Andy Thibault

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JUDGE TAKES ISSUE WITH LAW TRIBUNE
By LYNNE TUOHY, Courant Staff Writer
THE HARTFORD COURANT
October 16, 2000
Copyright 2000 The Hartford Courant Company  

Maybe it was the column earlier this month suggesting that deposed University of Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight would feel right at home among Connecticut's judiciary. Or the column last week opining that the entire bench needs a course in civility.

Or it might have been the editorial Oct. 2 describing the Judicial Review Council as an "arrogant protection agency" for the very judges whose conduct it is supposed to scrutinize. Judge Robert C. Leuba, chief court administrator for the judicial branch, didn't want to talk specifics
Friday. But he also made no apologies for canceling the branch's subscriptions to the Connecticut Law Tribune because he doesn't like "the attitude that's crept in" to its commentaries.

And when Leuba says "cancel my subscription," he's talking about $16,000 worth of business for the weekly legal publication -- 26 subscriptions to the $365-a-year weekly, plus a dozen books the company also publishes. The subscriptions go to law libraries in courthouses statewide, and to a handful of judges.

Connecticut Law Tribune Publisher and Editor Vincent Valvo said Friday the cancellations don't put a significant dent in his paper's circulation or finances. But, he allowed, "We are not happy that the judiciary as a branch of government has decided to boycott us."

Columnist Andy Thibault wrote the Bobby Knight column, which Valvo characterized as "a parody, and certainly a pointed barb at the judiciary." Valvo said such columns jibe with his commitment to publish diverse viewpoints. He noted that few lawyers are willing to publicly criticize the judiciary, and we have to give that point of view a voice somewhere."

Leuba said it's not his intent to stifle the paper's opinions.

"He can publish whatever he wants to publish, but I'm also free to purchase whatever I want to purchase," Leuba said. "I told [Valvo] I'd be the first one to defend his right to publish anything he wants. But in terms of what we buy and distribute in the judicial branch, we have a choice, and right now we're not buying the Law Tribune.

"There are some attitudes being used editorially which are not helpful to improving communications among the legal community, of which we are a part," Leuba said. Asked if his concerns centered on columns by Thibault and New Haven Attorney Norman Pattis, Leuba declined to name names, citing again the paper's "attitude."

Valvo said Leuba's cancellation was not received in time to halt distribution of today's issue, or include mention of it in the Tribune. However, Pattis already has written a column about the cancellation for the Oct. 23 issue. And Leuba doesn't have to worry about missing that one:  Pattis bought him a gift subscription.

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