Special public defender, 99, has no plans to rest his case soon

Connecticut man’s verve impresses younger colleagues

HARTFORD, Conn. — Attorney Morton Katz, 99, recalls just one client assigned to him as a special public defender who made an issue of his age.

That man, charged with stealing a car while on probation, was unhappy about how long it was tak- ing to resolve his case.

“He wrote me the most vicious letters,” Katz said. “The mildest one began, you senile old son of a — well, I won’t quote all the language he used, but it got pretty violent.”

Katz became a lawyer in 1951, after serving in World War II, and continues working contractually with the state of Connecticut as a special public defender. He does almost all of his work in person and over the phone, rather than using computers, but he im- presses far younger colleagues with his sharpness of mind and recall of detail. And he has no plans to retire.

“There are frustrations to beat all hell, but I like what I’m doing. It’s very satisfying,” he said.

Katz, of Avon, was born on May 15, 1919. He graduated from Connecticut State College, the school that became the University of Connecticut, and saw action in World War II in North Katz Africa, Italy, France and Germany before attending law school at UConn.

Superior Court Judge Omar Williams said Katz is asked to handle difficult cases with tough defendants and is very good at what he does.

“Obviously, it’s amazing that there is someone who is 99 years old who is still working in this field,” Williams said. “But to be putting out that type of work product, to be every bit a persuasive advocate — it’s absolutely incredible.”

As a special public defender, Katz is paid $350 per case, no matter how much work he puts in, unless the case goes to trial, and then he gets an hourly wage.

He dedicated himself to public service after an uncle, who put Katz through college, refused his offer to pay him back.

“He said, ‘No, what you will do is find someone else who needs your help, and you will help them,’ ” Katz said.

Neither the American Bar Association nor the National Association of Public Defenders could say whether Katz is the oldest practicing lawyer in the United Statess.

Katz, for his part, said he plans to end his legal career “when they carry me out of here.”

And the accused car thief whohad such vicious words for Katz? He came around a bit once Katz managed to get the case tossed.