A medical marijuana case and a labor dispute involving thousands of Michigan state workers are some of the 10 cases that Richard Bernstein would initially handle when he assumes his post as judge in the state's Supreme Court in a few days.

Bernstein makes legal history by being the first blind judge in Michigan. But other states already have one such as Justice Richard Teitelman in Missouri who has been legally blind since he was 13 and Judge David Tatel in Washington, D.C.

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The 41-year-old incoming justice was born blind.

"It would be much easier if I could read and write like everyone else, but that's not how I was created," CS Monitor quotes Bernstein as saying.

Bernstein admitted his handicap requires more work from him. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Bernstein persevered since he was in grade school, which made him get used to operating at the highest level of preparedness.

Timothy MacLean, an assistant from his family law firm based in Detroit, reads briefs to Bernstein in preparation for arguments when he starts his term in January. Since November, he has been memorizing the important aspects of all the briefs read to him for the 10 cases.

Bernstein's steely resolve is evident outside the courtroom since he has joined more than 15 marathons, completed in 2008 a triathlon in which he rode a bike 112 miles, ran 26.2 miles and swam 2.4 miles helped by guides.

He was even hit by a speeding cyclist in 2012 while Bernstein was running in Central Park which sidelined him for a few weeks.

These accomplishments impressed Michigan voters that he was elected to the state Supreme Court, running with the slogan "Blind Justice."

Bernstein will be sworn to office on January 1, 2015, and he will become one of two Democrats on the court that has seven members. The court handles more than 2,000 cases a year.

Tagsjustice, blind, michigan supreme court