In the second of a series of summer lectures on Law and Justice in Lycoming County, Attorney Clifford Rieders spoke about his experiences with stereotyping and prejudice during his legal career. Attorney Rieders, a New York native, has lived and worked in Lycoming County since 1975.
Attorney Rieders spoke of his experiences in courtrooms and in the community with prejudice and with local perceptions that, as a Jew, he would not fit into certain communities. He discussed how he addressed the situations with discretion and patience, and sometimes by just ignoring the slight, as sometimes comments were unintentional or a gut reaction that exhibited religious prejudice.
Particularly early in his career, he had difficulty with folks' lack of understanding of Jewish law and tradition on working on the Sabbath and holidays. A local judge insisted that he continue with a trial on a Jewish holiday, causing him to successfully seek the informal intervention of a Supreme Court Justice.
While actual prejudice was certainly something he faced, sometimes it was the fear of an adverse reaction to his faith that left him on the sidelines. He was pulled from a case when the partners at his firm felt that the jurors would react badly to a Jew.
The audience heard a number of "war stories" from Attorney Rieders' fascinating trial work, in civil rights cases.
He concluded his talk with comments on the First Amendment to the Constitution and discussed a series of court cases that have preserved rights to freedom of speech and religion.
The series continues with the third lecture featuring women judges from the state appeal courts: Chief Justice Debra Todd, President Judge Anne Lazarus & Emeritus President Judge Leadbetter, on July 7.
