- Accepting the findings and recommendation of the Judicial Qualifications Commission based on stipulations, the Florida Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for yelling and waving his arms at people in the lobby outside his courtroom while trying to get them to be quiet and threatening one of them with contempt. Inquiry Concerning Miller (Florida Supreme Court November 5, 2020).
- Adopting the findings of the Judiciary Commission and agreeing with its findings, the Louisiana Supreme Court removed a justice of the peace from office for being unavailable and unresponsive to the constable and citizens in his jurisdiction, failing to take any action on an eviction filing and to refund the unearned filing fee, and failing to cooperate with the Commission. In re King (Louisiana Supreme Court November 19, 2020).
- Based on a stipulation of discipline by consent, the New Jersey Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a part-time judge for failing to recuse herself from cases in which the landlord for her law office appeared on behalf of clients. In the Matter of Munoz (New Jersey Supreme Court November 23, 2020).
- Accepting an agreed statement of facts and recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a non-lawyer judge for (1) on his personal Facebook page during his campaign, posting memes that propounded conspiracy theories, making disrespectful and undignified comments about laws he would be sworn to uphold as a sitting judge, and endorsing a candidate for the town council and (2) while a judge, posting comments on his personal Facebook page about the release on bond of a defendant he had arraigned, linking to articles critical of bail decisions in other cases, and commenting on one of those cases. In the Matter of Schmidt, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct November 3, 2020).
- The Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline ordered that the pay withheld from a former judge since his suspension in August be permanently withheld and that his resignation and pledge not to serve be binding and irrevocable based on his stipulation to the facts in a complaint filed by the Judicial Conduct Board alleging he (1) in a post-trial conversation with the attorneys in a criminal case, referred to a juror as “Aunt Jemima” and said that she had a “baby daddy” at home “slinging heroin,” referred to a second juror as a “knucklehead,” and criticized the seating of a juror whose daughter was a public defender; (2) made insulting remarks to the parents in a custody case and affected a manner of speech referred to as “Ebonics;” and (3) made improper comments during sentencing in 2 cases. In re Tranquilli, Order (Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline November 19, 2020).
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for (1) her Facebook activities in support of a friend’s campaign for city council and (2) a court clerk’s acceptance of a donation to her campaign at the courthouse; the Commission also ordered the judge to receive 2 hours of instruction with a mentor. Public Warning of Woodard and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 28, 2020).
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for publicly disparaging another judge’s bond determination on Facebook and referring to the other judge’s family in doing so; the Commission also ordered the judge to receive 2 hours of instruction with a mentor. Public Warning of Crow and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 28, 2020).
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for failing to timely set, hear, decide, and sign a judgement creditor’s post-judgment motions and to timely refer his motion to recuse; the Commission also ordered the judge to receive 2 hours of instruction with a mentor. Public Warning of Hall and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 28, 2020), on appeal to special court of review.
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for failing to comply with the law before holding an attorney in contempt; the Commission also ordered the judge to receive 2 hours of instruction with a mentor. Public Admonition of Richter and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 28, 2020).
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a former judge for (1) removing a campaign sign from his neighbor’s property and his interview with the media about the incident; (2) instructing his staff not to accept applications for writs of possession after 3:30 p.m. or before 10:30 a.m.; (3) failing to forward a notice of appeal of the denial of a pauper’s affidavit to the county court and issuing a writ of possession after the appellant had timely perfected his appeal; and (4) failing to timely submit a response to staff’s letters of inquiry. Public Admonition of Metzger (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct November 12, 2020).
- The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly warned a judge for ordering the clerk’s office not to accept a plaintiffs’ motion to reopen a case; the Commission also ordered the judge to obtain 1 hour of instruction with a mentor. Public Warning of Bosworth (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct November 12, 2020).
- Based on a stipulation and agreement, the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly censured a judge for “an intermittent pattern of intolerant and intemperate behavior” and using profanity, epithets, and slurs in the courtroom; the judge also agreed to participate in 2 hours of ethics training and to participate in behavioral coaching. In re Wilson, Stipulation, agreement, and order (November 20, 2020).
- Based on a stipulation and agreement, the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for telling a defendant with “idiosyncratic beliefs about the court system” to leave the courtroom and then ordering his arrest for contempt for “constructively” failing to appear and disruptive behavior; the judge was also ordered to complete at least 2 hours of training. In re Jurado, Stipulation, agreement, and order (Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct November 20, 2020).
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Judicial ethics and discipline 