Lawyer Overview

James A. Downey, III, Esquire, born January 27, 1946 in Baltimore, Maryland and, to date, remains an unwaivering fan of the Orioles

He has an Honorable Discharge from the United States Marine Corps.

Mr. Downey's litigation experience is extensive and profound.

He began his career as a public defender and represented clients of that office in all types of criminal matters from homicide charges to minor offenses.

He represents municipalities in both state and federal trial and appellate courts.

He volunteers to represent indigent clients in the state court in difficult civil matters involving complicated driver licensing issues.

He is a Solicitor for Middletown Township, Lower Bucks County Joint Municipal Authority, Municipal Authority of the Borough of Morrisville and, the Tullytown Borough Civil Service Commission.

A significant part of his practice is devoted to sitting as an arbitrator in insurance dispute matters and for alternate dispute resolution of complicated civil cases.

He received Certificates of Appreciation from the Bucks County Community College and Croydon Fire Company for service to those organizations.

Mr. Downey and his wife Karen reside in Newtown and are the proud parents of one son James, a recent graduate of Loyola College, Maryland.  James takes joy in his golf game; a sport in which he excels.  Mr. Downey's wife, Karen, is active in the St. Andrew's parish in Newtown, Pennsylvania and Special Equestrians in Warrington, Pennsylvania, an organization devoted to horseback riding for the handicapped. 

Areas of Practice

• Arbitration
• Municipal Law
• Civil Rights Law
• Civil Litigation

Representative Cases

• Fogerty v Boles, 121 F 3d 886 (3d Cir. 1997)
• Reitz v. County of Bucks, et. al., 125 F.3d. 139 (3d. Cir. 1997)
• Bristol Borough v. Bristol Borough Police Benevolent Association, 815 A2d 662 (2003)
• Duffy v. County of Bucks, 7 F.Supp.2d 569 (E.D. Pa. 1998)
• Garcia v. County of Bucks, 155 F.Supp.2d 259 (E.D. Pa. 2001)
• Haberstick v. Nesbitt, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11987 (E.D. Pa. 1998)

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania, 1973
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1978
• U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1988

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Bucks County Bar Association (Member)
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• American Trial Lawyers Association
• Ancient Order of Hibernians (Member)
• Brehon Law Society (Member)
• Marine Corps League, Hugh B. Eastburn III Division, Bristol, PA (Member)
• Newtown Crossing Community Association (President, Board of Directors)
• Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Member, Board of Directors)
• Lower Bucks Family YMCA (Member, Board of Directors)

Honors and Awards

• Honorable Discharge -- U.S. Marine Corps.
• Selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer

Past Employment Positions

• Bucks County, Assistant Public Defender
• Bucks County Community College, Lecturer, Business Department, 1982 - 1986

Education

• Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1973
  Juris Doctor
• Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1968
  Bachelor of Science
  Honors: Dean's List

Address

680 Middletown Blvd
Langhorne, PA 19047

Phones

(215) 750-0110

Faxes

(215) 750-0954

Emails

jdowney@begleycarlin.com

Websites

http://www.begleycarlin.com