10 years ago this month:

• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for injecting herself into a traffic case involving her son by approaching a court administrator and a hearing officer. Segal, Amended order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct June 17, 2010).
• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for informality and attempted humor in the courtroom that gave the appearance that he did not take the defendant’s case seriously. Gaines, Amended order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct June 22, 2010).
• Agreeing with the recommendation of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the Georgia Supreme Court removed a non-lawyer judge for (1) routinely stating to criminal defendants that they had the burden of proving their innocence; (2) allowing criminal defendants to “buy out” their community service, placing the proceeds into a bank account from which he judge would authorize the release of funds by court orders he signed, and failing to disclose the bank account or turn over the money to the county; (3) abusing and insulting parties appearing in court; (4) routinely initiating and considering ex parte communications; (5) disposing of criminal cases in which the defendants were charged with crimes that were beyond the jurisdiction of his court; (6) involving himself in a matter not properly before his court and using the prestige of his office to improperly influence a litigant; (7) issuing orders that prohibited the sheriff from awarding “good time” in accordance with a statute; and (9) allowing unqualified persons to serve as interpreters in his court. Inquiry Concerning Fowler, 696 S.E.2d 644 (Georgia 2010).
• The Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Press release (McEvoy) (Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct June 9, 2010).
• The Mississippi Supreme Court suspended a judge from office for 30 days without pay, publicly reprimanded him, and fined him $1,500 for inappropriately touching a court clerk and using a racially derogatory term to refer to an African-American department of corrections employee. Commission on Judicial Performance v. Brown, 37 So.3d 14 (Mississippi 2010).
• The Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications publicly reprimanded a judge for displaying an impatient, discourteous, angry, and condescending tone and demeanor during a child support hearing. In the Matter of Silverman (Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications June 4, 2010).