Private Reprimand of a Retired District Judge. (08/19/13).
08/19/2013
The judge failed to follow the law and demonstrated a lack of professional competence in the law when he removed a criminal defendant's court-appointed attorney based solely on the fact that a family member had posted a pretrial bond to obtain the defendant's release from jail. The judge took this action without conducting an indigency hearing and without making any finding on the record that there had been a material change in the defendant's financial circumstances that warranted removal of his court-appointed counsel. [Violation of Canons 2A, 3B(2), 3B(8) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.] Private Reprimand of a Retired District Judge. (08/19/13).
