Letter to the Editor: Appellate Division Judge Peter Skelos Showed Obvious Contempt for the Public

On Tuesday, August 11, 2015 many citizens attended the last of three of the Lippman Hearings to determine what is working and what can work better regarding the State’s attorney disciplinary system. Buffalo and Albany’s two-hour hearings were mostly lectures by lawyers.  To the best of my knowledge, the commission of the 45-member panel was all lawyers; no members of public participated.  Of the 35 speakers, approximately five were victims.

Some of the comments that stood out are:

“Lawyers are humans, too.”

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” (Where have we heard that before?)

“We must protect the lawyers.”

“There is a need to educate the lawyers more.”

“Not enough money.” 

In New York City, none of the panel members stood out as much as Appellate Division Judge Peter Skelos.  He showed obvious contempt for the public regardless of their ethnic background.   He emphasized only to non-lawyers that anecdotal statements would not be considered and that only empirical facts would be entertained.  Yet, when Elena Sassower, Director of the “Center for Judicial Accountability” tried to present two boxes of empirical facts and one summary booklet, Judge Skelos refused them.  He covered his face while listening to testimony as if to say, “How do I get out of this now?”  Also, all of Judge Lippman’s 45-member panels should have been educated on the grievance procedures and empirical facts, because their ignorance of the procedures and facts was apparent.

Elena was cut off after exactly 10 minute, unlike when any lawyer spoke.  None of the panel had any questions, as they were all embarrassed by her facts and did not want to hear any more.  She then reminded one of the absent-minded panelists of his question in the Albany Hearing about the unanswered grievance facts and he disparagingly waived her on, but without any interest in the facts that she was presenting.   It was apparent he did not give a damn.

What if Macy’s had contempt for its customers? What if its slogan was, “The Customer is Always Wrong”? That’s the prevailing attitude of most of the Judiciary, which had been apparent since the Craco Commission, 25 years ago.  If Judge Skelos worked for us (and he still does), we would have fired him and most of the panel.  We, at Americans for Legal Reform recommend that all members in the Judicial System (lawyers, judges and staff) submit immediately to:

1. Substance abuse tests.
2. Psychiatric testing and analysis
3. Continued observation and evaluation by independent non-lawyer groups
4. A National Grievance Committee (so when a lawyer is disbarred, it is throughout the country, not just New York State.)

     We, at Americans for Legal Reform, need your help in observing, reporting and participating. 

May we remind the panel that:

1. Jack Solowitz, Esq., stole millions from 39 clients because the public was never made aware of the 38 prior complaints to the Grievance Committee.
2. Bear Stearn’s financial troubles were immediately made public.
3. If Bill Cosby’s indiscretions would have been made public at the first complain, many others would have been protected.

What is wrong with immediately disclosing to the public all complaints against lawyers?  Is the public too stupid (as the Judiciary believes) to decide if these complaints are frivolous?

Carl Lanzisera,

Founder
Americans for Legal Reform