10 years ago this month:

• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for taking a motorcycle ride with a woman who had appeared before him in court as a criminal defendant multiple times, was on intensive probation for felony convictions, and should not have been in the county where they were riding based on the terms of her probation, and for being profane and disrespectful with the law enforcement and emergency response personnel who attended the scene of an accident he and the woman had on the ride.  Gunnels, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).
• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for displaying an improper demeanor during a hearing in an injunction against harassment case.  King, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 21, 2013).
• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for failing to disclose an ex parte communication from court security regarding an incident involving a criminal defendant that caused her to alter how she would normally have sentenced the defendant and failing to disqualify herself from the case.  Segal, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).
• • The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for stating during a staff meeting that “some of the most profane, manipulative and backstabbing people I’ve worked with have been women. Men tend to get physical and just hit you,” and, during another staff meeting, slamming his hand against the table in anger. Goettemann, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct February 27, 2013).
• • The Illinois Courts Commission suspended a judge for 60 days without pay for using his work computer to access pornographic websites during work hours in his chambers, contrary to the county policy. In re Polito, Order (Illinois Courts Commission February 1, 2013).
• The Mississippi Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for an ex parte communication with a man who had been ticketed for oyster-harvesting violations and the man’s brother-in-law and dismissing the tickets under the pretense that the prosecutor and officers were not in court when the case was called.  Commission on Judicial Performance v. Carver, 107 So. 3d 964 (Mississippi 2013).
• Based on a stipulation and consent, the Oregon Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for referring to a defendant convicted of 21 sex crimes involving children as a “piece of sh*t,” repeatedly ask the defendant if he wanted to salvage his soul, commenting that community members might ask why the defendant is not “hanging from a tree,” and stating that he personally hopes that the defendant rots in prison.  Inquiry re Barnack 299 P.3d 525 (Oregon 2013).
• Based on the judge’s agreement with an investigative panel, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for, after the state department of children’s services presented the judge with an alleged emergency situation involving a child, altering the child’s custody without requiring a petition or hearing or making sufficient findings and for having an ex parte telephone conversation with the child’s grandfather.  Letter to Baliles (Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct February 13, 2013).