James M. Fitzgerald

I tried a significant judge trial to him, and he was a real pro. He is the quinessential wise DJ, who knows what you're up to, and lets you go at it. Really great at diffusing incivility ("your friend here says....") and willing to make the hard calls. Waded into a privilege dispute at trial by conducting an immediate evidentiary hearing and made the call right away. Wrote a long, well-researched opinion that was eventually fully upheld by the US Supremes. (Saratoga v. Martinac). It was a real treat to try a case to Judge Fitzgerald. Potential reviewer's bias: I won.