Patricia Head Minaldi
Patricia Head Minaldi | |
|---|---|
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana | |
| In office July 31, 2017 – December 1, 2018 | |
| Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana | |
| In office May 9, 2003 – July 31, 2017 | |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | James Travis Trimble Jr. |
| Succeeded by | James D. Cain Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Patricia Head September 12, 1958 Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | December 1, 2018 (aged 60) Lake Charles, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | Wesleyan University (BA) Tulane University Law School (JD) |
Patricia Minaldi (née Head; September 12, 1958 – December 1, 2018) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Education and career
Born in
Federal judicial service
Minaldi was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana by President George W. Bush on January 15, 2003. The seat had been vacated by Judge James Travis Trimble Jr., who took senior status. Minaldi was confirmed by the United States Senate on May 6, 2003, and received her commission on May 9, 2003.[1] She assumed inactive senior status on July 31, 2017, due to a certified disability, no longer hearing cases or participating in the business of the court.[2] She was found dead in her Lake Charles, Louisiana home on December 1, 2018, of apparent natural causes.[3][4]
DWI conviction
In 2014, Minaldi was arrested by
Notable cases
In February 2016, during
Indefinite medical leave
In January 2017, the Clerk of the Western District of Louisiana confirmed that Minaldi had surrendered her entire docket of cases and had taken medical leave for treatment for alcoholism so severe that a colleague asked a court to rule she could not take care of herself.[8] It is not known on exactly what date she left.[9][8] Her leave ended when she took inactive senior status on July 31, 2017.[10][11]
References
- ^ a b "Minaldi, Patricia Head - Federal Judicial Center". fjc.gov. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ "APNewsBreak: Judge retires after leave for alcoholism care".
- ^ "Retired federal judge who struggled with alcoholism dies". Lexington Herald-Leader. December 1, 2018. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ Judge Patricia Head Minaldi-obituary
- ^ Federal judge charged with first-offense DWI, dash cam video released, KPLCtv.com, February 2014.
- ^ Federal judge pleads guilty to DWI in Lake Charles, nola.com, March 3, 2014.
- ^ Cassens Weiss, Debra (December 6, 2016). "Federal judge who questioned meaning of 'drop-down menu,' didn't instruct jurors is tossed from case". ABA Journal. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ a b "Louisiana federal judge's caretaker jailed on charges of financially exploiting her". NOLA Media Group. April 20, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
- ^ Federal judge who surrendered cases takes medical leave, Associated Press (January 26, 2017).
- ^ DEBRA CASSENS WEISS (December 6, 2016). "Federal judge who questioned meaning of 'drop-down menu,' didn't instruct jurors is tossed from case". abajournal.com.
- ^ The Associated Press (August 2, 2017). "Judge Minaldi retires after leave for alcoholism care". americanpress.com.
Sources
- Patricia Head Minaldi at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
