PD Says It’s Time To Enjoy Life

From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Veteran lawyer Dick Goldinger might wear a medium golf shirt, but he sports an XXL-size personality. On that, just about everyone who walks the halls of the Butler County Courthouse agrees.

Case in point, courtesy of President Judge Thomas Doerr:

“When I was [district judge], Dick had a preliminary hearing in front of me. Dick is not very tall. … In fact, Dick was as tall standing up as his client was sitting down.

“While Dick was cross-examining the prosecuting officer, his client kept interrupting him and telling him what question to ask next. Dick, who has many years of trial experience under his belt and who was doing a very good job without any assistance from his client, repeatedly told his client to be quiet. The client continued to interrupt Dick, and Dick continued to become more frustrated.

“Finally, Dick turned to his client and, much as you would correct a 5-year-old child, cracked him across the back of his head and yelled at him to sit there and be quiet so that he could do his job.

“The client, who was big enough to pick up Dick with one hand, then sat quietly like a scolded schoolboy and let Dick complete his cross-examination.”

“Goldie,” as he is called, has announced his retirement from the Butler County public defender’s office, which provides free legal counsel to those who can’t afford private attorneys. Mr. Goldinger, 65, has been reporting to work there for 30 years.

Though he will continue his private legal practice from his downtown Butler office, he said he intended to cut his work hours.

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