8 results for 'cat:"Judiciary" AND cat:"Sanctions"'.
J. Wooton accepts the recommendation of the Judicial Hearing Board to publicly reprimand and impose other sanctions on the Morgan County family law judge for her role in drafting a letter on behalf of the West Virginia Family Law Judicial Association in support of a now-former family law judge facing disciplinary action in 2020. Despite her lack of candor in admitting any knowledge of the letter, the court finds the recommended discipline appropriate since her role in editing it "did not arise from performance of her judicial duties and related more to personal matters than public ones."
Court: West Virginia Supreme Court Of Appeals, Judge: Wooton , Filed On: March 18, 2024, Case #: 22-862, Categories: Government, judiciary, sanctions
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Colorado finds that former Adams County District Court Judge Robert Kiesnowski will be publicly censured for the exploitation of his judicial position for the benefit of his brother-in-law and will also be assessed the cost of the Commission on Judicial Discipline's investigation into the matter. Kiesnowski represented his brother-in-law during an interview with law enforcement following a domestic violence incident, which violates the portion of the code of judicial conduct that prohibits legal representation of any kind, and he also attacked the character of his brother-in-law's girlfriend in an effort to use his position to influence the investigation. Therefore, because he has already retired following a previous disciplinary investigation, he will be publicly censured and incur the costs of the investigation.
Court: Colorado Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: March 4, 2024, Case #: 2024CO12, Categories: judiciary, sanctions
J. Kennedy finds that Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge Jason Warner will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for felony convictions related to a hit-and-run car accident that occurred after he and his wife left a party where they had been drinking alcohol. Although Warner was not the driver of the car, he left the scene and waited more than nine hours to call law enforcement, but because the misconduct was not committed in his judicial capacity, he will be suspended and not disbarred.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: February 16, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-551, Categories: judiciary, sanctions, Attorney Discipline
J. Kennedy finds Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Gaul will be suspended from the practice of law and his judicial office, without pay, for one year for coercing plea deals out of several defendants, improperly questioning numerous defendants during their trials, and making demeaning comments to various defendants. Although Gaul did not engage in the misconduct to further his own interests, he repeatedly refused to admit the wrongful nature of his conduct and has a prior disciplinary record, which requires the court to impose a suspension that will not be stayed in any way.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: December 29, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4751, Categories: judiciary, sanctions, Attorney Discipline
J. Donnelly finds that former Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for a felony conviction that stemmed from her conduct as a judge, which included allowing social, political and family interests to influence her actions. Hunter sent a letter to the corrections facility that employed her brother and requested various documents while he was being investigated for misconduct and she was eventually convicted of a single charge of unlawful interest in a public contract. Although she had no prior disciplinary record, she refused to acknowledge the wrongful nature of her conduct and must be suspended indefinitely.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Donnelly, Filed On: November 21, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4168, Categories: judiciary, sanctions, Attorney Discipline
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Per curiam, the Vermont Supreme Court finds the chief superior judge properly denied the father’s motion to disqualify the trial judge for being biased. The father failed to show a claim of judicial disqualification of the presiding judge. The father also argued that the judge discussed possible sanctions but, the mother has not sought such sanctions. Affirmed.
Court: Vermont Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: November 13, 2023, Case #: 23-AP-131, Categories: Family Law, judiciary, sanctions
Per curium, the Michigan Supreme Court rejects a number of the Judicial Tenure Commission’s findings of misconduct allegedly committed by the judge, as well as its recommendation that she be removed from office. The judge’s son’s parental rights were terminated pursuant to a child abuse conviction, and technically false statements she made as to times and dates of certain conversations are appropriately characterized as “careless” and “inaccurate information” and not as actionable misconduct. The court finds that a six-month suspension without pay, along with a public censure, is the appropriate sanction.
Court: Michigan Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: July 30, 2023, Case #: 162260, Categories: judiciary, sanctions