want them to start crying."
And cry they do, says mom, Carolyn. Each day there are new fights about clothing borrowed and unreturned, along with the frenzied chatter of the six still living at home.
"It is frustrating for him to come home and feel like no is listening to him because in the courtroom everybody listens," said wife Carolyn Howard. "He goes to great lengths to offer mercy before he has to crack down on justice."
Howard said he takes it all in stride. After a full day in his judge's robes, he considers coming home to a house of blonde beauties to be a welcome reprieve, despite the inherent noise.
"Between learning to listen to people and raising nine daughters, maybe when I'm through with life I'll learn something about patience," Howard said. "At times, it's a struggle to keep up with it all."
Then again, your honor, that's the trouble with angels.
Note: This is the first in a periodic series of stories profiling people who help turn the wheels of justice in Utah County.
E-mail: lwarner@desnews.com