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Barry Feudale
Barry Feudale was a senior judge in Pennsylvania.[1][2][3] In a letter on November 12, 2015, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Saylor informed Feudale that he was immediately revoking Feudale’s status as a senior judge. Saylor expressed concern about Feudale's communication with Philadelphia Inquirer reporters after his removal as a grand jury judge in 2013, also expressing concern about his judicial objectivity being “clouded” by a his personal relationship with former Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina.[3] (For background information, click here.)
Feudale served on the Court of Common Pleas for Northumberland County and handled cases involving children and youth.
Education
Feudale received his undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University in 1972. He was awarded a J.D. from the University of Bridgeport School of Law in 1980.[4]
Career
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Feudale worked as an attorney in private practice and as a solicitor for Children and Youth Services. He also served as chief public defender for Northumberland County. Feudale was elected to the Northumberland County Court of Common Pleas in 1987. He became president judge of the court in 1995. He took senior status in 1998.[5]
At the request of Northumberland County President Judge Robert B. Sacavage, Feudale oversaw cases involving children and youth until his senior judge status was revoked in November 2015.[6][3] Feudale formerly served on the Commonwealth Court as a senior visiting judge. He also served as a supervising grand jury judge. Prior to that time, he was a senior judge on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.[1]
Allegations of misconduct
Judge may no longer preside over secret grand jury investigations (2013)
In 2013, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in favor of state Attorney General Kathleen Kane (D). Kane argued that Feudale exhibited behavior demonstrating that he was no longer able to serve as a supervising grand jury judge. Judges serving in this role must mediate disputes, issue subpoenas and maintain an objective view. During her campaign, Kane promised to evaluate past practices to ensure objectivity in future investigations by the attorney general's office. Feudale was viewed as being more closely affiliated with the previous administration.[5]
For approximately 12 years, Feudale presided over many grand jury investigations, including several important cases handled by the attorney general's office. These included "Bonusgate" and the University of Pennsylvania child sexual abuse scandal. Judges are assigned to preside over grand jury investigations by the chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Since becoming a senior judge in 1997, Feudale had also served as a "floating senior judge" and heard cases in 63 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties.[5]
According to sealed documents filed with the supreme court in April 2013, Kane's office informed the court that Feudale no longer seemed fit to serve as a supervising grand jury judge.[5] The documents alleged that Feudale showed a 10-inch knife to a secretary while visiting the attorney general's office. He also sent emails that included negative and critical remarks about Kane and others in her office. According to a spokesman for the attorney general, "I think these things speak for themselves with regard to poor judgement and impaired objectivity" shown by Judge Feudale.[7]
Feudale acknowledged that his email to a former prosecutor at the attorney general's office, Frank G. Fina, was a "cheap shot."[5] As for the incident with the knife, he admitted "he did something with the knife he probably shouldn't have." when he took the knife to the attorney general's office while visiting the office to review documents. He claimed he was teasing a secretary at the office about enhanced security measures. He showed the secretary the knife and asked, "If the A.G.'s office is so worried about security then 'how did I get this in?'"[5]
The ruling by the supreme court in May 2013 did not prevent Feudale from continuing to sit as a judge. However, he was prohibited from presiding over grand jury investigations.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Pennsylvania Manual, "Section 5, Judiciary, Senior Judges," accessed July 19, 2013
- ↑ Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Historical Society, "Former Senior Judges," accessed July 19, |2013
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Francis Scarcella, The Daily Item, "UPDATE: Chief justice revokes Feudale's senior judge status," November 25, 2015
- ↑ martindale.com, "Barry Francis Feudale," accessed July 19, 2013
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 philly.com, "Kane behind ouster of judge from corruption role," July 16, 2013
- ↑ PENNLIVE.com, "Judge Barry Feudale: Attorney General Kane is a politician 'first, second, third and fourth'," accessed July 19, 2013
- ↑ philly.com, "Attorney General Kathleen Kane is owning decision to have grand jury judge replaced, spokesman says," July 18, 2013
Federal courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania
State courts:
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts
State resources:
Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania
