25 years ago this month:
The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for routinely requiring out-of-town defendants in traffic cases to post $100 bail if they pled guilty by mail. In the Matter of Kelsen, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct July 17, 1997).Based on an agreed statement of facts, the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished a judge for telling a litigant that he was dismissing the litigant’s visitation petition until the litigant received a psychological evaluation “because it appears to me that you are more than a little nuts” and when the litigant objected to the remark, saying, “I understand what I have heard with my own ears and it appears to me that you are nuts.” In the Matter of Going, Determination (New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct July 18, 1997).The South Carolina Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a former judge for dismissing DUI charges against a friend. In the Matter of Chiles, 490 S.E.2d 259 (South Carolina 1997).Agreeing with the recommendation of the Judicial Conduct Commission, the Utah Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a judge for allowing a litigant to submit a sworn affidavit signed by the judge that gave her opinions and conclusions on the ultimate issue in a judicial proceeding pending before a district court judge. In re McCully, 942 P.2d 327 (Utah 1997).The Vermont Supreme Court suspended a judge for 1 year without pay and publicly reprimanded her for falsely denying, during hearings held by the Vermont Association of County Judges, that she had secretly taped meetings or conversations with another judge with whom she had conflicts. In re Kroger, 702 A.2d 64 (Vermont 1997).Adopting the recommendations of the Judicial Hearing Board, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals publicly admonished a magistrate for contacting an arresting officer and prosecuting attorney concerning an action pending against his son-in-law. In the Matter of Rice, 489 S.E.2d 783 (West Virginia 1997).Pursuant to a stipulation, the Wisconsin Supreme Court publicly reprimanded a former judge for battering his wife and causing her bodily harm. In the Matter of Crivello, 564 N.W.2d 785 (Wisconsin 1997).
