MDJ Zanelli Accused of Keeping "Book of Grudges," Hostile Work Environment, Numerous Absences

Amy Zanelli is the Magisterial District Judge in West Bethlehem and Fountain Hill. But her days as a jurist may soon be over. The Judicial Conduct Board has finally taken action against her for numerous infractions of the Code of Judicial Conduct.  Before I get into that, I have to tell you that I have been warning you about her since 2015. Her are links to numerous stories about her.

Finnigan Henpecked Over Hanover Fowl Ban (She appeared before Hanover's Board of Supervisors, seeking a change in a ban on backyard chickens. There's nothing unusual about that, but what was totally bizarre to me was that she insisted on flashing her badge as a NorCo Human Services caseworker..)

Why You Need to Vote For Dennis Pearson For LC Comm'r (In this story about her primary campaign for LC Comm're, I tell you that she was once employed in NJ's Child Protective Services, but was fired in 2012 because she refused to return to work after receiving a number of leaves of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Though she refused to work, she dropped in on her office one day to deliver Avon products to co-workers. Zanelli appealed her termination and lost. She told me she was a victim of discrimination.)

LC Comm'r Race: Candidate Chicken Lady Cries Fowl (In an email to me, before blocking me, Zanelli claimed she had been "exonerated" In Jersey. That is pure horse shit).

Judicial Candidate Amy Zanelli Supports Looting, Lies About Being Fired (When running for MDJ, Zanelli actually stated that looting was an appropriate response to slavery. Say what? And she also took me to task for pointing out her termination in Jersey and later, in NorCo.  She called them "false accusations and fake news. With that said, this would not be the first time in history that an intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful woman has intimidated a man who then feels the need to spread rumors and lies in an attempt to tear her down."  The problem with her denial is that her own lawyer actually admitted that she was terminated in Jersey, appealed, and lost her appeal. She was also terminated in NorCo, as per her own lawyer in a custody dispute.)

Zanelli Embellished Her Social Work in Jersey (When running for MDJ, she told a fawning Josh Popichak that her "ability to see things others didn't led me to go into investigative work on a state level for the State of New Jersey. ,,, I specialized in sex crimes and homicides and abuse and neglect for children ... ." She was a caseworker, not Phillip Marlowe. She also claimed she had to move her because she had been targeted by the bad guys).

Amy Zanelli's Nonjudicial Behavior in Custody Trial (While running for MDJ, Zanelli was in the middle of a custody battle. This is how then President Judge Michael J Koury, Jr., characterized her demeanor: "Mother's demeanor varied from happy to openly hostile. ... Mother repeatedly referred to the custody trial as a 'circus.' ... Mother accused opposing counsel of  'play[ing] semantics and stated that her questioning was 'crap.'")

MDJ Candidate Amy Zanelli Kicked Out of Fountain Hill Pool (While running for MDJ, she was ejected from Fountain Hill's Pool for interjecting herself when a manager admonished some unruly teens).

Zanelli Neglected Children in Jersey, But Wants to Be a Judge (Here I append a New Jersey rejection of her appeal from her termination as a caseworker. Incidentally, The Morning Call had this information as well, but refused to publish it. I guess the paper lacked the desire to do its job, which is to cast a glaring spotlight on public officials)

Amy "Karen" Zanelli Detests Three-on-Three Hoops (In August 2019, she summoned police over a group of minors playing three-on-three hoops, with Latin music playing. Police took no action).

Why was Amy Zanelli Fired in Northampton County (She was a probationary caseworker who did not want to work.)

Magisterial District Judge Amy Zanelli Under Investigation By Judicial Conduct Board (This is when I told you, in September '24, that she was under investigation.)

Despite clear evidence that she's a wackadoodle, she was pushed by LC Exec Tom Muller when she ran for County Comm'r. And that board actually made her their Chair. Then, when she ran for MDJ, she was pushed by outfits like LV4ALL (who agree with us) because she checked the right boxes as a gay woman who supports progressive causes. The dying news media either ignored information handed to them (Morning Call) or drooled over her (Saucon Source). 

Her backyard chickens have come home to roost. In the Complaint filed by the Judicial Conduct Board, she is accused of the following: 

(1) Maintaining a "Book of Grudges" about individuals who appeared before her, including a lawyer she referred to as "Just a Dick." 

(2) Maintaining a desk calendar with explicit sexual messages like "Bedroom Pants He'll Have to Slide Through If He Wants That Pussy."

(3) Denying a Defendant his Constitutional right to hear the evidence against him or to cross-examine the victim.

(4) Rude behavior to a county employee: "I am the judge, and you are just the fucking secretary." She also used profanity such as "cuntrageous" in courtroom settings.

(5) Numerous late arrivals and absences, which obviously denies litigants the right to a prompt disposition.

(6) Conducting Zoom hearings without authorization. 

Here's the Complaint.

 

Complaint Against Magisterial District Judge Amy L. Zanelli, 1 JD 2026 by BernieOHare