The bench lost another notable judge this past week. Judge Peter Dorsey — who was the former chief judge of the District of Connecticut and who continued to serve despite taking “senior” status — died Friday at the age of 80.

I last appeared before Judge Dorsey very late last year. He had a wonderful sense of humor during that last session and he could still disarm both attorneys and clients with his wit.

It wasn’t always easy.  His trial preparation order was, for many years, the most unique of them all.  But you knew what to expect and he had the quality that most judges seeks — the perception of being fair-minded.

He handled numerous employment-related claims and you can review many of them on Google Scholar here.  His shoes will be hard to fill.