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A cook, a waiter, a cop, a lawyer and a judge walk into a bar and, no joke, they鈥檙e all David Caraker.

Caraker was sworn in on Friday, June 14, as the South Carolina 15th Judicial Circuit鈥檚 newest judge in a ceremony at the Horry County Government and Judicial Center in Conway. The third seat was added due to the growing caseload in the circuit, which encompasses Horry and Georgetown counties.

A succession of speakers shared Caraker鈥檚 apron-to-robe success story, and said his life experiences and people skills will serve him well on the bench. He was chosen by the Legislature over three other candidates.

鈥淵ou are as well-suited for this position as any person who ever [served] before you,鈥� said Jimmy Richardson, the 15th circuit solicitor.

"David鈥檚 path to investiture was certainly not the most-direct path, but it was the path that allowed him the life experience, the work ethic, the morals, the empathy, the passion, the compassion and the high intellect that will make him an incredible judge,鈥� said Florence trial attorney F. Hood Temple.

That path is unusual, if not unique.

Caraker, a Florence native, worked as a cook while attending Francis Marion University, where he graduated in 1991.

Pursuing his passion for cooking and people, he worked at restaurants and bars at the beach, and recently wrote his first cookbook.

He began a second career with the Horry County Police Department in 2000, rising to the rank of detective. 鈥淗e was one of their best investigators,鈥� said State Sen. J. Gregory Hembree, who was the 15th Circuit solicitor during Caraker鈥檚 time in law enforcement.

With the help and encouragement of his wife, KJ, and his friends in the legal community, Caraker exchanged his badge for a student ID at Campbell Law School in Raleigh in 2008. Hembree called it 鈥渁 complete life change鈥� that 鈥渢akes a lot of courage, a lot of grit.鈥�

On the weekends and breaks, Caraker returned home to study during the day and wait tables at night to help pay the bills. He passed the bar in 2011 鈥斅�20 years after earning his undergraduate degree.

Temple鈥檚 law firm 鈥� Hatfield Temple 鈥� snatched Caraker up. He handled both civil and criminal cases.

鈥淒avid is and was an outstanding trial lawyer,鈥� Temple said.

After three years at the defense table, Caraker moved to the other side of the courtroom in 2014 to lead Richardson鈥檚 new drug crime prosecution team.

Now Caraker will be front and center in the courtroom, and slightly elevated, after Judge William Seals administered the oath in Courtroom 3B.

Caraker鈥檚 wife, KJ, helped him into his robe, which Temple said was fitting.

鈥淣one of this would have been possible without KJ. It was amazing to watch this team work together,鈥� he said.