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|preceded2= [[H. Lawrence Gibbs]]
|preceded2= [[H. Lawrence Gibbs]]
|succeeded2=Kay Kellogg Katz
|succeeded2=Kay Kellogg Katz
|office3=[[Judge of the 4th Judicial District Court in Ouachita Parish
|office3=[[Judge]] of the 4th Judicial District Court in Ouachita Parish
|term_start3=1999
|term_start3=1999
|term_end3=December 31, 2006
|term_end3=December 31, 2006
|succeeded3=[[Scott Leehy|Bernard Scott Leehy]]
|succeeded3=[[Scott Leehy|Bernard Scott Leehy]]
|birth_date=October 18, 1938
|birth_date=October 18, 1938
|birth_place[[Macedonia]] (formerly [[Yugoslavia]])
|birth_place=[[Macedonia]] (formerly [[Yugoslavia]])
|spouse=Dale Guilkey Dimos
|spouse=Dale Guilkey Dimos
|children= John, Laura, Myra, and Christy
|children= John, Laura, Myra, and Christy
|party=[[Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]
|occupation=[[Attorney]]
|occupation=[[Attorney]]
|alma_mater=Neville High School ([[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]])<br>
|alma_mater=Neville High School ([[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]])<br>
Dimos is married to the former Dale Guilkey. They have four children — John, Laura, Myra, and Christy.<ref name=enlou/> Before he entered the legislature, Dimos was the executive director from 1971 to 1972 of the Miss Louisiana Pageant. In his younger years, he was active in the Louisiana Jaycees. Thereafter, he was in the [[Chamber of Commerce]] and Rotary International. He is [[Episcopalian]].<ref name=enlou/>
Dimos is married to the former Dale Guilkey. They have four children — John, Laura, Myra, and Christy.<ref name=enlou/> Before he entered the legislature, Dimos was the executive director from 1971 to 1972 of the Miss Louisiana Pageant. In his younger years, he was active in the Louisiana Jaycees. Thereafter, he was in the [[Chamber of Commerce]] and Rotary International. He is [[Episcopalian]].<ref name=enlou/>
==Legislative service, 1976-1999==
==Legislative service, 1976 to 1999==
Dimos was elected to the District 16 House seat in Ouachita Parish in 1975, the same year that Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] won the second of his four [[Governor|gubernatorial]] terms. Dimos became a reformer in the legislature and was hence tapped by Roemer as Speaker in 1988. While Roemer switched parties in 1991, Dimos remained a Democrat. In Louisiana, the governor has traditionally exercised such influence in the selection of the House speaker as to be tantamount to formal election by the representatives themselves. Even in 2020, Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] managed to get a [[Moderate Republican]], rather than a [[conservative]] for the Speaker's office.
Dimos was elected to the District 16 House seat in Ouachita Parish in 1975, the same year that Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] won the second of his four [[Governor|gubernatorial]] terms. Dimos became a reformer in the legislature and was hence tapped by Roemer as Speaker in 1988. While Roemer switched parties in 1991, Dimos remained a Democrat. In Louisiana, the governor has traditionally exercised such influence in the selection of the House speaker as to be tantamount to formal election by the representatives themselves. Even in 2020, Democratic Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] managed to get a [[Moderate Republican]], rather than a [[conservative]] for the Speaker's office.
When Dimos became Speaker, [[Allen Bares]] of Lafayette, with Roemer's blessing, began a two-year stint as Senate President, although another candidate, Sydney B. Nelson of [[Shreveport]], had been seeking the position for months by arranging private meetings with colleagues in their Senate districts.<ref>Ron Gomez, p. 185.</ref>
When Dimos became Speaker, [[Allen Bares]] of Lafayette, with Roemer's blessing, began a two-year stint as Senate President, although another candidate, Sydney B. Nelson of [[Shreveport]], had been seeking the position for months by arranging private meetings with colleagues in their Senate districts.<ref>Ron Gomez, p. 185.</ref>
==Defending controversial Tulane scholarships==
==Defending controversial Tulane scholarships==
Representative Dimos rose to defend an old state law which permits Tulane, his alma mater, to avoid paying taxes to the state. The university instead places scholarship waivers into the hands of state legislators and the mayor of New Orleans, who then select the recipients. The purpose of the law was to make a college education available to qualified citizens who could not otherwise engage in formal higher education. Lawsuits have divulged that many of the recipients have been the well-to-do relatives of Louisiana judges and legislators.
Representative Dimos rose to defend an old state law which permits Tulane, his alma mater, to avoid paying taxes to the state. The university instead places scholarship waivers into the hands of state legislators and the mayor of New Orleans, who then select the recipients. The purpose of the law was to make a college education available to qualified citizens who could not otherwise engage in formal higher education. Lawsuits have divulged that many of the recipients have been the well-to-do relatives of Louisiana judges and legislators.
Dimos emerged as the House's foremost defender of Tulane. Any abuses were not the fault of Tulane, he argued, but of lawmakers who had undermined the intent of an otherwise worthy program. Since then, most of the legislators have relinquished the scholarship-recipient selection process to committees of citizens at arm's length from the individual legislator.<ref>Ed Anderson, "Tulane scholarships survive," ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' May 30, 1996, p. A-2.</ref>
Dimos emerged as the House's foremost defender of Tulane. Any abuses were not the fault of Tulane, he argued, but of lawmakers who had undermined the intent of an otherwise worthy program. Since then, most of the legislators have relinquished the scholarship-recipient selection process to committees of citizens at arm's length from the individual legislator.<ref>Ed Anderson, "Tulane scholarships survive," ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' May 30, 1996, p. A-2.</ref>
=District judge, 1999 to 2006==
Dimos resigned from the legislature when he was elected to the 4th Judicial District bench to succeed Republican Judge Robert William "Bob" Kostelka, who resigned from the 4th District state judgeship when he was elected without opposition to the state Second Circuit Court of Appeal. Dimos won the [[special election]] for judge that was held on March 27, 1999. In a low-turnout contest, he polled 5,430 votes (64 percent) to Republican Marshall Sanson's 3,081 votes (36 percent).
Dimos resigned from the legislature when he was elected to the 4th Judicial District bench to succeed Republican Judge Robert William "Bob" Kostelka, who resigned from the 4th District state judgeship when he was elected without opposition to the state Second Circuit Court of Appeal. Dimos won the [[special election]] for judge that was held on March 27, 1999. In a low-turnout contest, he polled 5,430 votes (64 percent) to Republican Marshall Sanson's 3,081 votes (36 percent).
Dimos has, however, been criticized by attorneys who claim that he is too quick to prejudge a case and that he often coerces one side into settling by threatening that party with an even bigger judgment if they proceed to "put on" their case.
Dimos has, however, been criticized by attorneys who claim that he is too quick to prejudge a case and that he often coerces one side into settling by threatening that party with an even bigger judgment if they proceed to "put on" their case.
"The law is a fascinating profession. . . . You've got to enjoy it to be in it, and I enjoyed it," Dimos said. When he was asked what he would most miss about serving as a judge, Dimos told the ''Ouachita Citizen'' newspaper in West Monroe that he liked the interaction with attorneys and their clients, as well as the camaraderie with other judges. He also said that he enjoyed presiding over jury trials. Dimos said, however, that he "will not miss having to decide which parent gets custody of a child. I hate seeing those cases come to court, but sometimes it can't be avoided."
"The law is a fascinating profession. ... You've got to enjoy it to be in it, and I enjoyed it," Dimos said. When he was asked what he would most miss about serving as a judge, Dimos told the ''Ouachita Citizen'' newspaper in West Monroe that he liked the interaction with attorneys and their clients, as well as the camaraderie with other judges. He also said that he enjoyed presiding over jury trials. Dimos said, however, that he "will not miss having to decide which parent gets custody of a child. I hate seeing those cases come to court, but sometimes it can't be avoided."
In 2003, Dimos underwent treatment for [[cancer]] of the throat, but he was later declared cancer-free. He said that his health played no role in his decision to retire. "I love people. I love to help them. I love to help them solve their problems. If you don't like doing that, you don't need to be in public service," he added. Dimos indicated that he would rejoin his former Monroe law firm—Brown, Erskine, and Burkett—on a reduced schedule.
In 2003, Dimos underwent treatment for [[cancer]] of the throat, but he was later declared cancer-free. He said that his health played no role in his decision to retire. "I love people. I love to help them. I love to help them solve their problems. If you don't like doing that, you don't need to be in public service," he added. Dimos indicated that he would rejoin his former Monroe law firm—Brown, Erskine, and Burkett—on a reduced schedule.