A Republican Judge Judges
Steve McEwen. Not Even Dicta. Warminister, Pa.: Neibauer Press, 1997.
The author, who was Pennsylvania’s Superior Court President Judge, learned his father (who was a lawyer who passed the Bar without a college or law degrees as rules then allowed years of employment by an attorney count as eligibility to take the Bar exam) that It is important in court to know the facts and to know the judge. It is important to know how a judge acts and thinks in the courtroom. This does create “judge shopping” among trial lawyers.
This book presents keys to the author’s judicial thinking. He agrees that employers usually have an economic advantage over employees. This is why the legislature creates workers compensation and human relations laws to create more equity between the two parties. He cautions against going beyond correcting the economic inequalities. He urges the legislature to correct imbalances where delays in health care for workers compensation recipients may unduly benefit insurance companies.
The author notes the Pennsylvania legislature has approved 18% interest rates for bank loans and 25% interest rates were approved in Ohio. Prior, this would have been considered gouging.
McEwen believes the lemon law should pertain to someone leasing a malfunctioning vehicle, even though the legislature wrote that the law is for the vehicle’s “purchaser”.
McEwen believes children and not just spouses should be able to receive compensation for less of a parent. The legislature agreed when it enacted the Family Preservation Act in 1989.
McEwen believes it is poor public policy where HMOs attempt to restrict medical attention. This denies people proper medical care when their care is determined by insurance administrators and accountants.
A warning is given that corporate officers often create a legal veil in order to avoid paying recovery to injured parties.
A child has a human right to avoid traumatic cross examination when testifying as a victim of sexual abuse, McEwen argues. When such testimony would traumatize a child, this should be a permitted exception to hearsay.
Trial by jury has throughout time proven to be the best method to decide court cases, McEwen notes.
Equal justice must also preclude keeping African Americans off on juries, McEwen argues. He notes some prosecutors do so because they believe African American jurors may be less prone to convict. McEwen believes it is wrong to exclude jurors solely by race.
McEwen notes the shame of someone who committed a crime after having a lawful career can itself be a punishment as well as the legal punishment that is given. A mitigating circumstance is when a repeat offended commits another crime. McEwen observes.
McEwen believes it is proper for a judge to have more regard for a protestor admitting guilt then someone who broke a law for gain. It is proper to consider the character of the accused.
McEwen cautions the FBI to avoid oppressing people they investigate. Someone should not be sentenced more harshly just for refusing to become an informer. Informers may distort investigations as they have incentive to state what investigators hope they will state.
McEwen believes the Racketeering Act logically applies to racketeers. He cautions against stretching that definition.
Punitive damages must reflect the outrageous behavior that caused the damages, McEwen asserts. This has not always been the case as some awards have been too low to be considered punitive.
A Press Council should exist for self examination of the press, McEwen declares.
The presumption of innocence must rule over the appearance of impropriety, McEwen notes. There has to be an actual wrong act proven.
McEwen argues a child should not be placed with a natural parent who consistently has shown an inability to care for the child. Termination of parental rights should consider the child’s best interests.
Non-violent civil disobedience is far preferential to violent disobedience. The author notes Martin Luther King’s descriptions of non-violent protest throughout American history.
An accused person’s lawyer has no right to obtain legal fees for forfeited bail money, McEwen claims. To do so would benefit the fugitive and could encourage future fugitive attempts.
McEwen does not believe that a very hazardous activity that may harm a small proportion of a community should be allowed just because it would benefit the entire community.
McEwen argues that a legal system that can decide property control of an incompetent should also have similar ability to consider terminating life sustaining measures for an incompetent person.
Prosecutors may prosecute with fervor so long as they stay within the rules of the Bar Association Prosecution Standards, McEwen notes. Misconduct by prosecutors should be sanctioned.
McEwen proposes that due process and judicial fairness should apply to witnesses.
The tort of medical injury to a fetus should apply in cases of still births, McEwen argues. While it may be hard to prove a medical injury caused the still birth, that by itself should not preclude the possibility of a tort. It is noted the law prevents recovery of pecuniary loss of lifespan earnings which is available is cases of live births with medical injuries.
McEwen notes the state Supreme Court ruled that statutes of limitations are to be liberally construed to protect the accused. Further, it is law that a new law is not to be retroactive unless the legislature clearly intends it to be so. Thus McEwen ruled that a law enacted in 1992 did not apply to crimes committed before its enactment.
McEwen cautions that the Judicial Inquiry Board can’t presume to reach conclusions that differ from a jury’s findings Doing so would be against our judicial process.
The author notes judges tend to demonstrate civility to other judges in their judicial decisions.
The author, who was Pennsylvania’s Superior Court President Judge, learned his father (who was a lawyer who passed the Bar without a college or law degrees as rules then allowed years of employment by an attorney count as eligibility to take the Bar exam) that It is important in court to know the facts and to know the judge. It is important to know how a judge acts and thinks in the courtroom. This does create “judge shopping” among trial lawyers.
This book presents keys to the author’s judicial thinking. He agrees that employers usually have an economic advantage over employees. This is why the legislature creates workers compensation and human relations laws to create more equity between the two parties. He cautions against going beyond correcting the economic inequalities. He urges the legislature to correct imbalances where delays in health care for workers compensation recipients may unduly benefit insurance companies.
The author notes the Pennsylvania legislature has approved 18% interest rates for bank loans and 25% interest rates were approved in Ohio. Prior, this would have been considered gouging.
McEwen believes the lemon law should pertain to someone leasing a malfunctioning vehicle, even though the legislature wrote that the law is for the vehicle’s “purchaser”.
McEwen believes children and not just spouses should be able to receive compensation for less of a parent. The legislature agreed when it enacted the Family Preservation Act in 1989.
McEwen believes it is poor public policy where HMOs attempt to restrict medical attention. This denies people proper medical care when their care is determined by insurance administrators and accountants.
A warning is given that corporate officers often create a legal veil in order to avoid paying recovery to injured parties.
A child has a human right to avoid traumatic cross examination when testifying as a victim of sexual abuse, McEwen argues. When such testimony would traumatize a child, this should be a permitted exception to hearsay.
Trial by jury has throughout time proven to be the best method to decide court cases, McEwen notes.
Equal justice must also preclude keeping African Americans off on juries, McEwen argues. He notes some prosecutors do so because they believe African American jurors may be less prone to convict. McEwen believes it is wrong to exclude jurors solely by race.
McEwen notes the shame of someone who committed a crime after having a lawful career can itself be a punishment as well as the legal punishment that is given. A mitigating circumstance is when a repeat offended commits another crime. McEwen observes.
McEwen believes it is proper for a judge to have more regard for a protestor admitting guilt then someone who broke a law for gain. It is proper to consider the character of the accused.
McEwen cautions the FBI to avoid oppressing people they investigate. Someone should not be sentenced more harshly just for refusing to become an informer. Informers may distort investigations as they have incentive to state what investigators hope they will state.
McEwen believes the Racketeering Act logically applies to racketeers. He cautions against stretching that definition.
Punitive damages must reflect the outrageous behavior that caused the damages, McEwen asserts. This has not always been the case as some awards have been too low to be considered punitive.
A Press Council should exist for self examination of the press, McEwen declares.
The presumption of innocence must rule over the appearance of impropriety, McEwen notes. There has to be an actual wrong act proven.
McEwen argues a child should not be placed with a natural parent who consistently has shown an inability to care for the child. Termination of parental rights should consider the child’s best interests.
Non-violent civil disobedience is far preferential to violent disobedience. The author notes Martin Luther King’s descriptions of non-violent protest throughout American history.
An accused person’s lawyer has no right to obtain legal fees for forfeited bail money, McEwen claims. To do so would benefit the fugitive and could encourage future fugitive attempts.
McEwen does not believe that a very hazardous activity that may harm a small proportion of a community should be allowed just because it would benefit the entire community.
McEwen argues that a legal system that can decide property control of an incompetent should also have similar ability to consider terminating life sustaining measures for an incompetent person.
Prosecutors may prosecute with fervor so long as they stay within the rules of the Bar Association Prosecution Standards, McEwen notes. Misconduct by prosecutors should be sanctioned.
McEwen proposes that due process and judicial fairness should apply to witnesses.
The tort of medical injury to a fetus should apply in cases of still births, McEwen argues. While it may be hard to prove a medical injury caused the still birth, that by itself should not preclude the possibility of a tort. It is noted the law prevents recovery of pecuniary loss of lifespan earnings which is available is cases of live births with medical injuries.
McEwen notes the state Supreme Court ruled that statutes of limitations are to be liberally construed to protect the accused. Further, it is law that a new law is not to be retroactive unless the legislature clearly intends it to be so. Thus McEwen ruled that a law enacted in 1992 did not apply to crimes committed before its enactment.
McEwen cautions that the Judicial Inquiry Board can’t presume to reach conclusions that differ from a jury’s findings Doing so would be against our judicial process.
The author notes judges tend to demonstrate civility to other judges in their judicial decisions.
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