HOLLISTER
The civil case against former Supervisor Richard Scagliotti is set to pick up again at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday following a visiting judge’s recusal due to a conflict.
The focus Tuesday will be a calendar setting overseen by Superior Court Judge Harry Tobias. He has not been assigned as a judge in the case and will oversee the case until another visiting judge is found.
“The trial was stopped with the recusal of Judge (Alan) Hedegard,” attorney Mike Pekin told the Free Lance, “and now that it is starting up again and calendaring will be done by Judge Tobias.”
The plaintiffs in the case, led by Pekin since 2003, have alleged that Scagliotti illegally used his position as county supervisor to benefit his business interests as a developer. Scagliotti has denied all the charges.
Hedegard recused himself from the case after he admitted to presiding over the 2007 wedding of Patrick Pekin, the lawyer’s son and the most recent petitioner among several filings.