The last time we saw Kentucky Judge Amber Wolf, she was helping a mistreated defendant in her courtroom get some pants. She's since moved on from that to facilitating first-time family meetings.
James and Ashley Roeder are both on trial for a March burglary where they broke into a warehouse and stole six televisions. They are under a court order not to have any contact with each other. This means that James Roeder has never seen his child who was born 30 days ago.
During James Roeder's hearing, Wolf saw the defendant's wife in the gallery holding up the baby and trying to get her husband's attention.
"It occurred to me after we finished this case that he had not met his baby — who was 30 days old," Wolf told local TV station WDRB. "And that he was not going to get an opportunity to meet his baby anytime in the near future."
Wolf called James Roeder back into the courtroom and informed him that her order against contact still stands, but if he wanted to he could take a moment to meet his son.
Video of the courtroom shows Roeder hold the child for a few minutes before kissing him on the forehead and handing him back to his mother.
Wolf later explained to WDRB that she had previously heard the defendant express concern about never having a chance to meet his son, and that she didn't want to waste the opportunity.
"It was touching," Wolf told WDRB. "I think it was — not as a judge, but just as person — it was probably one of the best things I’ve ever done. It made me feel good."
After all the family members left the courtroom, Wolf passed out tissues to the other members of the court.
"If you all aren't teared up, then you're just heartless," she said.