Shocking Text Messages by Judge Lisa Greif

Greif, interviewed on KOBI

"Heard about your bad day. Don't worry, those bitches are going down!"

     Judge Lisa Greif, 2-15-2017, to a local litigant Amy Jacobs.

"I also wanted to kill Crain today at CFC graduation. But I was worried about all the witnesses if I just ran and body slammed her."

     Judge Lisa Greif, 5-16-2017, following a graduation ceremony for a Family Court event in her courtroom. 

And this exchange:

Jacobs:  "No matter what happens--Rita is done and that's a win :)"

Judge Greif: "Now if Crain would just go away my life would be complete."

Jacobs:  "I'm working on it :)"

     Judge Lisa Greif and litigant Amy Jacobs, 6-25-2017

Lisa Greif is a Circuit Court Judge serving in Jackson County. The "Crain" in the above texts is Judge Patricia Crain, her colleague on the bench. The "Rita" is Rita Sullivan, for 39 years the Executive Director of OnTrack, a drug and alcohol recovery program. Crain and Sullivan were the "bitches" Judge Greif was actively working to bring down. 


These text messages were uncovered as part of the "discovery" process in a lawsuit filed by Amy Jacobs, a former client of OnTrack, who entered and completed treatment, and who was subsequently employed to manage OnTrack owned housing for people in recovery. Jacobs made a variety of accusations against OnTrack and Rita Sullivan personally. The accusations were given wide publicity in local media. Her case, and the cases of friends who joined in accusations, were either dropped or settled this summer by OnTrack's insurance company for less than the cost of attorney fees to defend them.

For over a year local residents got media reports of alleged wrongdoing by OnTrack, focusing on problems at housing provided by the organization. Jacobs sought to leave OnTrack and secure employment at the Family Nurturing Center, an organization doing some similar work to OnTrack. Judge Greif was on the board of the Family Nurturing Center. 

Judge Greif carried out a lively text-message correspondence revealing a startling relationship between a judge and a person whose job included regular appearances before that judge as a witness to the court on the behavior of tenants in OnTrack housing. Doubly startling, Jacobs was a litigant in a lawsuit against an organization that provides services that were mandated by the court in which both Greif and Crain served. Greif's own text messages show that Greif believed the court itself might be a party to that suit. More startling yet was the Greif's comments to this court witness about her colleague, Judge Patricia Crain. Jacobs also regularly appeared before Judge Crain as a court witness.

In an interview on KTVL

Media "mole." Observers of local media noted a vigorous effort to "try the case in the media" rather than in the courtroom. By damaging the reputation of OnTrack, the cost to the organization in lost contracts for services might be so high it would choose to make a settlement offer to stop the bad publicity. In carrying out the media strategy Jacobs had the advantage of coaching by Greif, her credibility as a sitting judge, her connections with the District Attorney's office, and connections in the media--her "mole."

Greif coached Amy Jacobs and fellow employee plaintiffs on their strategy to feed material to the media, with three texts from Judge Greif to Jacobs on June 14, 2017:

Greif: 
"Yes, we want to show they are full of shit! Rowna is trying to see what she can dig up too."---"Great news about the Neil's case! Fuckers!" --- "Sorry. I am in a mood!"  

Followed up four days later, arranging to send have material sent to Greif's personal email account:

Jacobs: "Did you send your stuff in for mole? I'm meeting with Rowna at 3 to build timeline for media with pictures."

Greif: "No I didn't get anything from anyone to send in.

Jacobs: "I will have plenty."

Greif: "Good."

Jacobs: "Did an amazing time line for my attorney I will send to you on your personal tomorrow :)"

Greif: "Sounds good."

[Note: Rowna Hunt is a supervisor at the Department of Human Services/Child Welfare.]

Then this in August: 

"My mole tells me the media would be willing to do a follow up story on OT's deferred maintenance to point out how long said maintenance was actually deferred. If either of you have any documentation prior to June 2016, such a[s] photos or emails, let me know." Judge Greif to Amy Jacobs 8-14-2017.

 Lisa Greif had knowledge that there was a  problem with her relationship with someone who had filed notices of potential litigation against the court on which she served. Jacobs planned a celebration of progress in her case to be held at a local Mexican restaurant and and "invite my friends."  

Greif responded: "Is your attorney going to be there Friday? I am not sure it is good for me to be there with an attorney on a pending case who has included the court in the tort claim notice. Let me know. You and I could go another time to 'celebrate'."

These messages are a sample from the hundreds of back and forth texts between Judge Greif and the OnTrack accusers. I present more of them below, so readers can see them for themselves, in context. 

The case for Jacobs against OnTrack is over. But there remains the disturbing evidence of Judge Greif's involvement in that case.

I am disappointed in Judge Greif. 

These texts themselves are outlandish and vicious.  They reflect awesomely immature and vengeful thinking. She could easily have foreseen that a litigant might have her phone texts subpoenaed--yet she carried on this ridiculous correspondence anyway. Greif isn't stupid or naive..This is head-shaking imprudence and lack of judgement--the worst possible qualities in a judge.

Worse, the texts reveal a pattern of behavior that seems unethical, unbecoming of a judge, and destructive to the honor of the court system as an impartial way to settle disputes justly. This wasn't just private behavior. She leveraged her position as a judge to assist litigants in an ongoing lawsuit against an agent of the court, both with legal strategy and the media take-down strategy. She disparaged and undermined a fellow judge who interacted with that litigant, disrespecting the court. At a time when public belief in public institutions are are at a new low, Greif's behavior makes it worse. She hurt her court.

I publicly supported Judge Greif in her one contested campaign for office, in 2008. I recall making a significant financial contribution to that campaign.  I had had generally good supportive thoughts about Greif. I thought she would show good judgement. 

Now I don't.

Readers can read these and decide for themselves whether Judge Greif seems reasonable, fair, and just. The phone numbers have been blacked out. Judge Greif's words are marked in yellow. 

Tomorrow: 
Presiding Judge Timothy Gerking and Judge Greif have each responded to my request for a comment, with very brief note. Each asked that it be printed verbatim. I will do so tomorrow.

Message Samples:

 "I also wanted to kill Crain day at CFC graduation, but I was worried about all of the witnesses if I just ran and body slammed her."

Grief to Amy Jacobs, June 2017

"Heard about your bad day. Don't worry, those bitches are going down!"

Conversation comparing OnTrack to the Family Nurturing Center, Feb. 2014

"Now if Crain would just go away my life would be complete"

Bringing down OnTrack, June 2017

"I am not sure it is good for me to be there with an attorney on a pending case who has involved the court in the tort claim notice."

Watching appearances.

"I heard shit going down with licenses? Bahahahahahaha!!!

Media strategy, and OnTrack weakened

Judge Crain is "the witch."

From a conversation about the KOBI and Tribune article.

"Isn't it nice working for someone who has a soul?"

February 2017

Down with OnTrack/Up with Family Nurturing Center. "What a hot mess."

Greif stayed in touch with media strategy while on vacation, March 2017

"My mole tells me the media would be willing to do a follow up story on OT's deferred maintenance."

Leveraging credibility with the media. A "mole" helps

Getting DA friends to hush up an OnTrack supporter: "I will alert some of the DAs."

A DA employee speaks up for OnTrack. Greif intervenes.

"Yeah, they fucked up big time. Off the record, I went off on OHA at at meeting a couple of weeks ago."

Leveraging a judge's power and credibility

"I didn't get anything from anybody to send in."

Actively involved in the media campaign

"Saw the story. That is some good shit. The only thing I wish is for a way to sue Crain!

Conversation about a KOBI story.

"We want to show they are full of shit! Fuckers! Sorry. I am in a mood."

Frustrated.

There were dozens more texts along these lines. I had intended to make the full un-edited package of them available to anyone who asked, in an easily e-mailed PDF file, but I was informed that since the texts showed phone numbers, I cannot do that. If there is reader demand for more examples, I can edit and publish another batch. But these are enough to tell the story.