Bucks County Judge Remembered For Kindness And Compassion
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Services were held Wednesday for a Bucks County judge who was instrumental in opening up adoption to a wide array of families.
Leonard Sokolove was remembered as a model judge and a kind person. He presided over some 3,000 adoption cases in his 14 years as an Orphans' Court judge and, in the process, created adoption opportunities that previously didn't exist in Bucks County.
In 1990, he ruled that a white couple could adopt an African-American baby, despite a county policy that parents could only adopt children of the same race.
In 1994, Sokolove ruled a single father could adopt a child when he allowed a widower to proceed with an adoption after his wife died in a case known as "Baby Brittany." Sam Totaro represented the father....
"There were a lot of emotions flying around," said Sam Totaro, who represented the father. "He was very compassionate on both sides. He allowed all the sides to have as much time as needed to address the issues."
Totaro said Sokolove became a father figure to him and many other Bucks County lawyers.
"I think he'll be greatly missed by everyone," he said.
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