Elaine Pudlowski Up to Be a Judge

The notorious lawyer and GAL is up for an opening in the 22nd Judicial District

Elaine Pudlowski, from her law firm’s website

It seems in Missouri there are no limits when it comes to court corruption.

Elaine Pudlowski is a notorious figure; she was the star of the Zoom conference which caused so much excitement and controversy last year.

Both Megan Fox of PJ Media and I gave her enormous coverage. Here’s more from Megan.

Following the bombshell lawsuit filed by attorney Evita Tolu against guardian ad litem (GAL) Elaine Pudlowski that led to the recusal of the entire 21st Judicial Circuit Court in St. Louis, Missouri, three more actions have been filed alleging fraud and misconduct against the GAL and others. Kenneth Rosa, media spokesperson for The Father’s Rights Movement filed a lawsuit against Pudlowski, therapist Mindy Skaggs and The Right Solutions Counseling Services (TRSCS) for “injurious services” among other allegations.

Joining Rosa are Devon Arseneau and Plaintiff X, who does not want to be named publicly, who also named Pudlowski in their individual lawsuits alleging similar claims relating to what they say is family court corruption. Among the shocking claims in Rosa’s lawsuit is the allegation that he did not receive due process in court and was coerced into giving up his rights.

She received local scrutiny.

Here’s more local coverage.

A Missouri Court of Appeals has dismissed a divorced mother’s lawsuit against family court insiders whom she alleges engaged in constructive fraud when removing her two children from her custody.

In its Dec. 28, 2021 opinion, a panel of three Missouri Court of Appeal judges invoked the doctrine of quasi-judicial immunity in dismissing the claims against psychologist Dr. James D. Reid, guardian ad litem (GAL) Elaine Pudlowski, and Jennifer Webbe Van Luven, who counseled Tolu’s 14- and 13-year-old sons at the time.

“There is no reasonable basis to differentiate between guardian ad items and court-appointed independent psychological evaluators with respect to extending the common law doctrine of quasi-judicial immunity, both are appointed to provide neutral assistance in connection with the courts' judicial fact-finding function, both owe their principle allegiance to the court and the policy rationale underlying quasi-judicial immunity is served by extending absolute immunity from civil liability to both for acts within the scope of their expressly assigned judicial functions,” the opinion states.

However, Evita Tolu, a St. Louis immigration attorney who filed the lawsuit on her own behalf, argues that no neutrality existed during custody proceedings.

I also previously covered her involvement in the Van Den Bergh case and others.

{Patricia} Susi represented the mother in this case from September 2017-June 2018; during that period she was in constant contact with Pudlowski, who was the Guardian ad Litem (GAL). 

A GAL is brought into custody cases to represent the best interest of the child or children. 

They were repeatedly in inappropriate communication. In one instance, they scheme behind the scene to stop mom from having her daughter see a therapist.

In fact, she’s on a recording saying, of an alleged sexually abuse by a father against his daughter, “Did he stick his finger up her butt. I don’t know. I do not know . I will not guess. She says he did. He says he didn’t. You weren’t there. She wasn’t there. I wasn’t there. What I have tried to do, obviously unsuccessfully, is to protect your daughter, to say, ‘if something happened let’s figure it out. In a safe place, with a counselor I trust.”

All of that has not stopped the powers that be from nominating Pudlowski to a position as Judge in the 22nd District. Here is part of a press release from June 7, 2022.

The Twenty-Second Circuit Judicial Commission announced the panel of three nominees to be submitted to Governor Michael L. Parson to fill the circuit judge vacancy in the city of St. Louis created by the retirement of Judge James E. Sullivan. Those nominated by the commission are:

Craig K. Higgins – Higgins graduated in 1988 from the University of Missouri-Columbia and in 1991 from Drake University School of Law. He is an associate circuit judge in the city of St. Louis.

Elaine A. Pudlowski – Pudlowski graduated in 1987 from Washington University in St. Louis and in 1993 from Washington University School of Law. She is a partner at Frankel, Rubin, Klein, Payne & Pudlowski.

David A. Roither – Roither graduated in 1996 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and in 1999 from Saint Louis University School of Law. He is an associate circuit judge in the city of St. Louis.

I reached out to the office of Missouri Republican Governor Mike Parson. His office said, “The 22nd Judicial Commission sent us a panel that includes three names, and the Governor has 60 days to select from those names.”

According to the website Ballotpedia, judicial appointments go through a multi-pronged process.

Selection of state judges in Missouri occurs largely through merit selection, specifically the assisted appointment method in which the governor selects a nominee from a list provided by a nominating commission. Appointed judges serve a short initial term and later run in yes-no retention elections if they wish to serve full terms.

According to the press release announcing Pudlowski’s appointment, the selection committee which nominated her consisted of: Judge Sherri B. Sullivan, chief judge of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, and commission chair; Matthew J. Devoti, Chris Goodson, Andre Harris, and J. Brent Dulle, secretary of the commission.

I reached out to the Missouri Court of Appeals at the number listed on the press release; the Court of Appeals said that Ms. Pudlowski, like all candidates, went through an open process, including an interview and background check, before being chosen.

Post Script:

Pick up your “Anyone But Elaine Pudlowski” T-shirt here.