10 years ago this month:

• Based on a stipulation, the California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished a former judge for soliciting donations to a fund-raising auction for a charitable organization, selling auction tickets and having court staff sell tickets, acting as an auctioneer, and using his judicial secretary, court resources, and court letterhead in personal matters. In the Matter of Quall, Decision and Order (California Commission on Judicial Performance June 2, 2008).
• Based on the findings of 3 masters, the California Commission on Judicial Performance removed a judge for deliberately making false and misleading statements concerning her registration and attendance at a judicial education seminar to obtain court funds to which she was not entitled. Inquiry Concerning MacEachern, Decision and Order (California Commission on Judicial Performance June 26, 2008).
• Based on the recommendation of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the Kansas Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for losing her temper with potential jurors during voir dire in a criminal case. In the Matter of Pilshaw, 186 P.3d 708 (Kansas 2008).
• Adopting in part the recommendation of the Judicial Tenure Commission, the Michigan Supreme Court removed a judge from office for (1) making false statements under oath in her divorce proceedings; (2) making and soliciting false statements to the Commission, including submitting fabricated evidence; (3) improperly listing cases on the no-progress docket; (4) excessive absences, commencing proceedings late, untimely adjournments, and improper docket management; (5) allowing a social relationship to influence the release of a criminal defendant from probation; and (6) recklessly flaunting her office in an incident at a gas station. In re Nettles-Nickerson, 750 N.W.2d 560 (Michigan 2008).
• Adopting the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Performance, the Mississippi Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for ex parte communications and other conduct in 3 eviction cases that indicated partiality towards the tenants. Commission on Judicial Performance v. Sutton, 985 So.2d 322 (Mississippi 2008).
• Affirming the findings of the Commission on Judicial Discipline but concluding that the record did not support the Commission’s imposition of a public censure, the Nevada Supreme Court ordered a judge to issue a formal apology to a woman for threatening to detain her until her boyfriend, the defendant, arrived and for using language that his marshal reasonably believed was an instruction to detain the woman. In re Assad, 185 P.3d 1044 (Nevada 2008).
• Adopting the presentment of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, the New Jersey Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for presiding over a traffic case involving a defendant with whom she had a personal relationship and, following an ex parte meeting with the defendant in her chambers, dismissing the ticket off the record and waiving court costs. In the Matter of Elias, 948 A.2d 1272 (New Jersey 2008).
• Accepting the determination of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the New York Court of Appeals removed a judge from office for revoking the recognizance release of 46 defendants when no one took responsibility for a ringing cell phone. In the Matter of Restaino, 890 N.E.2d 224 (New York 2008).
• Accepting an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for, in 3 cases, making rude, intemperate comments to and about litigants that conveyed the appearance of bias. In the Matter of Pines, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct June 17, 2008).
• The North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission publicly reprimanded a judge for signing an order striking findings made by another judge following ex parte communications from an attorney. In re Taylor, Public Reprimand (North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission June 6, 2008).
• The North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission publicly reprimanded a judge for failing to provide a written judgment for almost 4 years after a trial. In re Frye, Public Reprimand (North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission June 9, 2008).