Everyday Moral Exemplars: The Case of Judge Sam Medina

Discussion of moral exemplars tends to focus on individuals who occupy exalted positions, but everyday leaders and street-level bureaucrats can also be exemplars. This article uses a model of exemplar behavior based both on good character (recognizing and reflecting on ethical issues, and translating this into ethical actions) and on the more demanding high character (making a substantial contribution and being prepared to exhibit sacrifice or courage for the common good). The profile of one everyday moral exemplar is used to illustrate the argument.