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Federal judge retires, discusses post’s ‘weight of responsibility’

By Mark Maroney 8 min read

After 51 years in the legal profession, U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. "Skip" Arbuckle has traded his black robe for a sailor's jacket and boat shoes.

"Thank you for this opportunity for some words of rebuttal," Arbuckle said at his recent retirement ceremony at the Herman T. Schneebeli federal building and U.S. Courthouse at 240 W. Third St. in Williamsport.

Members of the Federal Bar Association and Lycoming Law Association inside the courtroom laughed at the quip.

Over the years, most everyone who arrived in Arbuckle's orbit considered him benevolent, fair, prepared, self-effacing and always willing to listen.

As he took the time to thank everyone – including colleagues, law clerks, lawyers, friends and staff for attending the ceremony, interjected his familiar wit: "Except, I suspect some of you are just here to make sure I am really leaving."

In 2008 Arbuckle was appointed to serve as the part-time U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Williamsport, and accepted an eight-year full-time appointment on June 8, 2017.

He recalled feeling the "weight of responsibility" that came with it,""not only the legal responsibility but the moral."

Every case, every ruling, every decision was about more than just applying the law; "it was people's lives, their futures and the trust that is placed in our system. "I tried to never forget that responsibility," he said.

Arbuckle took time to speak about what works in the court system, including the success story of Marissa Copen, a C.A.R.E. Court graduate. Copen led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance, and Arbuckle asked her ahead of time if it would be okay to share a bit about her life story. She agreed.

A high school drop out, Copen was a single mother who got involved in drugs and was arrested. She went to jail, but after jail U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann referred her to the Court-Assisted Re-Entry Program (C.A.R.E.), which began in 2009 at the direction of federal Judge Yvette Kane.

"Today, Copen has a future but not one people would have bet on when she first showed up in federal court," Arbuckle remarked with a huge smile.

Copen recently sent a photograph to her probation officer who guided her through CARE. The photo showed her with a cap and gown beside her long-time partner. Today, Copen is preparing to enter law school.

Such benevolence and ability to give second chances to those who deserve it was pointed out by Nicole B. Slike, an attorney and Arbuckle's "career law clerk."

"Besides being kind, generous and patient, he had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge," Slike said, describing how Arbuckle kept a note card in his front shirt pocket and would jot down ideas, observations and topics he wanted to research. Later, he would share his musings with staff in his chambers and at lunch. He was a constant source of encouragement and positivity, she said, adding he also would take them out for ice cream.

Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas Judge William P. Carlucci said about 20 years ago he had the privilege of serving as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He said he met "Skip" long before that when Carlucci was serving as an assistant district attorney in Lycoming County.

Then county District Attorney Kenneth Brown decided that the prosecutor's office would undertake a comprehensive investigation into drug trafficking in the county through the use of what was a "hard wire."

Brown reached out to the Attorney General LeRoy (Roy) S. Zimmerman for help, Carlucci said. Fortunately, Zimmerman had assigned to the county the "best of his staff."

Carlucci said he then had the privilege of working with Arbuckle to meet what essentially was a Constitutional challenge, and, largely, as a result of Arbuckle's scholarship, he said, "we were successful in defending the constitutionality of the statute."

"I did not know at that time that my association with Skip would last over these years," Carlucci said. It was obvious, back then, that Arbuckle was a "superior lawyer," he said.

Arbuckle's extraordinary service included work with the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA).

Arbuckle's scholarship was "so superior that the Pennsylvania Bar Association tasked him to serve on the PBA Editorial Committee – which meant that every printed word that would come out of the Association was not an embarrassment to the association," Carlucci said.

Arbuckle has served in that capacity since 1989.

"Making sure the association is never embarrassed in writing is a tall order, and he has done so for a period of 20 years," Carlucci said.

Additionally, Arbuckle served as Zone Governor of the PBA, which Carlucci said he also had the same privilege of doing. Rather than drone on about that role, Carlucci said the Zone Governor is the person who is responsible for making sure that every lawyer in their zone is heard by the leadership of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the person for bringing policy back.

Arbuckle, he said, has a special place in his heart for those who have been suffering from depression or drug or alcohol abuse. Also, not everyone has access to legal services and Arbuckle has been active in assuring those in need and the indigent are provided pro bono legal services, Carlucci said.

"I got to know and respect him," said Patrick A. Casey, attorney with Myers, Brier & Kelley, LLP.

Casey said recalling a trial several months long in which Arbuckle's client was acquitted on all counts, and for Casey's client it was a hung jury and the other lawyer's client was a hung jury. The case was retried and Casey's client was convicted and for another attorney's client it was another hung jury.

"I got to know and learn from Skip and learned that not every cross-examination needed to be done," he said, appreciating his logic and wisdom.

Federal Public Defender Gerald A. Lord said he appeared before Arbuckle hundreds of times for initial appearances, release cases, arraignments, bail hearings, and sentencings for felonies and those committing misdemeanor crimes. As a public defender, Lord said he always knew when he contested detention he was going to get Arbuckle's full attention.

"He'd listen to evidence, do background checks . .. to make sure if he was going to release someone that it was not only safe to the person he was releasing but also for the community," Lord said.

"Sometimes I did not enjoy his decisions, other times I did," he said, adding that Arbuckle wanted to make sure that every client who went before his honor was treated with dignity and respect."

He also gave the public defender respect.

"He would say to every client, 'you have a good lawyer here.

Arbuckle, who was born and raised in Erie, was educated at Grove City College, graduating in 1971 with a bachelor of arts with honors.

He went on to study at the University of Akron School of Law (1974 J.D.). While there, he was a member of the Akron Law Review, won the Sixth Circuit Moot Court competition in 1973, and was named Best Oral Advocate in the competition.

Arbuckle has been a lawyer for the Pennsylvania Judicial Inquiry and Review Board, where he was Chief Counsel.

He has served as Pennsylvania's Chief Deputy Attorney General for Organized Crime and Public Corruption, as well as the Chief Public Defender of Erie County.

Arbuckle spent two years as Litigation Associate at Knox Graham McLaughlin & Sennett (now the Knox Law Firm) in Erie.

From 1994 to 2017, Arbuckle was in private law practice in Centre County, where he was shareholder and managing attorney for the Mazza Law Group, P.C.

Arbuckle taught Professional Responsibility and Intensive Trial Advocacy at Widener Commonwealth Law; Civil Pre-Trial Advocacy at Penn State Dickinson Law; and multiple topics for the Pennsylvania Minor Judiciary Education Board.

He also taught undergraduate business law courses for Penn State for 25 years and frequently lectured for various professional groups including PBI and PBA. He currently serves as Chair of the PBA Editorial Committee.

In 1988, Arbuckle was a founding member of the Pennsylvania Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers where he served as corporate secretary for 30 years and remains an active board member and volunteer.

"He had a profound love for the law, a passion for teaching others and benevolence," said Timothy J. Henderson, an attorney with the state Department of State.

Mark S. Weaver, attorney with The Mazza Law Group, P.C., gave the invocation, and Brann served as master of ceremonies, welcoming and introducing honorary visitors of the U.S. Middle District Court, county Court of Common Pleas and district judges.

Throughout the retirement ceremony, Penelope W. Arbuckle, Arbuckle's wife of 44 years, frequently looked at her husband as he received accolades from his colleagues and friends. The couple have four children (Nina, A.J., John and Catie) and seven grandchildren.

Whether Arbuckle was handling a jury trial or a traffic matter he told those attending that he believed, and still believes, that "every person deserves to be heard, respected and treated fairly."

"That belief has been my compass, and, I hope, my legacy."

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