Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cr-00125/USCOURTS-caed-1_15-cr-00125-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Matthew Johns
Defendant
USA
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

MATTHEW JOHNS,

Defendant.

No. 1:15-cr-00125-AWI-BAM

ORDER

On May 7, 2015, Defendant Matthew Johns was indicted for threatening to 

murder a United States judge in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B). The target of 

Defendant’s alleged threats was a magistrate judge serving in this district. Given that, 

the impartiality of the district and magistrate judges in the Eastern District might 

reasonably be questioned. Accordingly, the assigned district and magistrate judge have 

each issued orders recusing themselves from hearing this case. In addition, I certify that

each and every other judge in this district has been offered this case, and all have 

refused to take it. Therefore, on the Court’s own motion and pursuant to the Code of 

Conduct for United States Judge, Canons 2 and 3, in order to avoid the appearance of

impropriety, and because a judge has a duty to disqualify him or herself if his or her 

impartiality could be reasonably questioned, whether or not such impartiality actually 

exists, the Court recuses itself from the above-captioned case. See 28 U.S.C. § 455(a). 

Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 1 of 6
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Accordingly, all District and Magistrate Judges in the Eastern District of California are 

RECUSED from hearing case number 1:15-cr-00125 and all related matters. This 

matter is REFERRED to Chief Judge Sidney Thomas, of the United States Court of 

Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, for the assignment to a judge other than from the Eastern

District of California to sit by designation and hear case number 1:15-cr-00125 and all

related matters.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: May 19, 2015

Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 2 of 6
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EXHIBIT A

Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 3 of 6
Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 4 of 6 Case 1:15-cr-00125-AWI Document 4 Filed 05/15/15 Page 1 of 1
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EXHIBIT B

Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 5 of 6
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Plaintiff,

v.

MATTHEW JOHNS, 

Defendant.

Case No. 1:15-CR-0125-AWI-BAM

ORDER OF RECUSAL AND VACATING 

HEARING DATES

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 455, disqualification of the magistrate judge to whom this 

case is presently assigned is appropriate in this matter.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED, that the undersigned recuses herself from all 

proceedings in this present action. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 15, 2015 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:15-cr-00125-SAB Document 5 Filed 05/19/15 Page 6 of 6 Case 1:15-cr-00125-AWI Document 3 Filed 05/15/15 Page 1 of 1