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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Thursday, May 02, 2013

Morganelli Takes on the Judges

In his fascinating book, The D-Day Bank Massacre, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli presents a harsh, but accurate, assessment of judges.
"If anyone tries to tell you that judges are apolitical, tell them to call me. In my 26 years as a practicing lawyer, I have learned that judges are probably the most political animals in the political and legal jungle. Not all of them, of course. But many come to their positions with the same prejudices and bias that we all have from our life experience. The donning of the black robe allows them to hide behind the law while forming their own ideas of how things should be."
So as you might imagine, Morganelli is very suspicious that the state supremes have reached down to a lower court and assumed jurisdiction over a case in which they themselves have an interest. Pennsylvania's state constitution says they have to step down at age 70. Rather than seeking to change the constitution, justices can just wave their magic wands and make the constitution disappear.

Yesterday, the Express Times weighed in on this matter, expressing its reservations. Morganelli has previously condemned what the boys in black are doing. "Setting aside Pennsylvania's Constitution via judicial fiat by Justices with a personal and financial interest in the outcome is dangerous and wrong."

John's viewing will be sometime early next week. In the meantime, flowers may be sent to the Connell Funeral Home.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Morganelli is correct, the judges - who are elected officials - are political animals, just like the elected district attorney. Just like the judges, the DA takes political contributions from local attorneys. Did I say "take?" Maybe "coerce" is the word I'm looking for? Or maybe it's just a bogus system where it is known that you have to give in order to get an objective/favorable ruling for your client.

Appointed judges (and DAs) will still have some political baggage ... on some level we all do. At least appointed judges wouldn't be taking money from those who argue in front of them.

Of course Morganelli won't make that argument because he would then be taking money out of the pockets of the judges his office has to argue in front of.

Anonymous said...

Morganelli is of course right... I assume he also recognizes that he himself, as an elected official, is in the same boat.

Anonymous said...



Judges know the rules when they run for the bench, Now they not only want to change the rule, but do an end run around the proper procedure which will not be quickly enough to help their plans.

Shameful they are supposed to be above this petty BS

CivilDialoguePlease said...

If criticizing judges is legally okay, why is Don Bailey being suspended (and possibly disbarred) for criticizing judges?

Bernie O'Hare said...

Bailey has repeatedly made false accusations of criminal activity whenever a judge rules against him.

Anonymous said...

BO,
When there is a local system put in place to protect the local majority voices that obviously has many flaws, this is when home rule should be able to be trumpped by the FED¿

With that said I know that would be very disruptive and very many man hours would be needed to go over the paperwork alone. We in the lehighvalley have a system that is failing so many in all aspect of legal injustices something must be done¿