A Luzerne County judge described as a bully has been removed from office.
Our second-hand study of the case suggests that Judge Ann H. Lokuta had abused her office to such an extent that the Court of Judicial Discipline's report is "scathing."
So - good. She is off the bench.
What is not good is that the case took more than four years to reach its conclusion. Four years is too long.
Full Article and Source:
Judge's removal OK, but it took too long
A county judge described as a bully on the bench was stripped of her office in the longest and most costly judicial ethics investigation in Pennsylvania history.
The Court of Judicial Discipline also banned Luzerne County Common Pleas Judge Ann H. Lokuta from holding any state judicial office in the future.
Lokuta, who attended the hearing, said she would appeal to the state Supreme Court but declined further comment.
Full Article and Source:
'Bully' Judge Banned From Bench After Record-Setting Investigation
The Court of Judicial Discipline voted 6-1 on Tuesday to remove Lokuta from office based on its findings that her behavior on the bench brought disrepute to the office and prejudiced the administration of justice. Lokuta has 30 days to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.
The key issue is whether Lokuta’s seat is truly “vacant” given the possibility that the decision could be overturned on appeal.
Full Article and Source:
Appeal could slow replacing Lokuta
See also:
Lokuta benched
State court bans Lokuta from bench
Ethics board, Sprague rip upstate judge
Luzerne judge vows to fight violations of judicial code
Pa. ethics panel: Judge's behavior 'scandalous'
Our second-hand study of the case suggests that Judge Ann H. Lokuta had abused her office to such an extent that the Court of Judicial Discipline's report is "scathing."
So - good. She is off the bench.
What is not good is that the case took more than four years to reach its conclusion. Four years is too long.
Full Article and Source:
Judge's removal OK, but it took too long
A county judge described as a bully on the bench was stripped of her office in the longest and most costly judicial ethics investigation in Pennsylvania history.
The Court of Judicial Discipline also banned Luzerne County Common Pleas Judge Ann H. Lokuta from holding any state judicial office in the future.
Lokuta, who attended the hearing, said she would appeal to the state Supreme Court but declined further comment.
Full Article and Source:
'Bully' Judge Banned From Bench After Record-Setting Investigation
The Court of Judicial Discipline voted 6-1 on Tuesday to remove Lokuta from office based on its findings that her behavior on the bench brought disrepute to the office and prejudiced the administration of justice. Lokuta has 30 days to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.The key issue is whether Lokuta’s seat is truly “vacant” given the possibility that the decision could be overturned on appeal.
Full Article and Source:
Appeal could slow replacing Lokuta
See also:
Lokuta benched
State court bans Lokuta from bench
Ethics board, Sprague rip upstate judge
Luzerne judge vows to fight violations of judicial code
Pa. ethics panel: Judge's behavior 'scandalous'
3 comments:
Here's the thing we don't know about Lokuta - is she a bad judge or is the judiciary just after her?
People go before bad or incompetent judges everyday and the result is devestating. And they send complaints into the judical discipline committees - only to have them summarily dismissed, many without any investigation at all.
Justice is out of their reach.
It is my opinion that if Lokuta was bullying her employees, she should be sanctioned and ordered to stop. I find it interesting that she would be removed and barred from the bench for bullying employees - with the book thrown at her, picked up and thrown again and again.
Meanwhile, where's the judicial discipline committee's pursuit of justice for the thousands of people who suffer at the hands of unfairness and bias. Why don't they throw the book at those judges?
It's called the good old boys and gals club...you're either IN or you're OUT.
We, the little people, are not included or considered, however, we pay their the bills and their salaries.
Hopefully if Lokuta has any support, the truth will leak out and we'll know for sure if she's good or bad.
Sometimes it takes a while, but truth always surfaces no matter how hard efforts are to keep it down.
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