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Vol. 35, Number 11—November 2003 Magistrate Judges, Bankruptcy Judges Can Serve Long Careers on Bench Magistrate Judge Ila Jeanne Sensenich has served on the bench of the Western District of Pennsylvania since early in 1971, less than three years after the office of federal magistrate (now magistrate judge) was established by Congress. Now in her fourth eight-year term, Sensenich says her enthusiasm remains high. "I love the fact that it is a continual learning experience . . . . I love the constant intellectual challenge," she said. Magistrate Judge Peter Palermo of the Southern District of Florida began his federal court career two months before Sensenich. "It sounded interesting. It was. It still is," said Palermo, who at 85 is now a full-time magistrate judge on recall status. Bankruptcy Judge Alexander Paskay of the Middle District of Florida began presiding over cases in 1963—15 years before the office of bankruptcy judge was created by Congress in 1978. "You must like it, but if you do, it’s a rewarding experience, a good job," Paskay said, who first served as a bankruptcy referee under a system that dated back to 1898. These days, magistrate and bankruptcy judges nationwide handle more than 2 million cases a year. Sensenich, Palermo, and Paskay are among the longest serving, helping anchor a federal court system whose caseload is spiraling upward. Increasingly, the system is turning to magistrate judges and bankruptcy judges to help resolve disputes. Magistrate judges are officers of a district court who conduct initial proceedings in felony cases, decide misdemeanor cases, conduct many pretrial civil and criminal matters, and decide civil cases with the parties’ consent. Full-time magistrate judges serve eight-year terms, and can be reappointed by their district court. Bankruptcy judges, who serve 14-year terms and can be reappointed by a circuit court, preside over the legal process by which individuals or businesses that cannot pay their debts seek a court’s assistance in getting a fresh start. In recounting her district’s then-chief judge telling her about passage of the Federal Magistrates Act, Sensenich said, "At the time, I was one of the few women practicing criminal law, and I had gotten to know most of the judges on the court through handling criminal cases. "I was excited by the idea of helping start the magistrates system in the Western District of Pennsylvania. I saw it as a real challenge but expected to serve one term and then return to the practice of law, which I also loved," she said. It did not work out that way. Was Sensenich’s enjoyment of judging worth the financial sacrifice of not going back to private practice? "Absolutely," she answered. Palermo said he almost left the bench after several years, when two of his sons were in college. "Fellow judges talked me into staying. It was the right choice. I’m happy that I’ve been able to contribute to the justice system." Paskay began his bankruptcy court career in the late 1950s, when the practice of bankruptcy law was, he recalled, "a bit sloppy." "I felt it would be a task to put some semblance of judicial efficiency and decorum into the system," Paskay said. "A bankruptcy court faces the challenge of assisting in the rehabilitation of debtors and the satisfaction of creditors. And I get to sit in the catbird seat." To beginning magistrate judges, Sensenich offered this advice: "By accepting appointment, you are making a commitment to do your share to make the judicial system as good as possible. Approach it with commitment, energy, and enthusiasm."

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