It was recently reported that two California judges were made to resign their positions and had to promise that they would never again seek judicial office.
One of them was shown to have posted hate-related material on a web site and the other was accused of having conversations with the prosecutor regarding a case without the defense lawyer being present.
It’s important to keep in mind that judges are the key component of our legal system. It is up to them to keep the system fair and functioning.
Judges have ultimate authority over the parties before them, and it is vital that they are held to the highest standards of professional conduct.
In my many years of practice, I can honestly say that I can count on the fingers of one hand how many judges I thought behaved inappropriately.
Fortunately, it is so rare that when a judge doesn’t maintain the standards expected, it glares out like a sore thumb.