25 years ago this month:

• The California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished a judge who took no action in a case for over 14 months after receiving a proposed judgement and objections and did not issue a final decision for over 10 months after a hearing.  Public Admonishment of Chapin (California Commission on Judicial Performance January 22, 1997).
• The California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished a judge for telling several of the attorneys in a civil case that their demand for money was “bulls**t” and making similar comments, making a vulgar gesture, and threatening to retaliate against the attorneys.  Public Admonishment of Williams (California Commission on Judicial Performance January 22, 1997).
• Accepting the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Performance, the Mississippi Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge and fined him $2,500 for stopping a vehicle at gunpoint on his neighbor’s property, ordering the occupants of the vehicle to get out of the car and lie on the ground, detaining them, and threatening serious bodily harm and possible death.  Commission on Judicial Performance v. Whitten, 687 So. 2d 744 (Mississippi 1997).
• Adopting the findings of the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, the New Jersey Supreme Court privately reprimanded a judge for hugging and kissing a subordinate employee, announcing the private reprimand publicly because of the public interest in the matter reflected by media coverage.  In the Matter of Brenner, 687 A.2d 725 (New Jersey 1997).
• The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for refusing to permit attorneys to participate in small claims proceedings and exhibiting improper demeanor toward an attorney in a case, for example, angrily telling the attorney that he had “verbal diarrhea.”  In the Matter of Rice, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 31, 1997).
• The South Carolina Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a former judge who had been charged with indecent exposure after regularly meeting a woman in a parking lot and engaging in sexual activity in his car.  In the Matter of Fournier, 480 S.E.2d 738 (South Carolina 1997).