Ex-Judge Richard Posner Wins Lawsuit Over $170K Pay Dispute

Former U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Posner has won a lawsuit from Indiana man, Brian Vukadinovich who claimed he was owed $170,000 for unpaid wages from his work at a fleeting legal aid center established by the judge. U.S. District Judge Theresa Springmann ruled Monday that whatever oral agreement that Posner had with Vukadinovich was unenforceable because it was oral. Judge Springmann found that Vukadinovich’s claim of unjust enrichment was barred by Indiana’s two-year statute of limitations because the allegedly unpaid-for services were rendered until July 2019, while the lawsuit was filed in 2022. 

Vukadinovich claimed he was promised $120,000 per year to work as co-executive director of the Posner Center of Justice for Pro Se’s, which Posner established in 2018 to assist self-represented litigants. The plaintiff, formerly a shop teacher at a high school, testified that he was introduced to Posner after he self-represented in court successfully. He took the position on a verbal offer to work as co-executive director.

Nevertheless, Judge Springmann noted Indiana law requires oral contracts to be enforceable only if they can be performed within a year. In Vukadinovich’s case, because the salary was to be paid after the first year, the agreement did not meet the legal requirement. She also found Vukadinovich’s claim of unjust enrichment was beyond the state’s two-year statute of limitations.

Posner’s lawyers had earlier said that the ex-judge, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was unable to legally be able to make such an agreement. Vukadinovich said that he will appeal the decision because there was judicial bias in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.