5 years ago this month:

• Approving a stipulation for discipline by consent and based on the judge’s agreement to resign and never serve in judicial office, the California Commission on Judicial Performance publicly admonished a judge for (1) making a material misrepresentation to the Commission during a prior investigation; (2) improperly using her court credit card 14 times; (3) frequently arriving to court after her calendar was scheduled to start, including arriving 30 minutes late on 3 occasions; (4) twice, contrary to the provisions of the California Rules of Court, revising local court rules without providing the public and legal community with notice and an opportunity to comment; and (5) appointing her former law partner to represent a conservatee in a matter before her without disclosing the relationship or disqualifying herself from the case.  In the Matter Concerning Johnson, Decision and order (California Commission on Judicial Performance January 16, 2018).
• Accepting a stipulation, the Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications ordered a judge to cease and desist from using official letterhead to conduct personal business after the judge used the court fax machine, letterhead, and fax cover sheet to send a petition that he and his wife obtain interested party status as foster parents in a case and signed for petition as “Judge Boone.”  Inquiry Concerning Boone (Kansas Commission on Judicial Qualifications January 29, 2018).
• Based on a report by the Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court publicly reprimanded a former judge for failing to disqualify himself from a child support and guardianship case after his wife had directly contacted the mother through social media and after the judge acknowledged that he had a personal bias that required disqualification.  In the Matter of Nadeau, 178 A.3d 495 (Maine 2018).
• The Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications publicly reprimanded a judge for taking a guilty plea from a defendant the judge knew or reasonably should have known was probably too intoxicated to enter a competent, knowing, and voluntary guilty plea. In the Matter of Barrett, Public reprimand (Nebraska Commission on Judicial Qualifications January 23, 2018).
• Based on the unanimous report and recommendation of the Disciplinary Board, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court disbarred a former judge from the practice of law for stealing cocaine from the evidence locker in his courtroom and using it for his own recreational purposes. Office of Disciplinary Counsel v. Pozonsky, 177 A.3d 830 (Pennsylvania 2018).
• Pursuant to the judge’s agreement with an investigative panel, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge and suspended him from judicial duties with pay for failing to timely file a petition for a client and making false statements to the client and/or her daughters.  Letter to Boyd (Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct January 11, 2018).
• The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished 3 hearing officers for strictly following directives not to issue personal bonds to defendants from the judges in whose court the underlying cases were assigned; the Commission also ordered the hearing officers to obtain 4 hours of instruction with a mentor.  Public Admonition of Licata and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 10, 2018); Public Admonition of Hagstette and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 10, 2018); Public Admonition of Wallace and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 10, 2018).
• The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for failing to disqualify himself from the case of a former client and directing the Department of Public Safety not to test DNA evidence in the case; the Commission also ordered the judge to complete 4 hours of instruction with a mentor.  Public Reprimand of Muncy and Order of Additional Education (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 10, 2018).
•  The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for failing to provide the parties in a small claims case with adequate notice of a hearing, issuing a criminal summons in the case, and failing to enter a final, appealable judgment. Public Reprimand of Melendrez (Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 25, 2018).