► U.S. Judge Peter Beer of New Orleans; Greedy Geezer dies on Bench in 2018

The state of Illinois presented Peter Hill Beer with a law license in 1949 after he graduated from the University of Chicago School of Law.

This Greedy Dead Geezer award is presented to the Illinois District Court judge who has distinguished himself or herself by refusing to retire from the bench when age eligible and instead opting to die on the bench to increase their salary and/or pension.

This Dead Greedy Geezer’s attributes are as follows.

• DOB 1928
• 90-years-old when died on bench on February 9, 2018
• Appointed by Pres. Carter to District Court in 1979
• Assumed senior status on April 12, 1994

It should be noted that Pete’s choice to take on senior status meant that he was only required to work 10 hours a week while continuing to collect 100% of a full-time judge’s annual salary, which as of 2018 would be $208,000. Put simply, Pete was required to work a mere 10 hours a week for the twenty-four (24) years until they carted him out of the courthouse in a wooden box.

Maybe this explains why they kept defibrillators, jumper cables and oxygen tanks near Pete’s courtroom after his 85^th birthday.

Had he retired in 1993 when he was eligible, he would have received a lifetime annual pension of $133,600,00. However, by refusing to retire and opting to die on the bench, Pete was entitled to all future pay increases, which subsequently added $74,400.00 to his annual wage and subsequent retirement.

I’m sure that almost all government employees would have been more than happy to have retired at age 65 with a lifetime pension of $133,600.00. Moreover, unlike every other federal employee, judges do not make any contribution to their retirement that pays them 100% of their annual salary.

I don’t know about you, but I would not be inclined to have had my legal matter to be decided by someone that was a part timer and 90-years-old. And that’s not to mean that I have anything against senior citizens. However, for Congress to allow this to happen is farcical at best. Moreover, unlike every other federal employee, judges do not make any contribution to their retirement that pays them 100% of their annual salary.

And lastly, as you can see from the photo to the right and below, it only took one day after Pete died for his family 

members to discard his belongings.