Priv Warn & OAE of DI Judge (4/20/22)

The judge failed to comply with the law; failed to maintain professional competence in the law; failed to accord parties and/or their counsel the right to be heard according to law, and engaged in improper ex parte communications by: (1) improperly inquiring into the nature of a litigant’s nonsuit of a case; (2) failing to allow attorneys to make offers of proof when appropriate; (3) failing to allow attorneys to proffer objections during hearings when appropriate; and (4) excluding attorneys and litigants from hearings while continuing on with such hearings.  Further, the judge failed to maintain proper decorum in the courtroom and failed to be patient, dignified and courteous to several attorneys and litigants appearing in the judge’s courtroom, and failed to perform judicial duties without bias in favor of applicants for protective orders and/or prejudice against respondents to such requests for protective order and manifested through the judge’s words and/or conduct such biases/prejudices.  Finally, the judge lent the prestige of judicial office to advance the private interests of others, and cast reasonable doubt on the judge’s capacity to act impartially as a judge, by recommending a particular attorney in a Facebook post and praising the work of particular lawyers appearing in the judge’s court in a Facebook post.  [Violations of Canons 2A, 2B, 3B(2), 3B(3), 3B(4), 3B(5), 3B(6), 3B(8) and 4A(1) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, and Article V, Section 1-a(6)A of the Texas Constitution.] Private Warning and Order of Additional Education of a District Court Judge.  (4/20/22).