Lucas Reported Doing ‘Well’ After Operation

Chief Justice Malcolm M. Lucas was reported Thursday to be “doing very well” after his hospitalization for abdominal surgery earlier in the week.

The public information officer for the state Supreme Court, Lynn Holton, said Lucas had telephoned staff members Thursday morning, briefly describing his condition and saying he would likely be released within three or four days.

Holton reiterated that the surgery “was not an emergency,” but said no further information will be released. “The chief justice and his family consider his medical treatment to be a private matter,” she said.

After release from the hospital, Lucas is scheduled to begin a recuperation period at home while continuing to work on court business. Then, after a previously planned vacation, he plans to return to his court chambers here in late August, court officials said.

In his absence, Justices Edward A. Panelli, David N. Eagleson, John A. Arguelles and Marcus M. Kaufman are all scheduled to serve temporarily as acting chief justice on a rotating basis, Holton said.

As other court members had indicated, Eagleson said Thursday that he had not talked to Lucas about the surgery but that he had been assured the chief justice would be able to continue his court work during recuperation. “He’ll keep up with his share of the load,” Eagleson said.