New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Judge who got $400K while on leave agrees to unpaid suspension
Superior Court Judge Alice Bruno, who was under investigation for a more than two-year absence from the bench while she collected roughly $400,000, has agreed to an unpaid suspension and to pursue a disability retirement, according to an agreement made public Monday.
In a rare move, the Connecticut Supreme Court last month ruled to investigate Bruno’s lengthy absence, appointing state Inspector General Robert Devlin, a retired judge, to lead the probe.
However, the agreement, filed last week, has ended the investigation in exchange for Bruno accepting the unpaid suspension as of June 2 and continuing her disability retirement application that she submitted to the Judicial Review Council, records show.
“Judge Bruno is clearly dismayed that issues involving her medical conditions interfered with her ability to continue to serve as a judge,” Bruno’s attorney, Jacques Parenteau, said in a statement. “Judge Bruno values the positive feedback she received during her time on the bench, and continuing to this day, from those who know her best. It is important to note that Judge Bruno has not been found to have violated the judicial code.”
Parenteau went on to say: “By agreeing to this resolution of the court’s investigation, Judge Bruno has rightly focused her attention on maintaining her health as an essential priority while she pursues a disability retirement.”
Bruno has been on leave since stress related to her job led to cardiac testing in November 2019, records show. She has since been accused of violating the judicial code of conduct as it relates to promoting confidence in the judiciary, giving precedence to office and competence, records show.
In a show-cause hearing in April, Bruno told the Supreme Court the entire process was “extremely difficult.”
“There’s nothing I want more than to serve the people of Connecticut fairly and appropriately,” Bruno said.
During her absence, her attorney argued she sought to return in December 2020 with accommodations, but those were not granted.
“Judge Bruno wanted to be back at work in a judicial district where she had a supportive environment since 2020, so there’s no cause to commence an investigation to determine whether or not she violated these judicial rules, the code of conduct,” Parenteau said at the show-cause hearing.
While the hearing and various court records have not specifically addressed her medical condition, a filing ahead of the hearing said a hostile work environment at the Judicial Branch had worsened some preexisting conditions and she eventually needed accommodations to work.
During her more than two years on leave, Bruno continued to receive her annual salary of approximately $170,000, which became a point of contention during the show-cause hearing.
“You’ve indicated that over the last two-plus years, Judge Bruno has not performed any services on behalf of the people of Connecticut in exchange for the $400,000 she has received. Is that correct?” Justice Andrew J. McDonald asked Parenteau during the hearing.
While Parenteau did not have an exact figure, he responded to McDonald that the payment was an accommodation for her medical conditions.
Bruno had initially sought a disability retirement, but filings show she instead opted to continue to seek accommodation so she could work.
Under the new agreement, Bruno will resign her judgeship if she is denied a disability retirement. If she retires, she remains able to seek a pension for her time working for the state, according to the agreement.
Parenteau filed a motion to have the agreement sealed, but that was denied Monday.