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 | D. Ronald |
| Last Name | Hyde |
| Title | Judge |
| Inquiry No. | 166 |
| Court Level | Superior Court |
| County/Appellate District | Alameda |
| Discipline/Determination | Removal from office |
| Decision By | Commission |
| Date of Decision | 09/23/2003 |
| Method of Resolution | Decision |
| Types of Misconduct | Bias/appearance of bias not directed toward a particular class Disqualification/disclosure/post-disqualification conduct Ex parte communications Off-bench abuse of office/misuse of court information Sexual harassment/inappropriate workplace gender comments |
| Petition For Review | |
| Summary | Judge Hyde used a court clerk obtain Department of Motor Vehicles information on a driver for non-court business. The judge intervened in his daughter's small claims case to prevent the matter from being continued and personally selected a lawyer he knew to serve as a pro tem to hear the case. He accepted and responded to an ex parte communication from a probationer, and engaged in an ex parte communication with a defendant he knew and then modified her probation without disclosing the ex parte communication or his relationship with the defendant's family. The judge acted as advocate in obtaining a restraining order for the wife of a defendant in a case before him. After his disqualification in a case, he called the judge to whom the case had been assigned and asked him to "back me up" on bail, which Judge Hyde had set prior to his disqualification. The judge also made a sexual joke at a gathering of court personnel. Judge Hyde had previously received a public censure, a private admonishment and three advisory letters; the judge's current misconduct related closely to his prior discipline. The commission also noted the judge's lack of candor in his filings with the commission. |
| Documents |