Ep. 8 - The Difficulty of Removing Judges feat. Michael Moodian

Our legal system gives Judges power over trivial matters as well as over life or death. But who judges the Judges? The answer varies with the jurisdictions. In this episode Mary and Lee speak with Assistant Professor Michael Moodian who was appointed by the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, to the 11-member State of California Commission on Judicial Performance in 2015 and reappointed Mike for a four-year term in 2017. The commission investigates judicial misconduct and complaints and disciplines state judges.

 

This is a behind the scenes look at the process of investigating judicial complaints including who files complaints, how investigations proceed, and what types of sanctions are available to deal with judicial misconduct. Is it going to be a private letter, or a public reprimand, all the way up to removal from the bench. Mary shares her experience with Judges who, perhaps, crossed the line of propriety. 

 

Mary, Lee, and Mike wrap up the episode discussing the benefits of a systemic  change to include proactive judicial monitoring with financial and assets disclosure requirements that could help expose and deter judicial corruption. 

 

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.chapman.edu/our-faculty/michael-moodian

https://cjp.ca.gov/

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-judges-misconduct/

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/08/11/139536686/pa-judge-sentenced-to-28-years-in-massive-juvenile-justice-bribery-scandal