Ninth Judicial District - District Court Judge
Honorable Thomas W. Ossola
Retention Year: 2000
Recommendation: Retain
The Ninth Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance recommends that Judge Thomas W. Ossola BE RETAINED.
This recommendation is based on data from written questionnaires, personal interview with the judge, and courtroom observations.
Judge Ossola was appointed to the County Court bench in 1976 and was appointed to serve on the District Court bench on February 1, 1980. He currently hears criminal and civil cases. He serves as Water Judge for Water Division No. 5, and since 1991 has continuously served as Chief Judge for the Ninth Judicial District.
His responsibilities as Chief Judge entail devotion of significant time to administrative duties involving fiscal matters, personnel management, facilities oversight, assignment of cases, and county court supervision, all in addition to his usual duty of handling a case load as do the other district judges. Judge Ossola is justifiably proud of the efficient administrative organization and operation of the Ninth Judicial District.
The group of non-attorney respondents to the questionnaires include court and probation employees, crime victims, jurors, law enforcement personnel, litigants and social service personnel. This group responded with 58% recommending retention in office. Twenty-nine percent (29%) of this group recommended non-retention and 14% offer no opinion as to retention.
Attorney questionnaires rate the judge as follows: 69% recommend retention, 27% recommend non-retention and 4% express no opinion.
Judge Ossola received favorable comments for his passionate devotion to the judicial process, particularly his attempts to comply with the letter and spirit of recent judicial department state-wide directives on case processing and docket management. The judge has a reputation for being well prepared when conducting court business; and he takes his responsibilities very seriously. He acknowledged his need to increase his patience level instead of becoming frustrated or hurried with litigants or counsel when certain cases are being presented to him; and he voiced a commitment to address concerns expressed by non-attorneys and attorneys alike in this area of judicial temperament.
Judge Ossola is quite proud to have the opportunity to serve as District Judge, which he perceives as an extension of his legal training and previous service as an attorney in the public and private sectors. The Ninth Judicial District Performance Commission recommends that Judge Thomas W. Ossola be RETAINED in office.