Public Decisions Database
This database contains decisions on all public judicial disciplinary cases since the inception of the commission in 1960. Cases not involving public charges or public discipline remain confidential under the California Constitution and the commission’s rules.
Pursuant to amendments to the Constitution, which took effect in March 1995, the commission is authorized to impose all disciplinary sanctions, subject to discretionary review by the Supreme Court. Prior to that, the Supreme Court had the authority to censure or remove judges from office upon recommendation by the commission.
Case Profile
New Search| First Name | Michael J. |
| Last Name | Carrozzo |
| Title | Judge |
| Inquiry No. | 210 |
| Court Level | Superior Court |
| County/Appellate District | Santa Barbara |
| Discipline/Determination | Censure & Bar |
| Decision By | Commission |
| Date of Decision | 04/17/2025 |
| Method of Resolution | Stipulation |
| Types of Misconduct | Administrative malfeasance/improper comments, treatment of colleagues and staff Failure to cooperate/lack of candor with regulatory authorities Miscellaneous off-bench conduct Off-bench abuse of office/misuse of court information |
| Petition For Review | |
| Summary | The commission issued a severe public censure and bar to Judge Carrozzo for a significant number of acts of misconduct, spanning more than two years. Judge Carrozzo’s misconduct included drafting correspondence with a letterhead that represented that Judge Carrozzo was an attorney at law, and that falsely stated that he represented an individual. Judge Carrozzo thus misrepresented material facts and intentionally conveyed the false representation that he was entitled to practice law. Also, during the commission’s investigation, Judge Carrozzo made representations to the commission about the correspondence that he knew or should have known were false. |
| Documents |