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State of California
Commission on Judicial Performance

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PUBLIC DISCIPLINE/DISMISSALS - 1960 to PRESENT

 

                  Prior to Proposition 190 which took effect in 1995, the Supreme Court had the authority to censure or remove
               judges from office upon recommendation by the commission.  After Proposition 190 took effect, the commission was
               authorized to impose all disciplinary sanctions, subject to discretionary review by the Supreme Court.

Removal from Office

Removals by the commission

  • Kelly A. [ MacEACHERN ], Orange County Superior Court, 6/26/08 (Inquiry No. 184)
     
  • Robert G. [ SPITZER ], Riverside County Superior Court, 10/02/07 (Inquiry No. 182)
     Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on March 19, 2008.
     
  • José A. [ VELASQUEZ ], Monterey County Superior Court, 4/25/07 (Inquiry No. 180)
    Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on October 10, 2007.
     
  • Diana R. [ HALL ], Santa Barbara County Superior Court, 12/12/06 (Inquiry No. 175)
     
  • Kevin A. [ ROSS ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 11/16/05 (Inquiry No. 174)
    Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on May 10, 2006.
     
  • D. Ronald [ HYDE ], Alameda County Superior Court, 9/23/03 (Inquiry No. 166)
     
  • Bruce [ VAN VOORHIS ], Contra Costa County Superior Court, 2/27/03 (Inquiry No. 165)
        Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on September 10, 2003.
        United States Supreme Court denied petition for writ of certiorari on March 22, 2004.
     
  • Michael E. [ PLATT ], San Joaquin County Superior Court, 8/5/02 (Inquiry No. 162)
        Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on February 19, 2003.
  • Patrick [ COUWENBERG ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 8/15/01 (Inquiry No. 158)
        Supreme Court denied petition for writ of review on January 16, 2002.

Removals by the Supreme Court *
     (including involuntary retirement)

Public Censure and Public Censure and Bar

Censures by the commission

  • Robert B. [ FREEDMAN ], Alameda County Superior Court, 6/26/07 (Inquiry No. 179)
  • Susanne S. [ SHAW ] (retired), Orange County Superior Court, 12/21/06 (Inquiry No. 183)
  • Ronald C. [ KLINE ] (retired), Orange County Superior Court, 6/15/06 (Inquiry No. 181)
  • Bernard J. [ SCHWARTZ ], Riverside County Superior Court, 6/8/06 (Inquiry No. 178)
  • Elaine M. [ RUSHING ], Sonoma County Superior Court, 6/8/06 (Inquiry No. 177)
  • William R. [ DANSER ] (retired), Santa Clara County Superior Court, 6/2/05 (Inquiry No. 172)
  • David E. [ WASILENKO ] (retired), Yuba County Superior Court, 3/2/05 (Inquiry No. 170)
  • Vincent J. [ McGRAW ] (retired), Fresno County Superior Court, 4/3/03 (Inquiry No. 169)
  • James R. [ SIMPSON ] (retired), Los Angeles County Superior Court, 12/9/02 (Inquiry No. 168)
  • Arthur S. [ BLOCK ] (retired), Riverside County Superior Court, 12/9/02 (Inquiry No. 167)
  • James I. [ AARON ], Fresno County Superior Court, 7/8/02 (Inquiry No. 164)
  • William H. [ SULLIVAN ] (retired), Riverside County Superior Court, 5/17/02 (Inquiry No. 163)
  • Patrick B. [ MURPHY ], Los Angeles County Unified Superior Court, 5/10/01 (Inquiry No. 157)
  • Alfonso D. [ HERMO ] (retired), Los Angeles County Municipal Court, 2/20/00 (Inquiry No. 160)
  • W. Jackson [ WILLOUGHBY ], Placer County Superior Court, 6/27/00 (Inquiry No. 154)
  • Fred L. [ HEENE ], Jr., San Bernardino County Superior Court, 10/13/99 (Inquiry No. 153)
  • Robert C. [ BRADLEY ] (retired), Ventura County Superior Court, 6/03/99 ( Inquiry No. 147)
  • William M. [ ORMSBY ], Los Angeles County Municipal Court, 3/20/96 (Inquiry No. 133)
  • George W. [ TRAMMELL ] III (retired), Los Angeles County Superior Court, 1/05/99 (Inquiry No. 146)
  • James Randal [ ROSS ] (retired), Orange County Superior Court, 4/30/98 (Inquiry No. 141)
  • Jose Angel [ VELASQUEZ ], Monterey County Municipal Court, 4/16/97 (Inquiry No. 139)
  • D. Ronald [ HYDE ], Alameda County Municipal Court, 5/10/96 (Inquiry No. 138)

Censures by the Supreme Court

Public Admonishments by the commission

  • Robert D. [ QUALL ], (Retired), Merced County Superior Court, 6/2/08
  • James M. [ BROOKS ], Orange County Superior Court, 4/8/08
  • Pamela Lee [ ILES ], Orange County Superior Court, 11/15/07   
  • Clarence [ WESTRA ], Kern County Superior Court, 9/6/07
  • James M. [ PETRUCELLI ], Fresno County Superior Court, 5/22/07
  • Ronald M. [ SOHIGIAN ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 4/26/07
  • Vincent P. [ DI FIGLIA ] (Ret.), San Diego County Superior Court, 1/9/07
  • James M. [ BROOKS ], Orange County Superior Court, 11/29/06
  • Stephen E. [ BENSON ], Butte County Superior Court, 11/15/06
  • Pamela Lee [ ILES ], Orange County Superior Court, 8/16/06
  • Paul E. [ ZELLERBACH ], Riverside County Superior Court, 8/15/06
  • Joseph E. [ DI LORETO ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 6/13/06
  • Bruce Clayton [ MILLS ], Contra Costa County Superior Court, 6/12/06
  • Ronald J. [ MACIEL ], Kings County Superior Court, 5/9/06
  • John M. [ WATSON ], Orange County Superior Court, 2/21/06
  • Ruffo [ ESPINOSA ], Jr., Los Angeles County Superior Court, 2/9/06
  • Donald R. [ ALVAREZ ], San Bernardino County Superior Court, 12/27/05
  • John D. [ HARRIS ] (retired), Los Angeles County Superior Court, 3/23/05
  • Stephen P. [ GILDNER ], Kern County Superior Court, 1/3/05
  • Brett Carroll [ KLEIN ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 10/21/04
  • Joseph W. [ O'FLAHERTY ], Placer County Superior Court, 9/29/04
  • Robert M. [ LETTEAU ] (retired), Los Angeles County Superior Court, 5/20/04
  • Francisca P. [ TISHER ], Napa County Superior Court, 4/8/04
  • James L. [ ROEDER ], Placer County Superior Court, 12/16/03
  • Peter J. [ McBRIEN ], Sacramento County Superior Court, 4/25/02
  • Bernard E. [ REVAK ], San Diego County Superior Court, 12/12/00
  • Luis A. [ CARDENAS ] (retired), Orange County Superior Court, 10/3/00
  • Suzanne S. [ SHAW ], Orange County Superior Court, 6/26/00
  • Gary P. [ RYAN ], Orange County Superior Court, 6/20/00
  • Robert C. [ COATES ], San Diego County Superior Court, 4/12/00
  • John B. [ GIBSON ], San Bernardino County Superior Court, Victorville Division, 1/28/00
  • Lisa [ GUY-SCHALL ], San Diego County Unified Superior Court, 10/14/99
  • Nancy [ BROWN ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 9/01/99
  • Howard R. [ BROADMAN ], Tulare County Superior Court, 2/26/99
  • Walter L. [ BLACKWELL ] III, San Bernardino County Superior Court, 2/23/99
  • Pamela R. [ ROGERS ], Los Angeles County Municipal Court, 10/29/98
  • John P. [ SHOOK ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 10/29/98
  • Harvey H. [ HIBER ], San Diego County Municipal Court, 10/26/98
  • Christopher J. [ SHELDON ], Riverside County Superior Court, 10/23/98
  • Gregory M. [ CASKEY ], Shasta County Superior Court, 7/6/98
  • Robert H. [ OLIVER ], Fresno County Municipal Court, 6/16/98
  • James L. [ STEVENS ], Jr., Yolo County Superior Court, 2/19/98
  • Ronald [ MACIEL ], Kings County Municipal Court, Lemoore Division, 12/1/97
  • Elvira S. [ AUSTIN ], Los Angeles County Municipal Court, Long Beach Division, 10/1/97
  • Sidney P. [ CHAPIN ], Kern County Superior Court, 1/22/97
  • Alexander H. [ WILLIAMS ], III, Los Angeles County Superior Court, 1/22/97
  • Thomas A. [ SMITH ], El Dorado County Municipal Court, Cameron Park Division, 11/25/96
  • Stephen [ DREW ], Tulare County Municipal Court, Dinuba Division, 7/29/96
  • Charles W. [ STOLL ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, North Central District, 6/3/96
  • Judith C. [ CHIRLIN ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 8/28/95
  • Richard S. [ FLIER ], Contra Costa County Superior Court, 5/30/95
  • B.J. [ BJORK ], Riverside County Municipal Court, Desert Judicial District, 5/15/95

Public Reprovals by the commission 
(Between 1988 and 1995, the commission had authority to issue public reprovals with the consent
    of the judge.) 

  • Kenneth E. [ VASSIE ], Los Angeles County Municipal Court, Inglewood Judicial District, 2/28/95
  • Thomas M. [ KELLY ], Alpine County Justice Court, 2/28/95
  • Thomas P. [ BREEN ], San Benito County Superior Court, 2/28/95
  • Judge Michael A. [ KANNER ], Alhambra Municipal Court District, Los Angeles County, 11/21/94
  • Judge Richard A. [ HAUGNER ], Alameda County Superior Court, 4/11/94
  • James L. [ STEVENS ], Jr., Yolo County Superior Court, 2/14/94
  • James M. [ SLATER ], Santa Barbara County Superior Court, 9/13/93
  • Gary T. [ FRIEDMAN ], Kern County Superior Court, 6/21/93
  • Craig S. [ KAMANSKY ], San Bernardino County Superior Court, 9/14/92
  • Bruce [ VAN VOORHIS ], Walnut Creek-Danville Municipal Court, Contra Costa County, 9/8/92
  • Steven E. [ HINTZ ], Ventura County Municipal Court District, 5/29/92
  • Glenda K. [ DOAN ],Corcoran Justice Court District, Kings County, 8/13/90
  • Raymond [ MIRELES ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, Northwest District, 6/19/90
  • John [ SCHATZ ], Jr., Santa Clara County Superior Court, 12/15/89
  • Glenda K. [ DOAN ], Corcoran Justice Court District, Kings County, 12/11/89
  • Calvin P. [ SCHMIDT ], Harbor Municipal Court District, Orange County, 11/29/89
  • Bruce A. [ CLARK ], Ventura County Municipal Court District, 9/27/89

Decisions and Orders of Dismissal by the commission

  • Rodney E. [ NELSON ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 5/1/06
  • Patricia [ GRAY ], Sonoma County Superior Court, 8/27/02
  • Pamela R. [ ROGERS ], Los Angeles County Superior Court, 9/8/00
        (See also Rogers Public Admonishment, 10/29/98)
  • J. Anthony [ KLINE ], Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, Division Two, 8/19/99
  • John T. [ BALL ] , Santa Clara County Superior Court, 2/11/97
  • Bert L. [ SWIFT ], San Bernardino County Municipal Court, 2/11/97
  • James C.[ McGUIRE ], San Bernardino County Superior Court, 2/11/97
     

Dismissals/Reversals by the Supreme Court

Other Actions by the commission

  • Eugene R. [BISHOP ], Riverside County Superior Court, 2/4/02
        Decision and Order Imposing Private Admonishment.  [Pursuant to stipulation, the commission
        in its decision and order directed that this private admonishment be open to the public.]

Other Cases Relating to the Commission

  •     McComb v. Superior Court of San Francisco, et al (1977)
  •     Mosk v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County (1979)
  •     Adams v. Commission on Judicial Performance (1994)
  •     The Recorder v. Commission on Judicial Performance (1999)

 

     * Supreme Court Decisions are available by request from the commission office.

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