The Tribune encouraged 'yes' votes for all the other Cook County Judicial candidates.
Of the four candidates rejected by the Tribune, both the Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Council of Lawyers agreed that Judges Clay, Hopkins and Lewis do not merit retention. More information about these judges, including the CBA and CCL comments about them, can be found at this post.
Judge Edward N. Pietrucha's page on the Cook County Retention Judges Website can be accessed by clicking here.The Asian American Bar Association, the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and the Puerto Rican Bar Association all endorse Judge Pietrucha's retention. However, the Chicago Council of Lawyers stated:
Hon. Edward N. Pietrucha was elected to the bench in 1996. He began his judicial career with an assignment to the First Municipal District. Since 1998, he has sat in the Juvenile Justice Division, where he has been a floating judge since January 2002. Judge Pietrucha is considered to be a smart and hard working judge. However, during his evaluation, many judges, defense counsel, prosecutors, and probation officers expressed outrage at the temperament displayed by Judge Pietrucha. He is reported to exhibit bullying behavior toward lawyers, children, and their parents and guardians. Some lawyers commented that he can be inconsistent in his rulings. Others commented that he inappropriately does not take into account the recommendations of probation officers – an important part of the juvenile justice system. The Council finds him Not Qualified for retention.The Chicago Bar Association recommended that Judge Pietrucha be retained, but its evaluation was not entirely complimentary:
Judge Edward N. Pietrucha is "Qualified" for retention as a Circuit Court Judge. Judge Pietrucha was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1989 and was elected to the Circuit Court in 1996. Judge Pietrucha is currently assigned to the Juvenile Justice & Child Protection Department of the Circuit Court. While Judge Pietrucha knows the law, serious concerns were raised about his temperament, which reflects a disregard and disrespect for the litigants and lawyers who appear before him.
I have worked in front of Judge Pietrucha agree with the Chicago Tribune, i.e. vote "no." He abuses his power and has a temper. Basically, a complete nightmare.
ReplyDeleteI have been in his courtroom. It was a nightmare, not only does he look down on families and juvies by treating them like nothing more than dirt, he is also disrespectful with his own staff in the courtroom. He yells at them and ultimately humiliates them. When probation officers are being called to witness in favor of the kids, he completely ignores their presence while their talking. He'll start shuffling papers and wont even look at them when they are talking. When lawyers are speaking, Pietrucha will stop them and talk back to them as if they were nothing more than a teenager talking back to a parent. I think he sets a bad example to kids by abusing his authority. Overall, he might be well educated, but he's nothing more than a tyrant.
ReplyDeleteHe is a terrible human being. He thinks hes above all other people. He does not empathize with any persons situation. The old quote of sitting on a high horse applys to him. Higher the horse the harder the fall your "honor".
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