An hour with Judge Cicone

April 29, 2008

Many lawyers in Baltimore County believe retired Judge Frank E. Cicone can see the future. In a half-century at Baltimore County Circuit Court — 18 handling settlement conferences and 35 on the bench — he’s seen and heard it all, so his opinion on the potential outcome of a trial is highly valued.

I learned this Tuesday morning, having arrived unannounced at the courthouse settlement office to find out if I could sit in on a conference. I was surprised when Cicone invited me into the room and we chatted for a minute before the conference began. As long as the lawyers don’t mind you here, he said, I’m fine with it. (They did not.)

The case ended up being about a woman who injured herself three years ago when she fell in a county shopping center. Lawyers on both sides outlined the basic facts and previewed their arguments.

Cicone then talked with each side separately, estimating a dollar figure he felt was a fair compromise, giving an opinion on how the jury might rule and answering questions. But he also took the time to praise both lawyers, tell stories and chat with a young defense lawyer about how he liked his job. The whole hour was one-half business, one-quarter casual conversation and one-quarter story time.

Neither side appeared ready to settle at the conference’s conclusion, but everyone involved clearly enjoyed their time with Cicone and intended to take his recommendations into consideration.

I’ve seen lawyers deferential to judges, but not like this. “Stay here and learn,” one of the defense lawyers said to me as he left.

Anyone else have a Judge Cicone story?

DANNY JACOBS, Legal Affairs Writer

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Posted by Jackie Sauter | Filed Under baltimore county, law 

Comments

2 Responses to “An hour with Judge Cicone”

  1. Anonymous on April 30th, 2008 7:32 am

    He is certainly a very good man and good judge although you may be overstating the case just a bit. I don’t think this judge or any judge can see the future accurately with respect to trial values of the case in the pretrial context.

  2. Barbara Grzincic on April 30th, 2008 10:34 am

    Here’s mine: Just before the pope’s recent visit to Washington and New York, Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien was writing his column for the Catholic Review. His theme was “What the Holy Father could teach us.” So how did he open the column? With a story about the legendary civility of former Chief Judge Frank E. Cicone.
    (O’Brien’s column is at http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/storyworldnew-new.aspx?action=3271).
    Barbara Grzincic, Daily Record

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