- Based on the judge’s retirement and agreement not to seek, request, or accept any judicial office, the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission resolved its investigation of a former judge; the investigative panel had authorized a full investigation of allegations that the judge had made inappropriate and undignified remarks to a colleague regarding how he intended to handle an issue with a courthouse employee, and an investigation revealed that the judge was residing in Tennessee and did not have the hours of training required for magistrate judges. In re Inquiry Concerning Bain, Report of disposition (Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission January 31, 2023).
- On a motion to approve the report and recommendation of the hearing board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commissio, the Illinois Supreme Court disbarred a former judge for sexually harassing a police officer, a court reporter, and an assistant state’s attorney while he was a judge. In re Araujo, Order (Illinois Supreme Court January 17, 2023).
- Based on a statement of circumstances and conditional agreement for discipline, the Indiana Supreme Court suspended a judge for 7 days without pay for (1) in 3 hearings in a juvenile paternity case, being impatient, undignified, and discourteous and (2) in 3 related children-in-need-of-services cases, holding an off-the-record hearing in chambers without all parties represented in which he ruled on substantive motions and considered oral motions on substantive issues that were outside the noticed purpose of the hearing, and then allowing only one party to assist in creating a court entry. In the Matter of Meade, Per curiam opinion (Indiana Supreme Court January 12, 2023).
- Accepting a final submission upon agreed facts, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court publicly reprimanded a judge for posts on his Facebook account that expressed views on political candidates, political figures, and issues and posts that could create the appearance of bias based on gender, ethnicity, or immigration status. In the Matter of Michaud, Order (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court December 22, 2022).
- Following a hearing on charges filed by the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, the Missouri Supreme Court suspended a former judge from the practice of law for 2 years for, during his unsuccessful 2018 campaign to retain his judicial position, threatening to file an ethics complaint against a potential opponent if she decided to run against him and threatening to disclose a former client’s confidences. In re Prewitt (Missouri Supreme Court January 31, 2023).
- Granting a petition to accept a stipulation agreement and consent to discipline, the New Mexico Supreme Court publicly censured a former judge for failing to disqualify herself from a domestic matter when she knew or should have known that she could not be fair and impartial following a newspaper article that she believed was written by and/or because of the father’s counsel; using an order denying the father’s motions to directly respond to allegations in the article; and noting in the order that a sealed doctor’s report was unfavorable to the father. In the Matter of Rosner (New Mexico Supreme Court January 30, 2023).
- Accepting a stipulation based on the judge’s resignation and affirmation that he will not seek or accept judicial office in the future, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded a proceeding against a former judge; in July, the Commission had filed a formal complaint alleging that, while presiding over 5 emergency applications for temporary orders of protection and other relief, the judge had been disrespectful, disparaging, sarcastic, and discourteous in words and tone towards the unrepresented petitioners. In the Matter of DeProspo, Decision and order (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 26, 2023).
- Accepting a stipulation based on the judge’s resignation and affirmation that he will not seek or accept judicial office in the future, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded a proceeding against a former judge; in January, the Commission had notified the judge that it was investigating a complaint that, in a code enforcement case, he had been biased in favor of the defendant with whom he engaged in ex parte communications and against the code enforcement officer, whom he berated in court. In the Matter of Coursen, Decision and order (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 26, 2023).
- Accepting a stipulation based on the judge’s resignation and affirmation that she will not seek or accept judicial office in the future, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded a proceeding against a former judge; in May 2022, the Commission had served the judge with 4 charges of misconduct alleging, inter alia, that she made inappropriate comments to and about court employees and judges; displayed bias against various individuals and ethnicities; failed to timely administer surrogate court matters, leading to substantial delays; and, as a candidate for surrogate in 2018, failed to timely complete mandatory campaign ethics education. In the Matter of Thompson, Decision and order (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct January 26, 2023).
- he Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline suspended a judge for 200 days without pay for calling the police commissioner when her son was stopped by police, appearing at the scene of the stop, and failing to report to the Judicial Conduct Board and the Chief Justice that she had been interviewed by the Office of the Attorney General about the incident as required by rule; the Court also placed her on probation for 1 year. In re McKnight, Opinion and order (Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline January 31, 2023).
- The Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline severely reprimanded a former judge for, while a candidate, failing to file accurate campaign finance reports and using $3,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses; the judge had pled guilty to 4 misdemeanors based on the same conduct. In re Cabry, Opinion and order (Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline January 31, 2023).
- The Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for calling a litigant a “tough guy,” telling the litigant the judge hoped the litigant would meet someone like the litigant, and telling the litigant’s daughter to shut up; the judge accepted the reprimand. Stokes, Public reprimand (Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct January 4, 2023).
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Judicial ethics and discipline 