5 years ago this month:

• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for allowing at least 3 defendants to have their charges dismissed in exchange for donations to charities chosen by the judge and providing less than fully candid responses to the Commission during its investigation.  Yellowhorse, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct March 29, 2019).
• The Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for threatening to hold 2 police officers in contempt for failing to comply with his order to arrest a woman for violating a harassment injunction entered in a proceeding from which the judge had recused himself; the Commission also directed the judge to complete a course offered by the National Judicial College.  Guerrero, Order (Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct March 29, 2019).
• The Colorado Supreme Court accepted the resignation of a court of appeals judge and publicly censured her for (1) disclosing to an intimate, non-spousal partner the vote of a court of appeals division on a case prior to the issuance of the decision and (2) using inappropriate racial epithets in communications with that intimate partner, including a racially derogatory reference to a court of appeals colleague.  In the Matter of Booras, 500 P.3d 344 (Colorado 2019).
• Adopting stipulated findings and based on the judge’s consent, the Michigan Supreme Court publicly censured a judge for citing cases to prosecutors in ex parte emails and after they disclosed the emails to defense counsel, referring to the prosecutors as unprofessional, “a fool that I suffered,” and a “cancer” in the prosecuting attorney’s office.  In re Filip, 923 N.W.2d 282 (Michigan 2019).
• The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline publicly censured a judge for using an alternate judge whenever it was his turn to act as on-call search warrant judge for 4 years and failing to cooperate with 3 chief judges; the Commission also ordered the judge to attend a course at the National Judicial College.  In the Matter of Hastings, Findings of fact, conclusions of law, and imposition of discipline (Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline March 6, 2019).
• Granting the Judicial Standards Commission’s motion to enforce a stipulation agreement, which the judge did not contest, the New Mexico Supreme Court suspended a judge without pay for 3 weeks for, during a radio interview, misrepresenting the grounds, extent, and nature of the judge’s admitted and uncontested misconduct detailed in a prior stipulation, violating that stipulation.  In the Matter of Walton, Order (New Mexico Supreme Court March 12, 2019).
• Based on the report of a referee following a hearing, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a non-lawyer judge for communicating his personal interest, as a member of the high school basketball referees’ association, in a case involving 2 referees to the judge who was handling the case, the defendant’s attorney, and the district attorney’s office.  In the Matter of Forando, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct March 25, 2019).
• Based on an agreement, the West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission publicly admonished a former magistrate for failing to perform his duties as the on-call magistrate, being routinely late for his on-call shift, and routinely giving personal recognizance bonds to defendants in exchange for their waiver of the right to an attorney.  In the Matter of Middlemas (West Virginia Judicial Investigation Commission March 22, 2019).