Private Warning and Order of Additional Education of a District Court Judge. (03/19/14).
03/19/2014
The judge lent the prestige of his judicial office to advance the private interest of a member of court staff by allowing that individual to conduct free mediations at the courthouse during regular courthouse business hours. The judge's practice of referring mediations to the staff member while that person simultaneously served the court created the appearance that the judge was allowing his relationship to influence his judicial conduct or judgment and that the staff person/mediator was in a special position to influence the judge. The judge additionally created a conflict of interest and failed to follow the law by knowingly allowing court staff to divert time, attention, and resources away from their duties and responsibilities to the court and towards tasks related to the mediation business, in violation of county policy. [Violation of Canons 2A and 2B of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.] Private Warning and Order of Additional Education of a District Court Judge. (03/19/14).
