Private Reprimand of a District Judge. (03/07/13).
03/07/2013
The judge failed to comply with the law and failed to maintain professional competence in the law when he found an attorney in direct contempt of court for allegedly "lying" to the court. The judge failed and/or refused to give the attorney an opportunity to be heard in defense of the judge's accusations, and instead, summarily found the attorney in criminal contempt of court, ordered him handcuffed, and placed him in a holding cell until a $500 fine was paid. The judge failed to issue a written contempt or commitment order from which the attorney could have challenged his detention through a writ of habeas corpus. [Violation of Canons 2A, 3B(2), and 3B(4) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.] Private Reprimand of a District Judge. (03/07/13).
