20 years ago this month:

• Approving the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the Florida Supreme Court suspended a judge for 4 months without pay, publicly reprimanded her, and fined her $40,000 for misleading statements made in campaign finance reports in violation of state campaign laws.  Inquiry Concerning Rodriguez, 828 So. 2d 1060 (Florida 2002).
• The Montana Supreme Court suspended a judge without pay until the end of his term for (1) knowingly accessing sexually explicit images on a county computer and monitor; (2) entering a man’s residence uninvited; and (3) advising a man with legal problems, “you know you’re going to be arrested if you attract attention so why don’t you just keep your nose clean and behave.”  Harris v. Smartt, 57 P.3d 58 (Montana 2002).
• Adopting the findings of fact and recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Qualifications to which the judge consented, the Nebraska Supreme Court suspended a judge for 120 days without pay for ex parte communications and public comments after a sentence the judge had imposed was reversed on appeal.  In re White, 651 N.W.2d 551 (Nebraska 2002).
• The Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications publicly reprimanded a judge for taking an active role in facilitating a campaign contribution to a candidate for city council by personally communicating the solicitation to her husband, delivering the campaign literature to him, and personally delivering to the candidate a check written by her husband on a joint account.  In the Matter of Prochaska, Reprimand (Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications October 7, 2002) .
• Accepting the determination of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the New York Court of Appeals removed a judge for informing a company’s attorney of an impending search after signing the warrant authorizing investigators to search the premises of a company for environmental violations. In the Matter of Gibbons, 778 N.E.2d 104 (New York 2002).
• Pursuant to an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for making gratuitous, insulting comments in open court about a matrimonial litigant’s former attorney and failing to promptly recuse when the attorney appeared before him shortly afterwards in 2 matters.  In the Matter of Bradley, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 1, 2002).
• Pursuant to an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for threatening a small claims defendant with arrest to enforce a civil settlement.  In the Matter of Hamm, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 1, 2002).
• • Pursuant to an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge who had shown his official identification card when stopped by the police for traffic offenses. In the Matter of Werner, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 1, 2002).
• Pursuant to an agreed statement of facts and joint recommendation, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly censured a judge who had pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated.  In the Matter of Stelling, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 1, 2002) ().
• The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly censured a judge for (1) improperly asserting his judicial office to advance his private interests during a dispute at a comedy club with a woman he was dating, (2) writing a letter to a federal agency seeking personal information about the woman under false pretenses, and (3) interceding with another judge on behalf of the woman to obtain a favorable disposition in a traffic case.  In the Matter of Cipolla, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 1, 2002).
• Pursuant to the recommendation of the Judicial Standards Commission, the North Carolina Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for entering 2 ex parte orders dismissing DWI charges against a defendant when the judge knew the cases were before him only on a motion for appropriate relief.  In re Brown, 570 S.E.2d 102  (North Carolina 2002).
• Pursuant to a stipulation and agreement, the Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge pro tempore for vacating an order finding that a vehicle was improperly impounded after hearing from the towing company without the presence of the vehicle, who had already departed the courthouse.  In re Hurtado, Stipulation, Agreement and order (Washington State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 4, 2002).
• The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a justice of the peace who had failed to obtain the mandatory 20 hours of judicial education for the year ending August 31, 2001.  Public Admonition of Rodriguez (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 23, 2002).
• The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a municipal court judge who had failed to obtain the mandatory 12 hours of judicial education for the year ending August 31, 2001.  Public Admonition of Dodier (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct October 23, 2002).