LIMERICK >> “I pledge to continue to perform my duties with honesty, integrity and fairness.”
That was the promise District Judge Walter F. Gadzicki made to residents of Limerick nearly 30 years ago after his first successful reelection as District Judge. After more than three decades in the position, Gadzicki is set to retire in January and has spent his last few weeks reflecting on his time on the bench and the ways in which he has tried to keep that promise.
“I think it’s fair to say that not everyone has agreed with how I decided their case but that’s human nature. What’s important is that I attempted to be respectful, patient, listened intently and based the decision on the facts and circumstances specific to each case,” Gadzicki said. “People want justice, compassion and mercy but not always in that order.”
Gadzicki was first elected to the judgeship in 1982. After graduating from Spring-Ford High School and majoring in criminology at the University of Tampa, Gadzicki interned with the Tampa Police Department. He then went on to do some student teaching and work for a construction company. At some point during the mix, when Gadzicki was 29, the position for District Judge opened up and he decided to run.
“I went back for my masters at West Chester in the early ’90s for criminal justice and did some adjunct teaching at Montco and Chestnut Hill College. I was lucky enough to be re-elected every six years,” he said.
And an interesting 36 years they have been, according to Gadzicki. From unusual courtroom occurrences to some of his most difficult cases, Gadzicki says there’s never a dull moment when you’re a district judge. He has even compared one of his lighter cases to the popular series of Farmers Insurance commercials, saying he can picture how it would go in his head.
“J.K. Simmons would be walking out of the courtroom in his robe as the judge, walking down the hallway talking to a clerk and say, ‘A big underage drinking party, police units arrive, and kids run everywhere and hide like mice. Two fall through the drywall ceiling and land on the parents’ bed. We adjudicated it Sept. 23, 2012. We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two,’” described Gadzicki.
While Gadzicki has been able to find the lighter side of many cases, there were also many during his three decade career where that simply wasn’t possible. He explained that some of the most difficult cases he has ever dealt with have involved child abuse and endangerment. Gadzicki says he remembers one case specifically that has stuck with him for years.
“I remember hearing a case approximately nine or 10 years ago where a little boy about 2 years old suffered terrible physical abuse at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend. The mother worked long hours at a convenience store and the boyfriend would baby sit. X-rays revealed the boy had numerous broken bones that were old and had healed themselves and also fresh breaks. It was difficult to listen to the medical report regarding the injuries read into the record.”
Gadzicki said that although some cases can be emotionally trying, there has not been a day he’s questioned why he decided to be a District Judge.
“I haven’t really had a day like that and I think it’s because I really enjoy it. I think this is a great job because you can really make a difference for people. And that’s what we all want to do don’t we? We all want to make a difference in life for people,” he said.
Gadzicki was lucky enough to have a couple experiences where he was told first-hand that his decisions made a difference in someone’s life.
“That’s the neat part of the job. It doesn’t happen often but I was at the Royersford Community Day in August and a girl comes up to me and she has two little girls who were probably 4 and 6. She says to me, ‘You don’t remember me but 10 years ago I had a retail theft case and you gave me a second chance and I never forgot that.’ And I thought that’s pretty cool because it doesn’t happen too often,” said Gadzicki.
Gadzicki said if he could offer advice to a new judge it would be to keep the job in perspective.
“District Judges play a significant role in resolving disputes and make decisions every day that impact people’s lives in many ways,” said Gadzicki. “We don’t respond to public opinion, we don’t formulate public policy and we don’t drive political agendas. We put on black robes; we make important decisions about other people’s lives, and we do it one life at a time. That makes our contact with the public very personal, and it’s very important that we do it impartially and with patience, respect, dignity and independence.”
Gadzicki has applied for senior status so that when he retires on Jan. 3 he can still fill in temporarily if there is a vacancy.
“I am so very thankful to have been able to serve my community over all these years, and grateful to have been reelected for six terms in office. I’m also very grateful for my wife, Debbie, and my two children, Lauren and Brant, for being so supportive and understanding over all the years.”
District Court 38-1-19, located at 497 West Ridge Pike, includes cases in Limerick Township and parts of Royersford and Upper Providence.
