- The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a former judge for disclosing his candidacy for sheriff on Facebook without resigning and refusing to disclose to the Commission the identity of the individual who took his campaign Facebook page live. Barth, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 14, 2019).
- The Colorado Supreme Court publicly censured a former court of appeals judge and accepted her resignation for (1) disclosing to an intimate, non-spousal partner the vote of a court of appeals division on a case prior to the issuance of the decision and (2) using inappropriate racial epithets in communications with that intimate partner, including a racially derogatory reference to a court of appeals colleague. In the Matter of Booras (Colorado Supreme Court March 11, 2019).
- Adopting stipulated findings based on the judge’s consent, the Michigan Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for citing cases to prosecutors in 2 cases in ex parte e-mails and referring to the prosecutors as unprofessional, “a fool that I suffered,” and a “cancer” because they disclosed the e-mails to defense council. In re Filip (Michigan Supreme Court March 8, 2019).
- The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline publicly censured a judge for using an alternate judge whenever it was his turn to act as on-call search warrant judge for 4 years and failing to cooperate with 3 chief judges; the Commission also ordered the judge to attend the National Judicial College course “Leadership for Judges.” In the Matter of Hastings, Findings of fact, conclusions of law, and imposition of discipline (Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline March 6, 2019).
- Granting the Judicial Standards Commission’s motion to enforce a stipulation agreement, which the judge did not contest, the New Mexico Supreme Court suspended a judge without pay for 3 weeks for, during a radio interview, misrepresenting the conduct for which he had been censured pursuant to a previous stipulation, thereby violating that agreement. In the Matter of Walton, Order (New Mexico Supreme Court March 12, 2019).
- Granting the Judicial Standards Commission’s motion to accept a stipulation, the New Mexico Supreme Court ordered the permanent resignation of a judge for failing to immediately resign as a municipal judge when she declared her candidacy for county commission. Inquiry Concerning Encinias, Order (New Mexico Supreme Court March 29, 2019).
- Based on the report of a referee following a hearing, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a non-lawyer judge for conveying his personal interest, as a member of the high school basketball referees’ association, in a case involving 2 referees who were accosted after a game by communicating with the judge who was handling the case, the defendant’s attorney, and the district attorney’s office. In the Matter of Forando, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct March 25, 2019).
Judicial ethics and discipline 