Louisiana Politics 2014: Judge Chris Bruno seeks 2nd term at Civil District Court

By Christopher Tidmore
Contributing Writer

Some of Civil District Court Judge Chris Bruno’s most poignant memories from his teen years come from making furniture. “My dad taught me the value of hard work. I started working in my father’s cabinet shop when I was 12,” he recollected.

Frank Bruno, as the judge’s father once explained to the author, had a philosophy that it was better for his sons to be building chairs, tables, and cabinets than to be roaming the streets. The boys would earn the right to go on summer vacations through their efforts. These lessons of hard work stayed with the younger Bruno throughout his youth in New Orleans and as he “developed a passion for the law after I graduated from Brother Martin High School in 1979.”

BRUNO

“I have been around the law ever since, working as a secretary, legal assistant, court runner, associate, partner and ultimately a judge. I have three passions: law, music, and senior citizens. I am the president of board of directors for Mercy Endeavors Senior Activity Center, a center serving economically disadvantaged seniors in the Irish Channel. We are close to breaking ground on a new center at Jackson and Rousseau Street in New Orleans. The current center simply does not have enough space. I am dedicated to and love my work.”

And, he wants another term on the Civil District Court. “ I want to finish the work that I started,” Chris Bruno argued. “ My goal when I ran was to run a fair, efficient and timely docket. It is fair because those who appear before me know that I will read the materials, the law and will rule without reference to status, style or form. It is efficient because I know that litigants, witnesses and jurors have to take time off work to appear in court.”

“My pre-trial work, which puts a great deal of emphasis on preparation, limits the time that a juror, witness or litigant has to spend in the court room. It also allows the parties to explore amicable means to resolve their disputes. It is timely because there is only two ways a matter will resolve: by trial or settlement. The expedited setting of motions, rules and trials fosters settlement. Litigants should not have to wait years to have their case heard. I set trial dates within six months of a request. I know that the attorneys who appear before me have developed an expectation that when a case is assigned to Division F, they know that I will be prepared and will allow them to try their case.”

“My platform is as follows: I will continue to resolve matters in a fair, efficient and timely manner; I will continue to focus on judicial accessibility by setting matters quickly, diligently preparing, carefully deliberating, and ruling based upon the law; I will continue to implement new methods to streamline cases through the legal system to lessen the time that litigants, witnesses and jurors are away from work and family; I will continue to work hard to improve the image of the judiciary as a vital link in the cause for justice; I will continue to use my robe to ensure equal justice for all noting that the judiciary should not be a cause for self-promotion or for the creation of a title.”

The controversy over the construction of a new CDC Court House dominated the now moribund Big Charity-Civic Center Conversion. However, the judges, Bruno included, continue to argue that the CDC complex at Loyola and Poydras is falling apart. “I serve on the Civil District Court building commission. I propose that 421 Loyola Avenue be renovated if possible. The problem is that we do not have sufficient funds to service a large debt. In order to do so we would have to raise fees which will hurt the citizens of this city and may become an access to justice problem.”

Still, Bruno lists “the building” as the biggest problem at the CDC. Nevertheless, when asked if it was it a mistake to stop the merger of the courts, at least from a budgetary angle, since in other parishes the Civil docket fees subsidize the Criminal docket, Bruno argued the opposite. Noting “I am only al­lowed to comment on matters related to the administration of justice, “ he still added, “Civil District Court, except for judicial salaries, is funded by filing fees. This court has a difficult time managing its operations on the funds we receive now. The merger of the two courts would only serve to exacerbate this issue. Further, we have two separate buildings. Both courts need new courthouses.”

As to the retirement controversy, as to the current retirement age should be abolished, Bruno ducked the question on ethics grounds. “I have no comment on this as it may be presented to this court for disposition.”

And as to why the voters should consider his candidacy, Chris Bruno said simply, “I have the overwhelming support of both the plaintiff and defense bar. My docket is up to date and all matters are set timely and resolved quickly with due deliberation. “

Being a federal year, the election is the first Tuesday in November.

This article originally published in the October 6, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.