May a judge be a member, and be on the board, of a group which will seek approval and funding for a recovery kentucky center located in a county in which the judge sits. Kentucky legislative ethics commission index of opinions. Kentucky court rules judicial conduct commission casetext. Based upon these facts, the jcc brought a fivecount misconduct charge against her.
This cause comes before the court on motion of the judicial conduct commission 1 for an order declaring william r. The judicial conduct commission is the only entity authorized under the kentucky constitution to take disciplinary action against a sitting kentucky judge. Wright said that, in the watson case, prior to taking any action, he wrote to, and received an opinion from, the kentucky judicial ethics committee. The commission has suspended the judge pending resolution of its charges that she engaged in a. The code of judicial conduct consists of four canons, numbered rules under.
A lawsuit against the kentucky judicial conduct commission filed by an unsuccessful primary candidate for kenton circuit judge raises questions about candidates who reveal their party. Combs, judge of the thirtyfifth judicial circuit of kentucky, pursuant to suprerne court rule scr 4. The kentucky judicial conduct commission is the only agency in kentucky authorized to take disciplinary action against a sitting judge. Part 1 was a general introduction to the topic and a discussion of issues related to judicial duties. Main document certificate of word count proof of service. Coronavirus and judicial conduct judicial ethics and. The judicial ethics committee may express its opinion on proper judicial conduct with respect to the provisions of the nebraska code of judicial conduct, either on its own initiative, at the request of a judge or candidate for judicial office, or at the request of a court or the nebraska commission on judicial. Canon 2 a judge shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of the judges activities. Not a single africanamerican, latino, asianamerican, or. The judicial ethics advisory committee is authorized to express its advisory opinion on proper judicial conduct with respect to the delaware judges code of judicial conduct etc. Kentucky bar association judicial ethics opinions je103 je104 je105 only louisiana. He is a former member of the kentucky judicial conduct commission. Phone main 512 4635533 toll free 877 2285750 fax 512 4630511. Public reprimand of burkeen texas state commission on judicial conduct february 21, 2018.
The commission, which is the disciplinary arm of the judicial branch and had planned to call witnesses this week in a jefferson county courtroom, took a brief recess to discuss the agreement. These opinions have been issued pursuant to delaware court on the judiciary rule 18 and to the rules of the delaware judicial ethics advisory committee. The judicial conduct commission, which enforces the code, sent him a probable cause letter, stating that his mailers may have violated the canon prohibiting campaigning as a member of a political organization. A kentucky judge has come under fire for allegedly desecrating her position and courthouse after an anonymous complaint accused her of favoritism, making sexual advances and other misconduct. Kentucky legislative ethics commission commission members. Carlie schindler filed a complaint with the kentucky judicial conduct commission. Social media and judicial ethics national association of. Further, a lawyer or a judge does not have a duty to report or disclose information that is received in the course of participating in the kentucky. In january 2010, the kentucky judicial ethics commission issued its only formal opinion on judges use of social media. Case opinion for ky supreme court kentucky judicial conduct commission v.
Kentucky judicial conduct commission 2019 kentucky. Advisory opinions view all advisory opinions kentucky. Keller, in her official capacity as a member of the kentucky judicial conduct commission, james l. State officials suspend louisville judge olu stevens for. Receive free daily summaries of new opinions from the kentucky supreme court. Ky judge reprimanded after violating code of judicial conduct in case a federal judge has thrown out a legal settlement that would restrict how kentucky uses religiousbased foster homes for children. What gets judges in trouble uknowledge university of kentucky.
What is the definition of the phrase in person as used in canon 5b2. Kentucky judge suspended after alleged affair and nepotism. Judicial conduct that raises a substantial question as to the judges fitness shall, at a minimum, file a report with the judicial conduct commission. The kentucky judicial conduct commission used to enforce rules that prevented judges and judicial candidates from identifying with political parties in the states nonpartisan elections. The justice had waived formal proof and agreed to accept the disposition. Nance receives reprimand from judicial commission news. The kentucky judicial conduct commission granted judge dawn gentrys motion to continue the hearing on the formal charges filed against her, originally scheduled for april 20, in light of the extraordinary circumstances created by covid19. The executive branch ethics commission s enabling statute is embodied in kentucky revised statute chapter 11a.
The kentucky judicial conduct commission and 10 of its members wolnitzek, david p. Kentucky judge olu stevens facing steep scrutiny as. The texas state commission on judicial conduct publicly reprimanded a judge for posting on his facebook page a meme endorsing the extermination of muslims and statements railing against liberals. The colorado judicial ethics advisory board consists of judges and nonjudges who provide advice on ethical issues to judicial officers who request an opinion on prospective conduct. The kentucky judicial conduct commission is investigating gentry as she faces nine charges that accuse her of using sex, campaign contributions, and retaliation as tools in her judgeship. From the facts, two issues emerge that we must address. Judicial ethics advisory committee delaware courts. A kentucky judge was suspended with pay pending an investigation into accusations of misconduct including an affair with a male attorney in a courthouse office and attempts to.
Judicial advisory opinions american bar association. The plaintiffs, all from northern kentucky, sued the kentucky judicial conduct commission in 2014 to challenge its assorted prohibitions against political behavior by judges and judicial candidates. Judicial ethics committee opinions nebraska judicial branch. Such conduct flies in the face of kentucky judicial ethics opinions je 1.
The jcc also has authority over trial commissioners, domestic relations commissioners, master commissioners and attorneys who are candidates for judicial office. Communications between the questioner and the judicial ethics committee and its members shall be confidential. It depends what they like, said steve wolnitzek, chairman of the judicial conduct commission, the kentucky supreme courts enforcement arm, which can remove judges from the bench. Stephen dale wolnitzek, in his official capacity as chairperson of the kentucky judicial conduct commission, michelle m. Disgustingly, all six members and four alternates of the kentucky judicial conduct commission are white. Lexington the kentucky judicial conduct commission took little deliberation tuesday to decide to suspend pike circuit judge steve combs pending the outcome of the agencys misconduct case against him, a resolution which could come as soon as september. The kentucky judicial conduct commission is investigating gentry as she faces nine charges that accuse her of using sex, campaign contributions, and retaliation as tools in. Ky judge reprimanded after violating code of judicial. Everything we know about a kentucky judge who allegedly. A 2 part article analyzing the advisory opinions and discipline decisions on social media and judicial ethics was published in the spring and summer 2017 issues of the judicial conduct reporter.
The ethics committee of the kentucky judiciary provides advisory opinions construing scr 4. Frankfort the barren metcalfe county family court judge who retired rather than preside over gay couple adoption cases has been publicly reprimanded by the kentucky judicial conduct commission. Combs appellant circuit court judge 3,5th judicial circuit on appeal from v. Brief of respondent kentucky judicial conduct commission in opposition filed. Judicial ethics opinion je126, may a judge be a member, and be on the board, of a group.
The term substantial refers to the seriousness of the possible offense. Hope is a graduate of the university of kentucky and works as a physical therapist. Bowles, eddy coleman, joyce king jennings, diane e. In re johnstone, order of public reprimand kentucky judicial conduct commission april 18, 2002 the kentucky judicial conduct commission publicly reprimanded a justice of the supreme court who had plead guilty to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
The rules of professional conduct are amended periodically. Judicial conduct commission kentucky court of justice. Judicial conduct commission judicial conduct commission appellee l memorandum opinion of the court affirming steven d. Kentucky code of judicial conduct judicial ethics on line. Woods ineligible, by reason of his removal from the office of district court judge, to seek election to that office in the november 2000 special election to fill the unexpired term. According to nebraska judicial ethics opinion 082, the nebraska code of judicial conduct does not prohibit judicial staff attorneys from taking a case from the nebraska volunteer lawyer project or providing legal representation for individual clients outside their regular employment by a court. They have one son, riley, who attends somerset christian school. Does the judicial conduct commission have jurisdiction over senior status judges. The jcc also has authority over trial commissioners, domestic relations commissioners, master commissioners and attorneys who are candidates for judicial. Kentucky family court judge dawn gentry is the subject of an extensive investigation, having been accused of nine counts of corruption and misconduct, which includes an allegation that she had a threesome in her courthouse. The background, as described here and in more detail here, in the notice of formal proceedings and charges brought against stevens by the kentucky judicial conduct commission, is. Acting through an attorney, judge beth lewis maze 1 sent a letter to the judicial conduct commission jcc on november 12, 2017, in which she reported her own conduct.
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