Private Order of Additional Education of a Justice of the Peace. (03/21/13).
03/21/2013
The judge failed to comply with the law and demonstrated a lack of professional competence in the law in her initial handling of a traffic defendant's case. The court's "courtesy letter" to defendant contained erroneous information, including the fact that a fine had already been assessed against her; the only option available to the defendant was to enter a guilty or no contest plea and pay the fine; and an arrest warrant would be issued for the offense of "violate promise to appear" if the defendant did not enter the plea or pay the fine. If the defendant had complied with these instructions, she would have been deprived of her right to a trial. [Violation of Canons 2A, and 3B(2) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.] Private Order of Additional Education of a Justice of the Peace. (03/21/13).
