Maria Lopez
Encyclopedia
Maria Lopez is a Cuban-American former judge and a former television jurist on the syndicated television show Judge Maria Lopez.
Judge Lopez made legal history as the first Latina
appointed to the bench in Massachusetts
when she was selected as a District Court Judge by Governor Michael Dukakis
. Judge Lopez continued to make her mark in history as the first Latina to be appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1993. Lopez served as a Superior Court judge and as an assistant attorney general
in civil rights
division of the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General
.
She is married to Stephen Mindich, owner of the Boston Phoenix newspaper; they live in Newton, Massachusetts
. She has two sons, Michael Michaud (born in 1983) and David Michaud (born in 1985), who both attended the University of Michigan
; they are her sons from her first marriage to Richard Michaud.
Lopez holds a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Government from Smith College
and a Juris Doctor
from Boston University
.
. The trial and subsequent appeals process made this one of the largest and longest civil lawsuits in Massachusetts history. In addition to its length and cost, the trial was notable for attempts by lawyers of Telemachus "Mike" Demoulas to have Judge Lopez removed from the case due to allegations of bias after the jury found that he had defrauded his late brother George's family of shares in the family owned business. After numerous appeals however, Judge Lopez's rulings were upheld.
Allegations of misconduct were raised by Lopez's former law clerk, Paul M. Walsh against attorneys for Telemachus Demoulas. He alleged that he was lured to Nova Scotia
under the pretext of a job-interview, only to be queried for information the lawyers could then use to prove bias on the part of Judge Lopez.
In October 2006, the state Board of Bar Overseers issued a recommendation to disbar lawyers Gary C. Crossen and Kevin P. Curry, and issue a three year suspension to lawyer Richard K. Donahue based on their conduct in the Walsh incident. In December 2006, Donahue accepted the three-year suspension from practicing law. In January 2008, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously agreed with the recommendation of the board and ordered Crossen and Curry disbarred. Both lawyers will have to wait eight years before they can apply for readmission to the bar.
During the sentencing phase of the trial, Suffolk County
District Attorney
David Deakin who had asked Lopez to give Horton an eight to ten year jail sentence, tried to protest her decision to sentence
Horton to house arrest
and five years' of probation
. Judge Lopez, who was angered by the presence of members of the media, proceeded to upbraid the prosecutor as she suspected he had alerted the press. During her outburst, she angered members of the victims family by referring to the case as a "low-level" offense. Judge Lopez's decision also angered residents of the Mary Ellen McCormack housing development
in South Boston where Horton would serve his house arrest. Horton was later evicted from the housing development based on the conviction.
The sentencing caused politicians in the state including then Governor
Paul Cellucci
to suggest that mandatory minimum sentencing should be enacted by statue to remove judicial discretion in cases such as Horton's.
Three years later the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Lopez had abused her office and lied under oath
and that she ought to apologize and serve a six-month suspension.
Retired Judge E. George Daher who headed the commission's investigation, suggested Judge Lopez should not be punished for her in-court behavior, but for her "feeble attempt at coverup". This was the same Judge Daher who had presided over the eviction hearings for Horton when he served as Boston Housing Court Chief in 2000. Rather than apologizing and accepting a suspension, Judge Lopez resigned on May 19, 2003.
After one year on the air, the Judge Maria Lopez ranked last among nine syndicated judge shows, only gathering a Nielsen
household rating of 1.0. Among all 160 syndicated shows ranked, the Judge Maria Lopez show placed 118th in viewership. Despite its low ratings, Sony Pictures renewed the series for a second season. However, in February 2008 reports indicated that after two seasons of low ratings the show would be canceled.
Judge Lopez made legal history as the first Latina
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
appointed to the bench in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
when she was selected as a District Court Judge by Governor Michael Dukakis
Michael Dukakis
Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
. Judge Lopez continued to make her mark in history as the first Latina to be appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1993. Lopez served as a Superior Court judge and as an assistant attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
in civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
division of the office of the Massachusetts Attorney General
Massachusetts Attorney General
The Massachusetts Attorney General is an elected executive officer of the Massachusetts Government. The office of Attorney-General was abolished in 1843 and re-established in 1849. The current Attorney General is Martha Coakley....
.
She is married to Stephen Mindich, owner of the Boston Phoenix newspaper; they live in Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
. She has two sons, Michael Michaud (born in 1983) and David Michaud (born in 1985), who both attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
; they are her sons from her first marriage to Richard Michaud.
Lopez holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Government from Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
and a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Boston University
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
.
Demoulas Versus Demoulas Case
In the 1990s, then Judge Lopez presided over the civil trial for control of shares in the DeMoulas supermarket chainDeMoulas' Market Basket
DeMoulas Market Basket, more commonly known as Market Basket, is a chain of 66 operating supermarkets in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It has stores from central New Hampshire to Bristol County, Massachusetts with headquarters in Tewksbury, Massachusetts...
. The trial and subsequent appeals process made this one of the largest and longest civil lawsuits in Massachusetts history. In addition to its length and cost, the trial was notable for attempts by lawyers of Telemachus "Mike" Demoulas to have Judge Lopez removed from the case due to allegations of bias after the jury found that he had defrauded his late brother George's family of shares in the family owned business. After numerous appeals however, Judge Lopez's rulings were upheld.
Allegations of misconduct were raised by Lopez's former law clerk, Paul M. Walsh against attorneys for Telemachus Demoulas. He alleged that he was lured to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
under the pretext of a job-interview, only to be queried for information the lawyers could then use to prove bias on the part of Judge Lopez.
In October 2006, the state Board of Bar Overseers issued a recommendation to disbar lawyers Gary C. Crossen and Kevin P. Curry, and issue a three year suspension to lawyer Richard K. Donahue based on their conduct in the Walsh incident. In December 2006, Donahue accepted the three-year suspension from practicing law. In January 2008, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously agreed with the recommendation of the board and ordered Crossen and Curry disbarred. Both lawyers will have to wait eight years before they can apply for readmission to the bar.
Charles "Ebony" Horton Case
Charles "Ebony" Horton was tried for and pleaded guilty to kidnapping, assault with intent to rape a child under 16, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, assault and battery, and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon. Horton, while dressed as a woman, used a ruse to lead an 11-year old boy to an abandoned warehouse where he forced to the boy to simulate sex acts after holding a screwdriver to the child's neck.During the sentencing phase of the trial, Suffolk County
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
District Attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
David Deakin who had asked Lopez to give Horton an eight to ten year jail sentence, tried to protest her decision to sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
Horton to house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
and five years' of probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
. Judge Lopez, who was angered by the presence of members of the media, proceeded to upbraid the prosecutor as she suspected he had alerted the press. During her outburst, she angered members of the victims family by referring to the case as a "low-level" offense. Judge Lopez's decision also angered residents of the Mary Ellen McCormack housing development
Old Harbor Housing Project
The Old Harbor Housing Project, formally known as the Mary Ellen McCormack Project, is a housing project opposite Carson Beach in South Boston, Massachusetts.-History:...
in South Boston where Horton would serve his house arrest. Horton was later evicted from the housing development based on the conviction.
The sentencing caused politicians in the state including then Governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
Paul Cellucci
Paul Cellucci
Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
to suggest that mandatory minimum sentencing should be enacted by statue to remove judicial discretion in cases such as Horton's.
Three years later the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct found that Lopez had abused her office and lied under oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
and that she ought to apologize and serve a six-month suspension.
Retired Judge E. George Daher who headed the commission's investigation, suggested Judge Lopez should not be punished for her in-court behavior, but for her "feeble attempt at coverup". This was the same Judge Daher who had presided over the eviction hearings for Horton when he served as Boston Housing Court Chief in 2000. Rather than apologizing and accepting a suspension, Judge Lopez resigned on May 19, 2003.
I sincerely apologize for my loss of temper in court. Accepting the recommendation of the hearing officer that I be suspended for six months and publicly endorse his findings would no doubt be the easiest and most expeditious way to maintain my judicial position. However, I cannot dishonor my 14 years on the bench, my principles, or the Massachusetts Judiciary by admitting to that which I did not do, Lopez wrote.
Fighting would require that we continue on a road that would subject her family and herself to this constant kind of morass that has been going on. She has simply decided that it is not worth it. Her effectiveness on the bench would be compromised after these proceedings. She has become a lightning rod for both the media and public opinion. It was her decision to step down, Lopez's own attorney, Richard Egbert, stated.
Television show
On September 11, 2006, Judge Maria Lopez debuted, a half-hour show where real life disputants come to settle a case. An episode may include two smaller cases or one big case, such as "The Dirty Videographer Was A Lemon".After one year on the air, the Judge Maria Lopez ranked last among nine syndicated judge shows, only gathering a Nielsen
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
household rating of 1.0. Among all 160 syndicated shows ranked, the Judge Maria Lopez show placed 118th in viewership. Despite its low ratings, Sony Pictures renewed the series for a second season. However, in February 2008 reports indicated that after two seasons of low ratings the show would be canceled.
Quotes (from Judge Maria Lopez)
- "If you can't take the heat, get out of the courtroom."
- "Take that bone to another dog."