Judiciary

Calif. Appeals Court Rebukes Judge for Allowing Affair Evidence in Tire Case

Reversing a jury verdict for the defendant tire manufacturer that it described as resulting from a “miscarriage of justice,” a California appeals court rebuked the trial judge for allowing into evidence information about the plaintiff’s alleged extracurricular activities. “The now-retired superior court judge, David Workman, allowed Michelin to introduce evidence…

Aug 8, 2008 6:24 PM CDT

‘Cognitive Traps’ Ensnare Judges Taking Instant Survey

Judges and lawyers taking an instant survey with handheld devices Friday learned a disappointing lesson: Their decision-making is likely subject to errors and biases. The findings don’t square with the group’s self-confidence. Sixty-five percent of those attending the ABA Annual Meeting session said they were better than average at predicting…

Aug 8, 2008 3:29 PM CDT

Suspended Nevada Judge Seeks TRO to Stop Disclipinary Hearing

Updated: An embattled Nevada judge was reportedly shouting “no!” during a Las Vegas disciplinary hearing yesterday, and planned to be in federal court today seeking a temporary restraining order to put a stop to the case. Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Halverson refused to accept any blame for her…

Aug 6, 2008 5:51 PM CDT

ABA Among Five Groups Urging High Court to Hear Judicial Recusal Case

The American Bar Association is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to decide whether the due process clause limits a judge’s ability to hear a case after receiving substantial contributions from a litigant. The ABA is asking the Supreme Court to hear an appeal that claims West Virginia Supreme Court Justice…

Aug 6, 2008 4:56 PM CDT

Former Bailiff to Suspended Judge: ‘Why?’

Although it had been more than a year since Johnnie Jordan worked as a bailiff for suspended District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, he broke down yesterday in a disciplinary hearing in Las Vegas as he testified that she had treated him like her personal slave. Overwhelmed, Jordan, 39, shouted at the…

Aug 5, 2008 7:44 PM CDT

Threats to Judicial Independence a Top Priority for Incoming ABA Prez

Incoming ABA President H. Thomas Wells Jr. says he got the message in talks with other bar leaders over the past year or so. There is widespread concern, he says, about “potential threats to judicial independence, and to fair and impartial courts” at the state level. Wells and other bar…

Aug 4, 2008 8:13 PM CDT

Ex-Judge Who Blabbed About Alleged Affair With PD is Censured

A former municipal judge in Washington state who announced at a holiday party that she was having an affair with a public defender who frequently appeared in her Federal Way courtroom has been censured by a disciplinary panel. Colleen Hartl, 46, also was ordered by the Commission on Judicial Conduct…

Aug 4, 2008 6:25 PM CDT

Vegas Judge Accused of Trying to Make Discipline Case a ‘Laughingstock’

A hearing is being held today in the disciplinary case against embattled Judge Elizabeth Halverson. The Las Vegas judge has been accused of judicial misconduct that includes mistreating staff and sleeping during trials. The hearing is expected to last a week, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Special prosecutor Dorothy Nash…

Aug 4, 2008 5:49 PM CDT

Cert Petition Claims Campaign Contributions Required Judicial Recusal

A cert petition filed with the U.S. Supreme Court claims West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin was required to recuse himself in a business interference case because of $3 million in campaign contributions made by a litigant. Former Solicitor General Theodore Olson filed the petition on behalf of the…

Aug 4, 2008 12:26 PM CDT

Judges Are Clients, Too

But representing them raises unique ethics considerations for lawyers

Aug 2, 2008 1:00 AM CDT

Top Judge’s Ringing Cell Phone Disrupts Court Hearing

A ringing cell phone in the courtroom can be a hot button for stressed jurists. However, when the cell phone belongs to the acting chief justice of the High Court of Australia, judicial deference apparently is the order of the day. As a cell phone began to ring yesterday in…

Aug 1, 2008 5:17 PM CDT

Jena 6 Judge is Removed from Case

The judge in charge of hearing the charges against the remaining Jena 6 defendants has been removed from the case. Saying that there was an appearance of impropriety, Judge Thomas Yeager of Rapides Parish, La., removed LaSalle Parish District Judge J.P. Mauffray from the case today, in response to a…

Aug 1, 2008 4:35 PM CDT

Prosecutor Complains of ‘Being Roasted in Effigy’ by Angry Judge

A Michigan judge censured for displaying a “severe attitude” and setting excessive bail is facing a new misconduct investigation. Judge Norene Redmond is accused of humiliating a police officer and prosecutor in a new complaint filed with the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission, report the Detroit Free Press and Macomb Daily.…

Aug 1, 2008 3:03 PM CDT

What’s in a Name? Lots

Various bar associations found Michael B. Hyman “highly qualified” when he ran for judge in Cook County, Ill., and the former appellate lawyer—who also had numerous jury trials under his belt—had only recently served as president of the Chicago Bar Association.

Aug 1, 2008 1:05 PM CDT

Qualms Over the Cover

Your June cover photo is, to say the least, in very poor taste. No matter how one feels about the action (or inaction) of the other branches of the federal government regarding appointment of federal judges, your use of the milk carton to make any point does a disservice to…

Aug 1, 2008 1:00 PM CDT