Sad News: Death of Administrative Law Judge James Russell of Fort Worth

Administrative Law Judge James Russell of the Fort Worth Office of Disability Adjudication & Review (ODARS) died July 21, 2010 while vacationing in his home state of Maine. Judge Russell had been an ALJ for  the last 3 years in Ft Worth Texas.  He died canoeing the Union River near his camp in Clifton, Maine from a sudden heart attack. He was with his eldest son Daniel at the time of his death.

Judge Russell's case approach could be unusual, as he usually announced his decision at the end of the hearing.  That could make for some awkwardness when he told a claimant that he would deny the claim (fortunately I did not have that experience often).  He was never ugly, however, and I came to respect the fact that he believed the claimant should be told face-to-face where he or she stood.  He was fastidious about the medical record being complete, and he was always prepared for his hearings.  He was an honorable and fair-minded judge, and he will be missed deeply. Cases pending before ALJ Russell in the Fort Worth hearing office will be re-assigned to another judge.