That is what former Linden Municipal Court judge Louis DiLeo alleges.
Filing a wrongful termination lawsuit in the Union County Superior Court on July 10, 2013, DiLeo claimed several charges against the City of Linden and its mayor, Richard Gerbounka, including:
As reported by the Star Ledger, according to DiLeo the dispute between the parties began in 2008 when DiLeo refused a request by Mayor Gerbounka to void a traffic ticket of a local resident. According to DiLeo, the embarrassing incident became public after the mayor “stooped to the lowest level of dirty politics” by engaging in “wrongful and malicious conduct” to oust DiLeo from his position as municipal judge. Mayor Gerbounka would not comment on the lawsuit, but told the newspaper reporter “I refer you to his actions on the bench,” a reference to a 2011 finding by the NJ Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct that DiLeo had violated the judicial code of conduct.
The mayor appoints the municipal judgeship position upon approval by the city council. Gerbounka selected his former campaign manager to replace DiLeo.
An employee has a lot to lose when he or she is wrongfully terminated. In DiLeo’s case, he is seeking:
Depending on the circumstances, a wrongfully terminated employee may also be entitled to compensation for bonuses, health benefits, stock options, severance pay and unemployment compensation.
If you have been wrongfully terminated, you may be entitled to compensation. Find out how much by contacting a wrongful termination lawyer.