Traditionally, a newly ordained priest presents his first stole to his father—a gesture that honors the father’s role in forming his son’s moral compass. This sacred act symbolizes the passing on of right judgment, a gift essential for any priest striving to be a wise and faithful spiritual father.
The ability to discern right from wrong, to seek truth, and to administer justice lies at the heart of our Catholic faith. This commitment is vividly reflected in the lives of our alumni serving in legal vocations—both in the Church and in the public sphere.
We are proud to highlight Fr. Michael Johnson, JCL ‘05 and Judge John Sandy ‘07, who recently shared with us their journeys and appointments to serve the cause of justice in both canon and civil law.
Since SJV?
Right out of high school, I spent three years at SJV from 2003-2006. The summer after stepping out of formation at SJV, I met my best friend, Elizabeth. We married in June 2008 and have four children: John (10), Thomas (8), Charles (6), and Claire (4). I graduated from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2010 then practiced law with my family at Sandy Law Firm, P.C. in Spirit Lake, Iowa where I maintained a busy trial practice and worked as a public defender for the State of Minnesota. I was appointed to the district court in Iowa Judicial District 3A in 2021, serving as a trial judge.
What is your current role?
In June 2024, Governor Reynolds appointed me the 38th judge to the Iowa Court of Appeals, which was established as the State’s intermediate appellate court by the Iowa Legislature in 1976. It reviews decisions from trial courts across Iowa in appeals transferred by the Iowa Supreme Court.
How did SJV prepare you for what you do today?
At SJV, I was regularly confronted with the reality that I am not as great as I may think. Living with 125 other men and five priests who continuously challenged me and evaluated my progress resulted in a development of a keen self-awareness, which is necessary to know whether one possesses the temperamental attributes required of a good judge.
Excluding my parents, nobody had a greater impact on my vocation than Fr. William Baer. I arrived at SJV a petulant and impulsive 18-year-old and left with discipline, structure, and a desire to give freely of myself to others. I hate to imagine what would have been had I not landed at SJV. Any success I may enjoy is Fr. Baer’s success.
Why the legal field?
SJV helped flame the fire of “gift of self.” Helping the sick, the abandoned, and the marginalized was always a calling. Over time, I came to discern that such could occur as a lawyer.
My parents are both attorneys, and I have always had great respect for them. As a lover of literature and history, Harper Lee’s portrayal of Atticus Finch’s rigid commitment to justice in To Kill a Mockingbird resonated with me. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Samuel Chase, and other Founding Fathers studied and practiced law. These examples paved the road to a reverence for the legal profession that always stuck.
How has your fatherhood informed your work in the legal field?
Fr. Baer taught me that real men protect, provide, and establish. In the priesthood, faithful adherence to the Liturgy of the Hours, Mass, confession, spiritual direction, and administration are required in the same way a father of four children must dutifully attend to his family and work. There is no luxury for laziness. I hope I have carried that mentality into the care of my family and faithfulness to my work on the bench. My response to the sacrifice of those who came before me (including Fr. Baer) is my work. Cutting corners or doing anything with less than full effort or passion is an insult to the sacrifice others have made to put me where I am.
Currently on your bookshelf or playlist?
The Words that Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation by Akhil Reed Amar. And still listening to collective soul (since I haven’t escaped the ‘90s).