Lawyers in Chicago are mystified by the actions of Cook County Associate Judge Mark Lopez, who jailed lawyer Nancy Murphy for an unknown offense. Murphy says that she had simply drafted an order and, after giving it to Lopez, was thrown into jail where she was verbally abused by Cook County jail guards and left overnight in a filthy cell.
What is particularly odd is that Lopez did not reportedly state the reason for the confinement or explain what on the document was so outrageous to warrant jail time. If Murphy’s account is accurate, Lopez should not remain on the bench for such a serious abuse.
Murphy’s allegation of being verbally abused by jail guards and called a “crack whore” should be equally investigated. For some reason, this stories describing filthy conditions in jail and abusive guards are treated as natural as the weather. There are a great number of people looking for jobs today. If you cannot serve as a guard and refrain from such abuse, it is time to give some else the opportunity. Likewise, if a jail cannot maintain clean conditions, officials in charge need to be given positions with less responsibility.
The priority, however, remains with Lopez who needs to give a clear explanation for this order.
For the full story, click here.
Who says the “Dark Ages” ended? Off to the Chateau Cook County Jail with you for your insolence to the Crown!
After hearing on Family Law Cases all day, this is how the Judge Acts.
Link: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1553279,CST-NWS-lawyer01.article
Lopez never offered a hint that he was angry with Murphy, and he hadn’t previously threatened to lock her up, she said. In his order, Lopez wrote he was holding Murphy in “direct civil contempt” for “ignoring this court['s] direct instruction” about what to include in her document.
Heck, I thought Revelations were chapters in the Bible.
There are two disturbing issues raised in this case, both of which deserve attention. The first, judicial misconduct and the ability of many judges to exercise it with little penalty.
Even if Ms. Murphy had not filled out the form per the judges instructions, that did in no way merit a night in jail. Something occurred between these two that the judge took personally. however, personal feelings have no place in the administration of a sound legal system. For this act alone he should be removed from the bench.
The second issue is the jail system in this country. I would think a majority of our citizens in this country have no desire for properly/humanely run jail/prison facilities. They believe prisoners shouldn’t be “coddled.” Dangerous prisons have become such a cliche that anal rape becomes accepted as a feature of daily prison life. In back of this is the false belief that they and no one they know could ever go to jail and a bloodthirstyness for punishment inflamed by the MSM and DA’s career building. Ignored is the creation of an alarming recidivism rate and a felony rate that leads the industrialized world. This is not a coincidence.
If Lopez fails to give an adequate reason, he should be fined, ordered to pay restitution, censured for a year and lose his seat on the bench. Minimum. “Because I said so” isn’t legal cause.
The City of Chicago should be embarrassed at the level of such incompetent Judges.
These are peoples who rely on a fair court system. Men died for the right to a fair day in court, and to hear and see such a complete disregard for the law is truly a crime.
He is there to interpret the law not to make law. Why does know one get this? This man , and yes he is just a man , not a god as he may think. He needs to put on probation until the Illinois courts review this mans conduct.
Guess what Mr. Lopez it’s your turn to have your day in court, how does it feel????
Don’t take anything that Nancy Murphy says at face value! Both sides of this story NEED to be investigated! None of the lawyers or Judges in Cook County should be trusted!
Turley, you should know how bad the reporting on that article was. Did they contact the opposing side, also in the courtroom, to see if the judge was, you know, CORERCT? Did the reporter ask if this attorney has a reputation in the family law bar for things of this nature? I can tell you that none of the divorce attorneys I spoke to were at all surprised by this, and they all thought highly of Judge Lopez. And you know darn well that Judge Lopez was not free to respond to that article — they make him look like his silence is consent.
You went to school at Northwestern so maybe you took a trip to the Daley Center and saw how informally the courts work: they still use carbon paper and the lawyers are entrusted to write up the judges orders accurately or the entire system would come to a halt. I’ve done pro bono divorces from an agency there and see how many of the paid attorneys ask.
Hmm — got cut off. Many of the paid attorneys act obnoxiously, especially to the pro se clients who dare to sit at the lawyers table.
I am in front of Judge Lopez for my Post-Decree and am Pro Se and he is the best Judge I have been in front of – and I have been in front of four of them (not counting the fill-ins).
This is definitely an issue of not hearing the full story from what I have read on many site.
And as far as the paid attorneys not liking when I sit at the lawyers table, I am more of lawyers than most of them, and I will sit at the attorney’s table anytime I am in court.
DR,
I am in front of Judge Lopez for . . . .
And as far as the paid attorneys not liking when I sit at the lawyers table, I am more of lawyers than most of them, and I will sit at the attorney’s table anytime I am in court.
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Most of the Inmates I have Represented have been the most knowledgeable in post conviction remedies and procedure too bad they could not have been as knowledgeable about how to stay out of Prison to start with.
I have no doubt that some may have issue with you.