Two former county judges accused of taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send juveniles to private detention facilities are partially immune from civil lawsuits, a federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled Friday.The decision by U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo could make it harder for the people suing former Luzerne County judges Michael T. Conahan and Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. to collect damages.
Caputo said Ciavarella will avoid civil consequences for "the vast majority" of his conduct, because much of it occurred inside a courtroom, such as determination of delinquency and sentencing.
He said Conahan largely would not be immune, because his alleged actions were more administrative in nature, such as signing a placement agreement with the detention centers.
The decisions have no bearing on the federal criminal charges that Ciavarella and Conahan are currently facing in what has become known as the kids-for-cash scandal.
Marsha Levick, a lawyer with the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia, a co-counsel for plaintiffs in the case, said Friday she did not consider the ruling to be a major setback. There are more than 400 named plaintiffs in the case, and lawyers are seeking class-action status.
"I think what's important is the judges remained in the litigation," Levick said. "Conahan is extremely vulnerable because most of what Conahan did with respect to the plaintiffs' allegations, it was all outside the courtroom."
Caputo said the case involved principles of judicial independence that date back hundreds of years and are designed to protect judges who make sincere mistakes, uphold the reputation of the courts and meet the need for the court system to render final judgments.
"I am not unmindful of the egregious nature of the alleged conduct presented in this case," Caputo wrote. "This is, however, about the rule of law. It is about the rule of law in the face of popular opinion which would seek a finding directly contrary to the result the rule of law dictates."
Full Article and Source:
2 PA Judges Given Partial Immunity
See Also:
State Had Complaint Against Kids-For-Cash Judges Since 2006
Perhaps this case points out the problems with immunity - and the laws should be changed.
ReplyDeleteimmunity? oh isn't that great to know before you use your judicial robes as bullet proof vest while all along the judge is a crook with criminal mind and bad illegal intentions who is nuts here and who is giving the judges immunities, lawyers, legislators who write these garbage laws legislators who are bribed by special interest groups and lobbyists? nice tidy package ey? our system is broke yet these courtroom thugs continue to control our lives the honest judges should be dragging these crooks out to open waters and get rid of them post haste
ReplyDeleteThere really shouldn't be any job or position that is immune to wrongdoing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, a bright light is shining and pointing out how wrong this is.
ReplyDeleteAh, now we know why judges like their jobs so much!
ReplyDeleteThese two are a disgrace to every inch of the justice system.
ReplyDeleteImmunity is a sick joke!
ReplyDelete