20 years ago this month:

• The Nevada Supreme Court upheld the removal of a judge for engaging in numerous and repeated ex parte communications with experts retained by the parties or appointed by her in child custody proceedings and appointing her first cousin as the mediator in a case without informing the parties of their relationship.  In the Matter of Fine, 13 P.3d 400 (Nevada 2000).
• Based on an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge who had continued to serve as secretary/treasurer and director of a corporation after becoming a judge and who had failed to disqualify himself from cases involving an attorney who was making lease payments or mortgage payments to the judge as principal of the corporation.  In the Matter of Torraca, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct November 7, 2000).
• The Utah Supreme Court approved the implementation of the Judicial Conduct Commission’s order of public reprimand of a judge who had on-the-record, in the courtroom criticized jurors in 2 cases for their verdicts.  In re Young, Order (Utah Supreme Court November 7, 2000).
• Pursuant to a stipulation in which the judge agreed to resign, the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly censured a judge for (1) his treatment of 2 witnesses in a case; (2) presiding over a case in which the defendant was the judge’s brother-in-law and transferring the case and recalling a bench warrant after an ex parte contact with the defendant; and (3) writing a defendant whom the judge believed had knowledge of property stolen from the judge, “if you know where by stuff is – I will let you out — & Dismiss your case.”   In re Colby, Stipulation, Agreement and Order of Censure (Washington State Commission November 30, 2000).