The only clue that U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow was back on the bench Tuesday was the notice posted on the door to her courtroom.
It expressed Lefkow’s gratitude for the outpouring of sympathy over the February murders of her husband and mother. Then it said simply: “In court proceedings, Judge Lefkow respectfully requests that no reference be made to the matter.”
In a low-key return to the bench 4 1/2 months after the murders at her North Side home shocked the country, Lefkow presided over several routine civil cases, dispatching her courtroom duties in little more than 15 minutes.
Appearing relaxed, Lefkow displayed her usual soft-spoken, friendly manner with lawyers, peering down from the bench from behind black-frame glasses. After concluding the fourth and final case on her schedule, she smiled at her deputy and court reporter before standing to leave the room.
A statement released by her staff later said Lefkow would return to the bench on a limited basis over the next several months. The dates of her appearances won’t be made public in advance.
Lefkow had vowed that she would return to the bench despite the tragedy.
Following work Feb. 28, she discovered the bodies of her husband, Michael, 64, an attorney, and her mother, Donna Humphrey, 89. They had been shot. Nine days later, Bart Ross, whose medical malpractice lawsuit had been thrown out by Lefkow months earlier, confessed to the slayings in a suicide note.
Lefkow declined an interview Tuesday, but U.S. District Chief Judge Charles Kocoras said Lefkow intends to work from the bench about one day a week until she returns full time, likely in the fall.
“We’re thrilled to have her back,” Kocoras said.
Attorneys appearing before her were told not to broach the tragedy in any way. In case anyone had missed the notice taped to the courtroom door, her deputy, Michael Dooley, read it aloud before Lefkow entered the courtroom.
Under “Notice to parties appearing before Judge Lefkow,” it said: “Judge Lefkow wishes to express her profound gratitude to all who extended condolences to her and her family after their tragedy of February 28, 2005. The family intends to send acknowledgments to all whose thoughts, prayers, memorial donations and other acts of compassion helped to alleviate their grief.
“In court proceedings, Judge Lefkow respectfully requests that no reference be made to the matter.”
The last sentence was printed in boldface type.
The lawyers who appeared before Lefkow got the message: None said a word about the tragedy to her, and none even dared express a word of welcome on her return for fear of violating the order.
“She didn’t want a lot of fanfare,” Dooley said later. “She appreciates everyone’s concern, but in the courtroom she wants to stick to business.”
No public announcement of Lefkow’s return to the bench had been made, so only a handful of people were present–attorneys with cases before her, Lefkow’s staff and a reporter and columnist from the Tribune.
Three deputy U.S. marshals stood by the rear and front entrances to the courtroom as Lefkow held court.
In recent weeks, Lefkow has occasionally returned to the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse to work in her chambers, friends say. Last week, she issued a 13-page decision in a civil lawsuit. But she hadn’t appeared in court until Tuesday.
Since the murders, Kocoras has handled Lefkow’s calendar–and will continue to do so on days she doesn’t hold court. No new criminal cases have been assigned to Lefkow, and some criminal cases that had been pending before her prior to the murders were transferred to other judges, particularly if defendants were in custody.
Kocoras said he plans to transfer additional criminal cases from Lefkow’s docket, especially those close to sentencing. “I don’t want to burden her with those things that can be relatively unpleasant,” Kocoras said.
The murders weren’t the first serious threat leveled against Lefkow as a judge. In 2003 white supremacist Matthew Hale was charged with soliciting Lefkow’s murder after she ordered that his group change its name after losing a trademark infringement lawsuit. He was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced in April to 40 years in prison.
Lefkow has been given around-the-clock protection from the U.S. Marshals Service since the murders and has been staying at an undisclosed location in the Chicago area.
Friends said Tuesday they don’t expect Lefkow to return to live in the house where the murders took place.
Kocoras said the tragedy has been an unprecedented blow to the court family and its psyche.
“It’s really been for me and a number of others a very sad and difficult time,” Kocoras said. “We’re all affected by what happened.”
“I just never quite realized how its impact could be felt so deeply,” he said.
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mo’connor@tribune.com
