Pennsylvania Court Watch meets with Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board Concerning Unconstitutional Treatment and Dismissals of Meritorious Complaints of Judicial Misconduct
Through the efforts of Diane Gochin of Pennsylvania Court Watch, the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board (JCB) agreed to meet with her on June 7, 2013, concerning petitions sent to the JCB on behalf of a dozen Pennsylvania citizens from across the Commonwealth, concerning inaction and dismissal of meritorious complaints of judicial misconduct. Diane had requested a joint meeting with the other Pennsylvanians who petitioned the JCB for action, but the Board agreed to meet only with her at this time.
Diane’s complaints of judicial misconduct are against two Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Judges (one was a petitioner in the recently-rejected challenge to the constitutionality of the mandatory retirement provision of Pennsylvania Constitution Article 5), over her divorce proceeding, which has been allowed to linger for over 6 years without even getting to the issue of equitable distribution, despite Diane’s repeated efforts and requests. The gravamen of her complaints is that these judges are favoring members of the county bar association, and taking actions that are specifically intended to augment the amount of fees they are generating from her case, to the detriment of Diane and her children.
During the meeting, which was with four members of the JCB, Diane very passionately, but very appropriately, described to the Board the ravaging effects that the judicial misconduct was having on the futures of her children, one of whom is disabled. She was very adamant that the apparent abnegation of the functions of the Board, and their dismissal of complaints without any apparent consideration or deliberation whatsoever, was uniformly being experienced by the others with whom she has networked concerning these issues. A repeated theme conveyed throughout her address to JCB, is that this creating a crisis of confidence of all Pennsylvania citizens in the Courts of this Commonwealth. In an open letter to the numerous others with whom she has united concerning pursuit of an open meeting with the JCB , Diane described her experience as follows:
“Update the Petitions to the Judicial Conduct Board: Although we had petitioned for an open forum with the Judicial Conduct Board, they would not provide that option at this time. However, on June 7th, 2013 I was given the unusual, but very much appreciated opportunity to address [four] members of the JCB at their office in Harrisburg. The [four] members were the Chief Counsel Robert Graci, Superior Court Judge Ann Lazarus, [Elizabeth Flaherty,] and a non-attorney member- Mr. McLaughlin.
I was given a generous amount of time to present my cases, up to an hour and fifteen minutes, but wrapped it up in only 45 minutes. While I did most of the talking, and the Board members declined to say much of anything, I did come away feeling I had enlightened them to the public discontent with the entire judicial system in Pennsylvania. One comment by a Board member that I want to address was a very much expected one, and was made by Superior Court Judge Ann Lazarus. – She expressed her concern that I did not understand the authority and powers of the JCB.
The problem for the JCB is that we do understand, and I was very vocal in letting them know that the real problem is that they are not utilizing these power to protect the public. Instead I stated that they are not doing their jobs, and that they have let the public down. The authority and powers invested in the JCB are being concealed through intentional distortion of interpretations and misrepresentations of laws, by the collective conscious of the indoctrinating and oppressive influence of the state and county bar associations. I want to assure all of you that I was adamant that they contact each of you who signed a petition and which were sitting on the table in front of them during my meeting.
I focused my diatribe not just on my own cases, but on the severe problems with the judicial process e.g. racketeering by protracting of cases to bleed assets, guardian ad litem and CPS scams, etc. I held back nothing and spoke to them candidly letting them know that they are directly responsible for the destruction of many families and lives- both economically and emotionally, because of their inaction and negligence. I asked them if their children got to go to college- because that was stolen from my children by the courts; I asked them if they were enjoying their fancy houses and cars- things that were stolen from me, and from many people whom I have met over these last few years, trying to bring attention to the fact that this branch of government has been infiltrated by organized crime.
One very positive result is that they invited me to resubmit my complaints against two judges- from 2009 and 2010. I am working on revising them, and hope to resubmit them early this week. I will keep you updated on the outcome. I am attaching two documents for you to read. One is the 2011 recommendations of Pennsylvania for Modern Courts with which the Board has not complied; and the other is their internal operating procedures. It would be useful to you to familiarize yourself with these and with the Canons of Judicial Conduct, if you have not already, as the goal here is to have all of you receive a review of complaints that you previously had dismissed by the JCB, and for them to agree to an open public forum, with member of the state legislature.”
Diane will be resubmitting her complaints, and expects to be taking further actions in the near future to continue the efforts to petition the JCB to address the concerns of the many others who have been victims of “the system,” with specific proposals as to how to address and correct it. We will, of course, keep you updated on all these efforts, and with information as to how you can participate.
Thank you.
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