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THE HONORABLE BARBARA P. GORMAN
On a cabinet in Judge Barbara Pugliese Gorman’s office, visitors will see a framed newspaper article with picture of her as a newly appointed judge in 1987 on the bench with her youngest child J.P. who was four years old at the time. Across the room, there is a current photograph of her on the same bench with J.P.’s two young sons Oliver and Winston. The thirty-three years between those two moments in time represent the distinguished career of Montgomery County’s first female jurist on the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Judge Gorman, the Court’s current Presiding Judge, will be retiring on December 31, 2020.
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After growing up in the Bronx, Judge Gorman met her husband Tim at Marquette University, where she majored in English and Psychology. Upon moving to Dayton, she followed her first career choice and taught for two years in the Dayton Public School System. She then obtained a Master’s degree in psychology from the University of Dayton. When U.D. opened its law school in 1974, Judge Gorman was one of seventeen women in its first class, which consisted of 100 plus students. At the time, Judge Gorman was interested in practicing juvenile law and did not anticipate a judicial career. True to form, she kept busy in law school by writing for the law review and, more importantly, having her first child Jude.
Upon graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1977, Judge Gorman began practicing in the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. While there, she spent eight and one half years in the civil division working on, among other things, employment disputes, labor relations, civil rights cases, and representing county boards, agencies, and elected officials. Judge Gorman describes herself as having had a “nanosecond” of criminal law experience while at the Prosecutor’s office with the prosecution of two criminal cases under her belt before taking the bench.
Lee Falke, the Montgomery County Prosecutor at the time, was instrumental in encouraging her to apply for an appointment to the Common Pleas Court. She credits Lee Falke as being the “best boss ever” (a claim that the members of HER staff, including myself, may have to dispute). At the time, she and her husband
Dayton Bar Briefs April 2020 18 were raising three children ages four, six and ten.
While Judge Gorman was not the first female judge on the Montgomery County bench, she was the first in the General Division. Attorney Susan Blasik-Miller recently reflected that having Judge Gorman on the General Division bench in the late 80’s and early 90’s when men still clearly dominated the profession was inspirational to her and other young female lawyers at the time. Further, in her experience with Judge Gorman over thirty plus years, the judge has always demonstrated the highest integrity and treated all attorneys and litigants with respect and fairness.
Without her realizing it, Judge Gorman’s demeanor in the courtroom had an impact on Attorney Arkesha Sellers at the start of her career. She recalled being nervous at her first appearance before Judge Gorman in a full courtroom at docket. Judge Gorman’s encouraging attitude toward her from the bench, however, was noticeable to the young lawyer. According to Attorney Sellers, “it made all the difference to see her encouragement,” and as result, she felt confident and empowered in her practice as a relatively new female attorney.
Judge Gorman’s commitment to fairness in the courtroom is recognized by many in the legal community. Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. says, “For over 30 years, as a Common Pleas Court Judge and as the Presiding Judge, Barbara has served the people in Montgomery County with dignity, honor, and respect. She has the uncanny ability to spot the most salient issues in the cases that appear before her and deals with them accordingly. She exhibits excellent judicial temperament, is fair to both sides and insures justice for victims and citizens as well as defendants.”
www.daybar.org Montgomery County Public Defender Theresa Haire, who had not been assigned to Judge Gorman until this past year, is struck by the judge’s patience with and empathy toward her office’s clients. She commented, “Many of my clients seem to sense that the judge truly cares what happens to them after they leave her courtroom.”
In addition to her judicial duties, which included being administrative judge for two terms, serving on various committees of the court, and presiding over Drug Court and Non-Support Court, Judge Gorman has maintained an active role supporting the Dayton community with her volunteer activities. In the past, she has served on numerous nonprofit boards and is currently on the Board of the YWCA Dayton, the Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project, and the Brunner Literacy Center, which is a non-profit organization that provides free one-on-one tutoring to adults who want to improve their reading, writing, and math literacy skills.
Judge Gorman has a strong commitment to the University of Dayton Law School, where she currently serves on the Alumni Board. She also taught Civil Practice as an Adjunct Professor for twenty-five years with Attorney Tom Whelley II. Many U.D. law students have interned with Judge Gorman throughout her tenure, and she was able to provide those students with valuable first-hand experience relating to the judicial process. The University of Dayton Law School Alumni Association honored her with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993 and the Francis J. Conte Special Service Award in 2016. In addition, she received the Special Achievement Award from the University of Dayton National Alumni Association in 1998. Judge Gorman and Tim plan to devote a substantial amount of time in their retirement to their favorite activity-visiting their grandchildren and being grandparents. The Gorman’s’ older son Jude and his wife Sarah have a daughter and a son and live in Manhattan. Their daughter Maria and her husband Rick have two sons and live in Brooklyn. J.P. lives in Milwaukee with his wife Kristen and their two sons. Traveling across several states to watch them all grow up will keep the Gorman’s busy and happy.
Judge Gorman also plans to continue her volunteer work in the community, including tutoring at the Brunner Literacy Center. Students at the University of Dayton may also see her taking a class or two next year.
Until the end of the year, however, her work at the Court goes on!
By Candace Anderson Staff Attorney The Honorable Barbara P. Gorman Montgomery County Common Pleas Court
