Judiciary

Under UK Judges’ Robes: Suits, Shorts, Jeans

As civil court judges in the U.K. prepare to abandon a nearly 350-year-old tradition of wearing white wigs and winged collars and step into new all-weather robes designed by Betty Jackson, interest has focused not only on their public attire but what they wear in court underneath their robes. While…

May 21, 2008 4:10 PM CDT

Former Pa. Chief Justice Says Lawsuit is ‘Preposterous’

Former Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ralph Cappy labels as “preposterous” a lawsuit that accuses him of leading legislators to believe that the court would issue a favorable ruling on a gambling law in exchange for judicial pay raises. Cappy issued a statement saying the charges in the suit filed by the…

May 21, 2008 2:00 PM CDT

Ohio Judge Sanctioned for Allowing Cases to Languish

For the first time, the Ohio Supreme Court has sanctioned a judge for “unnecessary and unjustified delay” in issuing rulings in pending cases. The court publicly reprimanded Judge Harry Sargeant Jr. of Sandusky for allowing cases “to languish in his court for an inordinate amount of time,” its opinion (PDF)…

May 21, 2008 12:19 PM CDT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Plans Judicial Reforms

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, himself a former corporate lawyer and law professor, called for reform of the country’s judicial system at a Kremlin meeting today of judges and legal officials. He apparently anticipates revising Russia’s criminal and administrative code to deal with the issue of bribes and outside pressure that…

May 20, 2008 8:28 PM CDT

Suit Claims Pa. Ex-Chief Justice Traded Favorable Ruling for Judicial Pay Raises

A lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters contends Pennsylvania’s former chief justice held secret meetings with legislators in which he promised a favorable ruling on a gambling law in exchange for judicial pay raises. The suit (PDF posted by How Appealing) claims former Chief Justice Ralph Cappy told…

May 20, 2008 2:06 PM CDT

Mississippi Justice Drops Bid for Two Supreme Court Seats

Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Charles “Chuck” Easley has decided to focus on his own bid for re-election. Easley had filed to run for two seats on the court. One is his seat and the other is occupied by Ann Hannaford Lamar, who was appointed by the state’s governor to fill…

May 20, 2008 1:27 PM CDT

Tenn. Judge Slapped for Harsh Treatment of Immigrant Juvies

Tennessee disciplinary authorities have censured a Tennessee judge for his conduct in cases involving children of illegal immigrants and children he thought might be in U.S. illegally. Dickson County Juvenile Court Judge A. Andrew Jackson faced discipline over his handling of three hearings in 2007, the Tennessean reports. In each…

May 19, 2008 4:30 PM CDT

Controversial Vegas Judge Halverson Called for Jury Duty

A Las Vegas judge who faces a hearing next month on charges of improper judicial conduct turned heads late last week when she motored her way through her local courthouse. Suspended District Judge Elizabeth Halverson made the courthouse appearance for jury duty, the Las Vegas Sun reports. Halverson, who gets…

May 19, 2008 3:39 PM CDT

N.Y. Pilot Project Designates Courts That Focus on Sex Offenses

An experimental program in New York state has created several courts that focus on sex offenses. The idea is that the expertise of specialized judges and lawyers could help keep defendants from repeating their crimes, the New York Times reports. One of its reporters visited a sex offender courtroom in…

May 19, 2008 2:16 PM CDT

California Chief Justice: Doing the Right Thing Means Not Playing It Safe

Ronald George, the chief justice of the California Supreme Court, is known as a moderate Republican who heads a cautious court. Yet he made history Thursday when he wrote the majority opinion striking down a ban on gay marriages in the state. George told the Los Angeles Times in an…

May 19, 2008 12:09 PM CDT

Ruling Castigates 35-Year Mich. Judge; Defense Costs Top $100K

After a scathing report from a special master reviewing his judicial discipline case, a longtime Michigan jurist is digging in for a longer-term battle to retain his seat on the bench. The controversial discipline case pits Rockford District Judge Steven Servaas, 62, who has been on the bench for 35…

May 16, 2008 5:23 PM CDT

Man Admits He Sent Racially Charged Threats to Justice Thomas, Others

An Ohio man has pleaded guilty to sending scores of threatening letters and e-mails mainly to African-American men seen with white women. David Tuason sent more than 200 threats since 1988, including some addressed to Justice Clarence Thomas. In a story about Tuason’s plea Thursday, the Associated Press reports that…

May 16, 2008 1:27 PM CDT

Columnist Says ‘Judges Gone Wild’ Theory Is Incorrect

Are liberal activist judges thwarting the will of the people with their flexible reading of the Constitution? Ruth Marcus doesn’t think so. In an opinion column for the Washington Post she takes aim at presidential contender John McCain for criticizing judges who “legislate from the bench.” “The world he sketches…

May 14, 2008 3:52 PM CDT

W. Va. Chief Justice Loses Primary After Vacation Controversy

The chief justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court has lost his primary bid for a new term after vacation photos surfaced that led to his recusal in a case involving a large coal company. Elliott “Spike” Maynard finished in third place out of four candidates, the Associated Press reports.…

May 14, 2008 3:29 PM CDT

Malfunctioning Sprinkler System Drenched New Mississippi Court Building

A malfunctioning sprinkler system last week drenched all four floors of Mississippi’s new $38 million building housing the state supreme court and court of appeals. Court workers were using paper towels in an attempt to dry thousands of legal records that were soaked in water, the Columbus Commercial Dispatch reports.…

May 14, 2008 12:39 PM CDT