Private Warning and Order of Additional Education of a County Court at Law Judge. (12/08/10)
12/08/2010
The judge went beyond the scope of his judicial role as a neutral arbiter and deprived the parties of an opportunity to respond to his findings when he undertook an independent investigation as to whether the witnesses had committed perjury. At the time of this investigation the judge had not issued a final judgment in the still-pending case. The judge knew or should have known his actions could have caused a reasonable person to question whether or not he would be impartial or could have resulted in his becoming a fact witness in post-trial proceedings. [Violation of Canon 3B(8) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.] Private Warning and Order of Additional Education of a County Court at Law Judge. (12/08/10).
