Judge Philip Maenza of Morristown, NJ; ethical gremlin

The state of New Jersey presented Philip J. Maenza with a law license in 1977 after he graduated from Widener University Law School, which is located in Chester, Pennsylvania.

In 2010, then Gov. Jon Corzine was duped into appointing Phil as a Superior Court Judge. Phil didn’t receive the appointment because he was the most qualified attorney in the greater Morristown area; he received it because he had proven to be a reliable lackey by the local political hacks.

The New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct found Philip guilty of the following misconduct

In one matter, Phil found it acceptable call Tobia Ippolito of Parsippany and his wife “tomatoes,” while they appeared in his so-called court of justice.

In addition, Phil was recorded in court calling someone a “jerk,” and said that he “hated” him and wished he were “incarcerated.” Mr. Ippolito said he was of the firm belief that Phil was referring to him.

As a consequence of his misconduct, the apologists for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Judicial Advisory Committee punished Phil by gifting him with a complimentary private letter of reprimand. Hear tell those can be quite painful!

In reaction to the Pattycake discipline handed out to Phil, Greg Roberts, president of the Family Civil Liberties Union, a group that advocates for those involved in family court litigation, dismissed the private reprimand as insignificant.

Mr. Roberts went on to say, “This is nothing more than a slap on the wrist for a friend in the industry.” Praise the Lord, the Truth will Set you Free!!

As we speak (ca. July 2014), Phil continues to sit as a Morris Superior Court Judge in Morristown, New Jersey.