When judges do behave badly…they should be punished just like everyone else.
Feb 13th, 2008 | By Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. | Category: BlogsA law judge in our country holds extreme power…the power to decide cases and change people’s lives. Judges are the gatekeepers of our justice system. Most judges in Pennsylvania are voted into office by the citizens of the Commonwealth. Most judges in New Jersey are appointed by other elected officials.
Judges in both PA and NJ must follow a set of rules, sometimes called cannons that govern their conduct. These rules are very similar to the rules of professional conduct that lawyers must follow. In my experience most judges do follow these rules. As with any other profession, there are a few “bad apples” that make for a bad reputation of the profession as a whole. I have come across judges like this in New Jersey and a local judge here in Bucks County. For my clients’ protection, I will not mention any names.
When judges do behave badly and break the rules, they can be brought up on violations of these rules (much like lawyers) and be subject to disciplinary penalties. Many of these problem judges have such big egos and forget what it was like to be a “normal” citizen or an attorney practicing in court. Judges should not demean or degrade people before the court, including lawyers. Judges have only one job to do which is to make sure that justice is served in their courtroom…that’s all.
When judges go overboard and lecture and reprimand individuals in front of their court, inappropriately, a complaint or petition should be filed against them. Just like bad lawyers, doctors, and contractors, bad judges should be removed from the bench.
A law judge’s position in society is extremely important. Our justice system is the backbone of our country. It should not be compromised by ill-behaved judges.
An example of a recent Formal Complaint against a New Jersey Judge can be found here: Formal Complaint.pdf
So here above, you give legal advice to all readers, to file a complaint againt a municipal court judge who has acted wrongly.
yet, on july 11th, instead of giving that advice about the judge in my case, you stated you or your firm has no experience in this type of thing.
it appears now you hve experience with judge wrongdoing.
Michael L. Saile, Jr., Esq. Says:
July 11th, 2007 at 9:29 am
Jim:
This is not the type of case that our law firm handles. We have no experience in suing an NJ municipal court judge. Perhaps your current lawyer can shed some light on the issue.
Again Jim, you are not my client and I will not give you legal advice, nor am I giving specific legal advice on this blog to anyone. Read the Blog Disclaimer for the 15th time.
We do not handle these types of cases anyway. Be advise that I will no longer entertain or post your arguments that lack purpose.
well, it sounded like specific legal advice to me
i read what you may be refering to on muni mail.
a superior court judge in nj used the f word twice in a mean manner to an attorney in his court, telling the attorney to shut the f— up, and get the f— out of his court room.
it was a woman attorney, so i dont know if you witnessed this, but since it was a woman, i know it wasnt you.
judges in nj are political appointments and not voted on, so it is possible a favor quid pro quo will be done and this judge will be let off the hook in the worst scnerio, i believe.
I believe that judges that act inappropraitely should be repremanded and reports should be filed against them. In Bucks County, you have these old judges who have been on the bench for years and years and have grown too big for their britches. They have lost all grap of reality due to thier power and connections and these actions filed against them for thier behavior is just and much needed to give them a dose of reality. They sit on the bench for too long and they do forget what it is like to be an attorney or to even be in the position of being in front of a judge themselves and lose touch with the “little people” or common man. There should be a limit on how long a judge can sit on the bench as to avoid all of this which is all too common in most courtrooms around the country.
so the judge that has called me into court by order 13 times over 30 months for the same one charge and has completely failed to shepherd the case should have charges filed against him ?