1

COMMITTEE ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT AND DISABILITY

OF THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES

____________

C.C.D. No. 13-01

____________

IN RE: COMPLAINT OF JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT

____________

PROCEEDING IN REVIEW OF THE ORDER AND MEMORANDUM

OF THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT

J.C. Nos. 09-12-90026, 09-12-90032

____________

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

____________

(Filed January 17, 2014) 

Present: Judges Anthony J. Scirica, Chair, Sarah Evans Barker, Edith Brown Clement,

David M. Ebel, James E. Gritzner1

This matter is before the Committee on petitions for review filed by complainant Third 

Circuit Chief Judge Theodore McKee on May 16, 2013 (“first petition”) and July 23, 2013 

(“second petition”) regarding his March 6, 2012 complaint against Judge Richard Cebull under 

the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980, 28 U.S.C. §§ 351-364 (“Act”) and Rules for 

Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings, 248 F.R.D. 674 (U.S. Jud. Conf. 2008) 

(“JCD Rules”). The petitions address three unpublished Ninth Circuit Judicial Council orders on 

both Judge McKee’s complaint and another related complaint against Judge Cebull: an order of 

March 15, 2013; an order of May 13, 2013 purporting to vacate the March 15 order; and an order 

of July 2, 2013 issued in lieu of the March 15 order. The petitions argue that the March 15 order 

should be published as the resolution of these complaints. They also argue, in essence, that the 

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This panel comprised five members of the seven-member Committee, the other two members 

having been excluded from participation in this matter under Rule 21(c) of the Judicial Conference Rules

for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings (2008).
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subsequent orders are invalid as wrongly relying on a theory that Judge Cebull’s retirement

mooted the complaints and as inappropriately withholding factual findings that the March 15 

order included. The Committee reviews these petitions under 28 U.S.C. § 357(a) and JCD Rules 

21(a) and 21(b)(1)(A). For reasons we explain, the petitions are granted.

I. Factual Background

The complaints arose from a February 2012 incident in which Judge Cebull, using his 

court email account, forwarded to six acquaintances an email message under the subject line, “A 

MOM’S MEMORY.” The message was as follows:

Normally I don’t send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was 

a bit touching. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine. A little boy said to his 

mother, Mommy, how come I’m black and you’re white? His mother replied, 

“Don’t even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you’re 

lucky you don’t bark!”

Judge Cebull’s forwarding of the email in question was widely reported in the local and 

national press. The ensuing notoriety was extensive, with calls for action—including demands 

that Judge Cebull resign—from members of Congress, governmental and non-governmental

organizations, and members of the public. In particular, the incident received attention from 

members of the House Judiciary Committee. On March 6, 2012, Representatives John Conyers 

and Steve Cohen sent a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chair Lamar Smith requesting that 

the Judiciary Committee “investigate the potential consequences of Judge Cebull’s conduct 

independent of whatever it is that the Ninth Circuit concludes.” Another member of the House 

Judiciary Committee, Representative Hank Johnson, wrote directly to Judge Cebull asking him 

to resign.

There was also a substantial response from the public, and the story was widely reported 

in the local and national press. The Montana Human Rights Network collected more than 2,800 
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signatures on a petition calling for Judge Cebull to resign. The Crow Tribal Legislature passed a 

resolution asking Montana’s federal legislators to take steps to impeach and remove Judge 

Cebull. Six professors at the University of Montana Law School published an editorial on March 

14, 2012, writing that litigants before Judge Cebull “now have clear reason to question his ability 

to be fair and impartial when they appear in his court.” 

II. Procedural History

When this incident became public through media reports, Judge Cebull wrote a letter of 

apology to the President.2 He also asked Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski to initiate a 

misconduct inquiry into the incident and waived “any confidentiality as to making this request or 

to the existence of any proceedings that may ensue from it.” Judge Cebull’s request was 

docketed as a complaint filed under the Act by Judge Cebull against himself. Chief Judge 

McKee filed his complaint against Judge Cebull based on the same incident, waiving “any right 

[of his own] to confidentiality in the proceedings.” Ten additional complaints were filed 

regarding the incident, which the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council held in abeyance pending an 

investigation into Judge Cebull’s and Judge McKee’s complaints.3 In accordance with JCD Rule 

11(f), Chief Judge Kozinski referred Judge Cebull’s self-initiated complaint and Judge McKee’s 

complaint to a five-judge special investigating committee, which took testimony and reviewed 

relevant email, documents, and statistics.

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The letter stated, in relevant part, as follows: “I sincerely and profusely apologize to you and 

your family for the email I forwarded. I accept full responsibility; I have no one to blame but myself. I 

can assure you that such action on my part will never happen again.”

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Citing no authority for holding the additional complaints in abeyance, the Ninth Circuit Judicial 

Council’s March 15 order described them as “based solely on public reports” and not offering “any 

firsthand information.” The Council has apparently not taken any action on the additional complaints. As 

the filer of a complaint addressed by the orders here in question, Chief Judge McKee was entitled to 

receive those orders, but because the other ten complaints were held in abeyance, those individuals were 

not sent copies of the orders. 
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On March 15, 2013, the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council disposed of the two complaints in 

an order detailing the special committee’s findings of judicial misconduct and issuing sanctions 

against Judge Cebull. A copy of this order was sent to Judge Cebull and to Chief Judge McKee 

under JCD Rule 20(f). The order found that Judge Cebull’s conduct was “‘prejudicial to the 

effective administration of the business of the courts’ under 28 U.S.C. § 351.” It further found 

that Judge Cebull had violated Canon 2 of the Code of Conduct, which provides that a “judge 

should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety,” and Canon 5 of the Code of 

Conduct, which prohibits political activity. The order stated that Judge Cebull’s conduct was 

“contrary to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.” It also noted that “[t]he strength and 

breadth of the public reaction to the publication of the February 2012 email illustrates the 

severity of the violation.” 

In the March 15 order, the Judicial Council issued a public reprimand, ordered that no 

new cases be assigned to Judge Cebull for 180 days, and ordered Judge Cebull to complete 

training on judicial ethics, racial awareness and elimination of bias “[t]o restore the public’s 

confidence that any possible conscious or unconscious prejudice will not affect future decisions.” 

The order described Judge Cebull’s past email practices as discovered by the special committee, 

and “strongly condemn[ed]” them. It also condemned Judge Cebull’s initial public apology as 

“insufficient to acknowledge fully or redress his past actions and the totality of his 

discriminatory emails” and required that he “issue a second public apology, approved by the 

Judicial Council,” that would “acknowledge the breadth of his behavior and his inattention to 

ethical and practical concerns surrounding personal email.” Two members of the Judicial 

Council, Chief District Judge Wilken and District Judge Ishii, wrote a concurring statement that 

“the Judicial Council should request that Judge Cebull voluntarily retire from the judiciary under 
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28 U.S.C. § 371(a) in recognition of the severity of his violation and the breadth of the public 

reaction.” 

The March 15 order noted that the special committee investigated Judge Cebull’s cases—

in particular, his dispositions of labor, employment, civil rights and prisoner rights matters—and 

his criminal sentencing, as well as his cases that were appealed. The investigation found no 

evidence of bias in his rulings or in his sentencing practices, and no cases that were “troubling.” 

The order noted the special committee interviewed “key individuals in Montana’s legal 

community, court staff and Judge Cebull’s professional and social contacts,” and found that 

“[w]itnesses generally regarded Judge Cebull as a good and honest trial lawyer, and an esteemed 

trial judge.” 

Under JCD Rule 20(f), the March 15 order was set to be published on May 17, absent any 

petition for review.

4 But there were further developments in the interim. On April 2, the Ninth 

Circuit Judicial Council announced through its public website that Judge Cebull had decided to 

retire effective May 3. On April 23, Chief Judge McKee wrote to the Judicial Conduct and 

Disability Committee, asking (1) whether the March 15 order must be published as it then stood, 

and (2) whether any modification of the order would begin a new appeal period. The Committee 

responded to Judge McKee, with a copy to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council, that the March 15 

order must, under JCD Rule 24(a), be published, and that any modification of the order would 

begin a new appeal period. Then, on May 3, the Ninth Circuit Chief Judge posted on the court’s 

public website the following announcement: “The Judicial Council now finds it necessary to 

review the procedural status and will consider the matter at its next regular meeting, scheduled 

for June 28, 2013.” Ten days later, on May 13, the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council issued an 

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Under JCD Rule 22(c), any such petition must be filed “within 63 days of the date of the order 

for which review is sought.”
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order vacating its March 15 order as moot in light of Judge Cebull’s retirement and stating that 

the Judicial Council would “consider appropriate revisions” at a forthcoming meeting, scheduled 

for June 28.

On May 16, Chief Judge McKee filed a petition for review (“first petition”) asking the 

Judicial Conduct and Disability Committee to review the May 13 vacatur. The Ninth Circuit 

Judicial Council responded that the Committee had no jurisdiction to conduct review at that time 

because (1) the Judicial Council’s vacatur order “is not a final order,” and (2) the March 15 order 

“is not reviewable because it was vacated.”5 It characterized the “case” as “still pending before

our Judicial Council.” These arguments notwithstanding, the petition’s pendency with this

Committee required that both the March 15 order and the May 13 vacatur remain, at least for the 

time being, unpublished.

Against this backdrop, the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council took further action. On July 2, 

it issued an order that “dismissed the complaints as moot,” declaring that the “intervening event” 

of Judge Cebull’s retirement “concludes these proceedings,” and that the vacatur of the March 15 

order had been predicated on “changed circumstances” resulting from Judge Cebull’s retirement. 

While still describing Judge Cebull’s actions in this matter as “misconduct,” the July 2 order 

presented a truncated version of the March 15 order’s findings.

The March 15 Judicial Council order had described hundreds of inappropriate email 

messages that were received and forwarded from Judge Cebull’s court email account. The 

emails were identified by category, noting emails that were “political in nature” and emails that 

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Although we doubt that a Judicial Council action under the Act could thus evade review, we 

need not reach that issue. One of petitioner’s arguments focuses on the prospect that the March 15 order 

would be withheld from the public record in this matter—a prospect that, in our view, ripened only upon 

issuance of the July 2 order, which the Council evidently does deem “final.” Petitioner’s other argument 

implicates the May 13 vacatur but is more directly a challenge to the July 2 order’s characterization of 

this matter as moot and as concluded for intervening events.
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“showed disdain and disrespect for liberal political leaders”; race-related emails that “showed 

disdain and disrespect for African Americans and Hispanics, especially those who are not in the 

United States legally”; “emails related to religion [that] showed disdain for certain faiths”; 

“emails concern[ing] women and/or sexual topics and were disparaging of women”; “emails 

contain[ing] inappropriate jokes relating to sexual orientation”; and “emails related to pending 

legislation or an issue that could come before the court, such as immigration, gun control, civil 

rights, health care or environmental matters.”

None of the foregoing descriptions appears in the order of July 2, 2013. That order 

recharacterized its predecessor’s findings and omitted many salient details. For example, in lieu 

of the March 15 order’s nearly two-page description of the number and nature of inappropriate 

emails, the order of July 2 noted only that “Judge Cebull sent a substantial number of similarly 

inappropriate emails from his court email account.” The July 2 order included only a truncated 

version of the March 15 order’s discussion of witness interviews and the public response to the 

February 2012 email. And it omitted the March 15 order’s discussion of the specific conduct 

violations and the particularities of the public reprimand and the sanctions ordered, replacing it 

with the remark that “[t]he Judicial Council found misconduct with regard to the emails Judge 

Cebull sent from his court account, and issued an Order and Memorandum ... imposing a 

number of remedial and disciplinary measures.”

In summary, the July 2 order diverges from its predecessor in its (1) lack of specificity as 

to the number, nature, and targets of inappropriate emails found to have been sent by Judge 

Cebull; (2) recharacterization of the misconduct in a way that eliminates all references to 

“disdain and disrespect” for various groups; (3) lack of specificity as to why the emails 

constituted misconduct; (4) de-emphasis of derogatory findings by reduction of their extent and 
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prominence relative to extenuating material; and (5) omission of any reference to the 

concurrence in which two Council members indicated that they would have sought Judge 

Cebull’s resignation. 

Chief Judge McKee filed a new petition for review (“second petition”) on July 23, 

incorporating the first petition by reference and requesting review of the July 2 order. (Under 

JCD Rule 20(f), Chief Judge McKee was entitled to receive and did receive the July 2 order.) 

This petition expressed “concern about the propriety of a Judicial Council issuing a final order 

making detailed findings of extensive judicial misconduct and then, after the subject judge retires, 

sua sponte vacating its own final order and issuing a new order that effectively conceals the 

judicial misconduct that previously had been identified and detailed.” The Ninth Circuit Judicial 

Council, in an August 9, 2013 letter of response to the Committee, explained that the July 2 order 

sought only to “disclose[] enough about the investigation to ensure the public knows that the 

matter was taken seriously. . .” because, in the Council’s view, “[saying anything further would 

be punitive, which is no longer appropriate. . . .” Thus, the Judicial Council did not intend to 

publish its March 15 order, which it declared “vacated.”

III. Discussion

A. Publication of the March 15 Order

The Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980 mandates that “[e]ach written order to 

implement any action under section 354(a)(1)(C) . . . shall be made available to the public 

through the appropriate clerk’s office of the court of appeals for the circuit.” 28 U.S.C. § 360(b)

(emphasis added). (Section 354(a)(1)(C) governs action taken “if the complaint is not 

dismissed.”) JCD Rule 24(a) requires that “all orders entered by the chief judge and judicial 

council” be made public “[w]hen final action has been taken on a complaint and it is no longer 
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subject to review” of right. An order by a Judicial Council is no longer subject to review of right

after “63 days of the date of the order” or, if a timely petition for review is filed, after the 

Committee adjudicates the petition. Neither 28 U.S.C. § 360(b) nor JCD Rule 24(a), by its terms, 

limits this publication requirement to “final” orders. The JCD Rules provide no exception to the 

requirement other than granting the Judicial Council discretion, in specified circumstances, to 

decide whether to identify the subject judge. JCD Rule 24 (a)(2). As noted, the Act refers to 

publication of orders implementing any action under Section 354 (a)(1)(C). In addition, this 

Committee may make available “other orders related to the complaint proceedings” by posting 

them on www.uscourts.gov, the website on which we must post our own orders “constituting 

final action on a complaint proceeding.” JCD Rule 24(c).

The publication requirement in the Act and in the JCD Rules balances the need to 

preserve the confidentiality of the identity of a judge who is subject to a complaint of misconduct 

or disability to which no merit has yet been ascribed, with the need for transparency and public 

confidence once the Circuit Judicial Council has adjudicated the matter on the merits. The 

statutory provision requiring public disclosure of orders was one of several that were added to an 

earlier draft of the Act, to “requir[e] the procedures and institutions involved [in the process] to 

be more open to public scrutiny” and to serve the “goal of insuring public access to the 

[complaint] process.” 126 Cong. Rec. S. 13854, 3860-13861 (daily ed. Sep. 30, 1980); 126 Cong. 

Rec. H. 10188, 10190-10191 (daily ed. Oct. 1, 1980).

In this matter, the proceedings concluded when the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council issued 

its March 15 order, which rendered a final decision on the merits. Even though the period for 

review had not yet elapsed, the order was a final decision because the Council had adjudicated 

the matter on the merits after having received a report from a special investigating committee. 
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Moreover, the March 15 order was subject to the § 360(b) publication requirement, because it 

ordered action “to assure the effective and expeditious administration of the business of the 

courts” within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 354(a)(1)(C). Accordingly, and irrespective of the 

vacatur, the March 15 order must be published, under both the Act and the JCD Rules. 28 U.S.C. 

§ 360(b); JCD Rule 24(a).

B. The “Intervening Event”

The Ninth Circuit Judicial Council in this instance misapplied the Act and the JCD Rules 

by invoking Judge Cebull’s retirement as an “intervening event” warranting vacatur of the March 

15 order and dismissal of the complaints as “moot.” Although a Circuit Judicial Council may 

conclude a proceeding “because . . . intervening events have made the proceeding unnecessary,” 

JCD Rule 20(b)(1)(B), such a disposition “after appointment of a special committee” is available 

only if “no final decision has been rendered on the merits.” JCD Rule 24(a) cmt. In other words, 

the JCD Rules contemplate that an “intervening event” is one that occurs before the Circuit 

Judicial Council has rendered factual and legal findings.6

The Ninth Circuit Judicial Council adjudicated the complaints on March 15, 2013. For 

purposes of JCD Rule 20(b)(1)(B), the complaint proceeding concluded when the Council issued

its March 15 order, a decision on the merits. At that time, there was no intervening event to 

moot the Circuit Judicial Council’s disposition.7

 Because Judge Cebull’s retirement came after 

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The structure of Rule 20, captioned “Judicial Council Consideration of Reports and 

Recommendations of Special Committees,” makes clear that the rule’s options, including termination of a 

proceeding based on intervening events, come into play during the pendency of a special committee 

report before the Judicial Council, not post adjudication. In particular, Rule 20(b) authorizes a complaint 

proceeding to be concluded because the intervening event has made it unnecessary to adjudicate the 

complaint.

7

Past orders, including those cited by the Ninth Circuit council, see, e.g , In re Charge of Judicial 

Misconduct, 782 F.2d 181 (9th Cir. C.J. 1986), are not to the contrary, as they addressed situations in 
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the adjudication of the merits, it was not literally “intervening” and thus did not qualify as an 

intervening event under the Act and the JCD Rules.

Judge Cebull’s retirement only affected the prospective sanctions imposed by the March 

15 order, rendering them inoperative. This applies to the order’s provisions that commanded 

Judge Cebull to undertake, or cooperate in, specified remedial actions. The Ninth Circuit 

Judicial Council could have issued a supplemental order, for publication alongside its March 15 

order, declaring that the retirement had divested the Council of its jurisdiction to enforce these 

remedies. But the Circuit Judicial Council’s factual findings and legal conclusions on 

misconduct must be published. 

As with the requirement that all orders implementing the Act be published, the preclusion 

of mootness termination under these circumstances is important to maintain public confidence in 

judicial conduct and disability complaint proceedings.8

 The imperative of transparency of the 

complaint process compels publication of orders finding judicial misconduct. Accordingly, even 

if the corrective action ordered in this matter is no longer applicable, this subject judge’s 

retirement after a finding that he had committed judicial misconduct was not an intervening 

event under JCD Rule 20(b)(1)(B). 

IV. Conclusion

The Ninth Circuit Judicial Council’s March 15 order, attached herewith, is adopted and 

published as the final order disposing of Judge Cebull’s and Judge McKee’s complaints on the 

merits, although its provisions commanding Judge Cebull to take remedial action are declared 

 

which a subject judge’s resignation or retirement occurred either before the complaint was filed or at a 

point in complaint proceedings when no order on the merits had been issued. 

8

Sound administration of the act excludes “institutional favoritism,” see Implementation of the 

Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980 — A Report to the Chief Justice, 239 F.R.D. 116, 119 (2006) 

(“Breyer Report”).
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inoperative. The Council’s vacatur order of May 13 and its order of July 2 are also attached and 

published herewith. The publication requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 360(b) and JCD Rule 24(a) are 

thereby satisfied. Resolution of the ten remaining complaints in this matter is left to the Ninth 

Circuit chief judge and Judicial Council.
 Hon. Sidney R. Thomas and Richard C. Tallman did not participate in the 1

consideration of this matter.

JUDICIAL COUNCIL

OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT

IN RE COMPLAINT OF

JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT

Nos. 12-90026 and 12-90032

ORDER AND

MEMORANDUM

Before: KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, WALLACE, FISHER and CLIFTON,

Circuit Judges, BEISTLINE, KING and WILKEN, Chief District

Judges, and ISHII and McNAMEE, District Judges1

On March 1, 2012, Richard Cebull, Chief District Judge for the District of

Montana, wrote to Chief Judge Kozinski and asked that an inquiry be conducted as

to whether his transmittal of an email about President Obama’s mother constituted

misconduct under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. In the letter, he

apologized for his “serious mistake and lack of judgment.” He also attached a

letter of apology sent to President Obama. This matter was docketed as Complaint

of Judicial Misconduct No. 12-90026. 

Judge Cebull waived the confidentiality of his request, and his letter to Chief

Judge Kozinski and his apology to the President were posted on the Ninth Circuit

website. We name Judge Cebull in this order based on his waiver of

FILED

MAR 15 2013

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
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confidentiality and our finding that the publicity and outcry surrounding this

incident constitute extraordinary circumstances requiring public assurance that the

federal judiciary is redressing the judicial misconduct. Judicial-Conduct Rule

23(a). 

On February 20, 2012, Judge Cebull forwarded the email referenced above

from his official court email account to six friends, at least one of whom 

forwarded it to others. The email reached a reporter for the Great Falls Tribune,

who published an article quoting the email on February 29, 2012. According to the

article, Judge Cebull maintained to the reporter that he sent the email not because it

was racist but instead because it was “anti-Obama.” Judge Cebull is quoted as

saying: “The only reason I can explain it to you is I am not a fan of our president,

but this goes beyond not being a fan.” The article also states that Judge Cebull

agreed the email was racist, but denied any personal racial bias. Judge Cebull

made similar comments to the Billings Gazette, which were published in a

February 29, 2012 article: “There’s no doubt it’s racist. It wasn’t forwarded for

that purpose. . . . If anything, it’s political.” Judge Cebull added that he intended

the email to be private and said that he would “never forward or send another email

from his office that isn’t business related.” 

This event generated nationwide media coverage, and a number of groups
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and individuals called on Judge Cebull to resign. On March 23, 2012, Chief Judge

Kozinski referred Complaint No. 12-90026 to a Special Committee for

investigation. Members of the Special Committee are Circuit Judge M. Margaret

McKeown, presiding officer; Circuit Judge Richard A. Paez; Chief Judge Rosanna

Peterson, Eastern District of Washington; District Judge Raner Collins, District of

Arizona; and Chief Judge Kozinski, ex officio. Douglas R. Young of Farella Braun

+ Martel LLP, San Francisco, California, was appointed counsel to the Special

Committee pursuant to Judicial-Conduct Rule 13(c). 

Chief Judge Theodore A. McKee of the Third Circuit also filed a complaint,

docketed at No. 12-90032, arising out of the same events, and requested that his

identity as complainant be disclosed. Chief Judge Kozinski referred Chief Judge

McKee’s complaint to the Special Committee for inclusion in the investigation. 

Because other filed complaints were based solely on public reports and did not

offer any firsthand information, they were held in abeyance pending resolution of

Complaint Nos. 12-90026 and 12-90032.

Pursuant to Judicial-Conduct Rule 17, the Special Committee issued a

Report (“the Report”) to the Judicial Council on December 17, 2012. The Report

described the Special Committee’s thorough investigation, which focused on 1)

retrieval, review and analysis of Judge Cebull’s emails; 2) interviews with key
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witnesses; 3) analysis of Judge Cebull’s cases; and 4) the interview with Judge

Cebull and materials submitted by his counsel. 

Email Review

The Special Committee had initially assumed the investigation related to a

single inappropriate email. The Special Committee still undertook an extremely 

detailed and time-consuming review to obtain additional information about the

February 2012 email and to determine whether the email was an isolated incident

or whether Judge Cebull had a pattern or practice of sending inappropriate emails. 

The investigation revealed that there were hundreds, and the volume and nature of

similar inappropriate emails was unanticipated. 

Judge Cebull has only one court email account, from which the February

2012 email was sent. During the period he served as a judicial officer, beginning

as a magistrate judge in 1998, and as a district judge since July 2001, he did not

possess a personal or any other email account. The Special Committee retrieved

Judge Cebull’s email archives from the backup tapes maintained by the

Administrative Office of the United States Courts, which go back to 2008. Backup

tapes were obtained for multiple dates, effectively providing “snapshots” showing

all files present in the account at the time of each backup and allowing a more

comprehensive review. 
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The Special Committee’s review encompassed approximately four years of

Judge Cebull’s personal, noncourt related correspondence. The bulk of the

noncourt emails included personal correspondence, forwarded cartoons, articles or

video links and forwarded jokes. The recipients included Judge Cebull’s personal

and professional contacts, as well as court staff. Committee staff logged only

emails that related to race, politics, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and

politically sensitive issues, or that were inappropriate for Judge Cebull to have sent

from his federal email account. Hundreds of emails fell within one or more of

these categories. 

The majority of the emails were political in nature. Whether they were cast

as jokes or serious commentary, the emails showed disdain and disrespect for

liberal political leaders. A significant number of emails were race related. 

Whether cast as jokes or serious commentary, the emails showed disdain and

disrespect for African Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics, especially

those who are not in the United States legally. A similarly significant number of

emails related to religion and showed disdain for certain faiths. Approximately the

same number of emails concerned women and/or sexual topics and were

disparaging of women. A few emails contained inappropriate jokes relating to

sexual orientation. Finally, a large number of emails related to pending legislation
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or an issue that could come before the court, such as immigration, gun control,

civil rights, health care or environmental matters.

Witness Interviews

The Special Committee and its staff also traveled to Montana and

interviewed over 25 witnesses, including key individuals in Montana’s legal

community, court staff and Judge Cebull’s professional and social contacts. In

addition, the Special Committee interviewed a number of individuals who had

exchanged inappropriate emails with Judge Cebull, including recipients of the

February 2012 email. A few interviews were conducted by video conference and

telephone. Judicial-Conduct Rule 23 prevents the identification of specific

interviewees, so their comments are generally summarized here. 

The interviews focused on Judge Cebull’s professional conduct, his

reputation, his attitudes towards women and minorities and the witnesses’ personal

experiences with Judge Cebull. The witnesses’ statements were generally

consistent and in the aggregate there was praise for Judge Cebull’s conduct on the

bench. A few witnesses commented that given the small number of judges in the

District of Montana and the close-knit legal community, lawyers might be reluctant

to make negative comments about Judge Cebull, even anonymously.

Witnesses generally regarded Judge Cebull as a good and honest trial
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lawyer, and an esteemed trial judge. There were no specific reports of bias or

prejudice in Judge Cebull’s professional conduct, including from attorneys who

had appeared before him on multiple occasions. Those with knowledge of his

sentencing practices did not identify any troubling general practices or specific

cases where his sentences may have been unfair. A number of witnesses who were

friendly with Judge Cebull commented that they thought he made extra efforts to

be fair to and accommodate Native Americans, including regularly approving their

requests to conduct traditional rituals while incarcerated. The Special Committee

did not learn of any concerns with respect to recusal of Judge Cebull.

Although there were some general detractors, the Special Committee

uncovered no information that Judge Cebull had made comments or taken other

actions in his personal or private life that demonstrated racial or other prejudice. 

Judge Cebull’s friends and acquaintances were adamant that he was not biased in

any way, and commented that they often saw him interact with minorities without

prejudice. Many witnesses, however, also believed that the single disclosed email

and associated publicity undermined not only Judge Cebull’s personal reputation,

but the reputation of the judiciary and the Montana legal community as a whole. 

Many of the witnesses had talked to Judge Cebull about the email. Judge

Cebull discussed it not only with his social and professional contacts but traveled
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to every division of the District of Montana and met with court staff individually 

to apologize and allow them to raise any concerns. Recipients and nonrecipients

alike viewed Judge Cebull’s actions in forwarding the email to be “stupid” and in

poor judgment. Those witnesses who had spoken to Judge Cebull said that he had

also stated that what he did was inexcusable and stupid. In the main, the witnesses,

except a few with whom he exchanged multiple emails, did not know about Judge

Cebull’s extensive email correspondence or his practice of forwarding large

numbers of email jokes.

Review of Cases

The Special Committee further analyzed Judge Cebull’s cases, with

particular attention to sentencing practices, civil rights cases and appeals. The

Special Committee did not see evidence of bias in any area. The Special

Committee requested data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (“USSC”) on

Judge Cebull’s sentencing practices from 2005 to the present. The USSC provided

the Special Committee with detailed data, broken down by race, showing the

number of within-guidelines sentences as well as the number of upward and

downward departures. The USSC provided additional detailed data with respect to

certain individual departures. The Special Committee thoroughly examined Judge

Cebull’s sentencing practices with respect to particular crimes and ethnic groups,
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and found no evidence of bias against nonwhite defendants.

The Special Committee also reviewed appeals of Judge Cebull’s cases to the

Ninth Circuit that resulted in published opinions or unpublished memorandum

dispositions between July 2009 and July 2012. The Special Committee did not

identify any specific reversals or vacated cases as troubling, nor did it identify any

troubling patterns in the types of cases that were appealed.

The Special Committee also reviewed statistics on the disposition of the

labor, civil rights and prisoner civil rights cases Judge Cebull heard over the last

five years. The Special Committee did not see any anomalous patterns in the data,

including the appeals of those cases. The Special Committee did not hear reports

of bias in any such cases.

Interview of Judge Cebull

The Special Committee conducted an interview with Judge Cebull, who was

represented by his counsel. The interview was conducted primarily by the Special

Committee’s counsel, and Committee members had the opportunity to ask

additional questions of Judge Cebull. Judge Cebull acknowledged the seriousness

of the issue and did not attempt to minimize or explain away the February 2012

email. Discussing the personal implications, he said that his “public shaming [in

reaction to the email] has been a life-altering experience.” He said he was “acutely
Page 10

aware that each day in my court is the most important day in someone’s life” and

said that his behavior had undermined public confidence in the judiciary. Judge

Cebull acknowledged that the February 2012 email was inappropriate, but

repeatedly emphasized that he was not biased in court or in his personal attitudes or

conduct. Judge Cebull acknowledged his history of inappropriate emails and

emphasized that all of the messages were intended as private communications. He

said that once the story came out, he stopped sending and receiving any personal

email.

Public Response

The Special Committee also obtained the letters, faxes and phone calls

received directly by Judge Cebull following the February 2012 news articles. The

bulk of these communications were negative with respect to the initial email. The

Montana State Bar also forwarded the correspondence it received to the Special

Committee. Judge Cebull’s counsel provided letters from attorneys and other

supporters. The Special Committee reviewed and considered these

communications in preparing the Report.

On September 24, 2012, Judge Cebull announced that he would take senior

status effective March 18, 2013. As a senior judge, he would remain subject to the

Rules for Judicial-Conduct and Judicial-Disability Proceedings. Thus, his decision
Page 11

does not affect the disposition of this matter. 

The conduct at the core of these Complaints consists of Judge Cebull’s

sending, from his court email address, a racist and politically partisan email to a

small group of friends. In response to publicity, he publicly explained the email

was not intended as racist, but was instead anti-Obama. Publicity was widespread

and there was an overwhelming negative reaction not only to the email but also to

Judge Cebull’s explanatory and/or exculpatory comments. The expressions of

support vis-a-vis the email were in comparison minimal, and generally reflected a

mistaken impression that this was an isolated incident. However, Judge Cebull

sent hundreds of other inappropriate emails to court staff and individuals outside

the court. The quantity and nature of these emails underscores the magnitude of

Judge Cebull’s breach of judicial ethics and the public trust. 

Although the allegations in Complaint No. 12-90032 relate to Judge

Cebull’s performance of his official duties and the administration of justice, the

Special Committee did not uncover misconduct in that area. Cognizable

misconduct nevertheless can include conduct occurring outside the performance of

official duties that is “prejudicial to the effective and expeditious administration of

the business of the courts” under 28 U.S.C. § 351, which can include “a substantial

and widespread lowering of public confidence in the courts among reasonable
Page 12

people.” Judicial-Conduct Rule 3(h)(2).

Under 28 U.S.C. §§ 351-364, the Judicial Council has the power to decide

whether Judge Cebull has “engaged in conduct prejudicial to the effective and

expeditious administration of the business of the courts.” Remedial actions that

may be taken by the Judicial Council are prescribed under 28 U.S.C. § 354(a), and

include the following:

(a) censuring or reprimanding the subject judge, either by private

communication or by public announcement; 

(b) ordering that no new cases be assigned to the subject judge for a

limited, fixed period; 

(c) requesting the judge to retire voluntarily with the provision (if

necessary) that ordinary length-of-service requirements will be

waived.

If a judge engaged in conduct that might constitute grounds for

impeachment, the Judicial Council would refer that complaint to the Judicial

Conference. Judicial-Conduct Rule 20(b)(2).
Page 13

Disposition

After due consideration of the record, the Judicial Council adopts the Special

Committee’s Findings of Fact. See Judicial-Conduct Rule 20(d). Based thereon,

the Judicial Council takes the following actions:

1. The Judicial Council hereby publicly reprimands Judge Cebull for

conduct prejudicial to the effective administration of the business of the courts. 28

U.S.C. § 351. The racist and political February 2012 email, particularly when

coupled with the hundreds of other emails regularly sent from Judge Cebull’s court

email account, reflects negatively on Judge Cebull and on the judiciary and

undermines the public trust and confidence in the judiciary. 

This conduct is contrary to the Code of Conduct for United States Judges

which “may provide standards of conduct for application” in judicial conduct

proceedings under 28 U.S.C. § 351. Commentary to Canon 1. In sending these

emails, Judge Cebull violated his pledge “to uphold the integrity and independence

of the judiciary” in Canon 1. As the Commentary to Canon 1 notes, “violation of

this Code diminishes public confidence in the judiciary and injures our system of

government under law.” The strength and breadth of the public reaction to the

publication of the February 2012 email illustrates the severity of the violation. We

conclude that these acts constitute “conduct prejudicial to the effective
Page 14

administration of the business of the courts” under 28 U.S.C. § 351. 

Judge Cebull’s conduct also runs afoul of Canon 2 which provides that a

“judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all

activities.” Canon 2(A). More specifically, the commentary counsels that

“[p]ublic confidence in the judiciary is eroded by irresponsible or improper

conduct by judges” and that the prohibition to “avoid all impropriety and

appearance of impropriety . . . applies to both professional and personal conduct.” 

Even if Judge Cebull intended his emails to remain private, he was indifferent to

their potential negative impact. See Commentary to Canon 2(A) (a “judge must

expect to be the subject of constant public scrutiny”). In this case, we conclude

that his conduct was “prejudicial to the effective administration of the business of

the courts.” 28 U.S.C. § 351. 

Canon 5 provides that “a judge should refrain from political activity.” This

restriction includes making public speeches, commenting on a candidate for public

office and “any other political activity.” Canon 5(A)(2). This Canon does not

preclude a judge from having political opinions or even sharing those opinions in

private among friends. However, disseminating political opinions via a court email

account to court staff and to individuals outside the judiciary contravenes this

Canon. Judge Cebull compounded his mistake in forwarding political emails by
Page 15

making anti-Obama statements to reporters who called for comment on the

February 2012 email. Judge Cebull repeatedly violated his duties under Canon 5. 

This conduct too, we conclude, was “prejudicial to the effective administration of

the business of the courts” under 28 U.S.C. § 351. 

2. We have concluded that Judge Cebull took no action in this matter that

violated federal or Montana state law and thus impeachment is not warranted.

Nonetheless, in recognition of the severity of his violation and the breadth of the

public reaction, the Judicial Council orders that no new cases be assigned to Judge

Cebull for a period of 180 days, such period to begin at the direction of the Judicial

Council. See 28 U.S.C § 354(a) and Rule 20. During this period, Judge Cebull

should undertake the training and other requirements set out in paragraphs 3 and 4

below.

3. Although we conclude based on our review of Judge Cebull’s cases that

he has not demonstrated bias in his professional behavior, his email practices

create a substantial possibility that his neutrality could be questioned. To restore

the public’s confidence that any possible conscious or unconscious prejudice will

not affect future decisions, Judge Cebull shall complete training on judicial ethics,

racial awareness and elimination of bias, including unconscious or latent bias,

before his suspension is terminated. Any training must be of sufficient breadth and
Page 16

depth to raise Judge Cebull’s awareness of how and why his emails were

interpreted as political, racist, sexist or otherwise biased. Following the

completion of such training, Judge Cebull shall engage in public outreach to help

sensitize the legal community and the community at large in order to avoid

repetition of such misconduct in the future. The Judicial Council appoints District

Judge Raner Collins from the District of Arizona, who served as a member of the

Special Committee, to monitor and advise Judge Cebull on appropriate activities to

fulfill the requirements of this Order, and to keep the Judicial Council apprised

accordingly. 

4. The Judicial Council strongly condemns Judge Cebull’s past email

practices, and Judge Cebull’s initial apology, which was insufficient to

acknowledge fully or redress his past actions and the totality of his discriminatory

emails. Further measures are therefore appropriate to instill public confidence in

the judiciary. Judge Cebull must issue a second public apology, approved by the

Judicial Council, that acknowledges the breadth of his behavior and his inattention

to ethical and practical concerns surrounding personal email.

5. All parties and attorneys involved in cases assigned to Judge Cebull may

move to recuse him based on conduct or concerns arising out of this Order or

claims related to any of the categories of individuals or groups referenced in the
Page 17

Order. Any motions to recuse based on this Order will be referred to an out-ofdistrict judge for resolution.

 

Separate Statement by Chief District Judge Wilken and District Judge Ishii

We concur with the Judicial Council’s order and agree that the discipline set

out therein should be imposed. We would go further. In our view, the Judicial

Council should request that Judge Cebull retire voluntarily from the judiciary

under 28 U.S.C. § 371(a) in recognition of the severity of his violation and the

breadth of the public reaction. See 28 U.S.C § 354(a)(2)(B)(ii) and JudicialConduct Rule 20. 

This order shall be made public 63 days after its filing, provided that no

petition for review is filed before that date. Judicial-Conduct Rules 22(c) and

24(a).
 Hon. Sidney R. Thomas and Richard C. Tallman did not participate in the 1

consideration of this matter.

JUDICIAL COUNCIL

OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT

IN RE COMPLAINT OF

JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT

Nos. 12-90026 and 12-90032

ORDER

Before: KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, WALLACE, FISHER and CLIFTON,

Circuit Judges, BEISTLINE, KING and WILKEN, Chief District

Judges, and ISHII and McNAMEE, District Judges1

The Judicial Council’s March 15, 2013 Order and Memorandum is vacated as

moot pending further Order of the Council. In light of Judge Cebull’s May 3, 2013

retirement, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 371(a), and the resulting change of

circumstances, the Council will consider appropriate revisions to the Order and

Memorandum at its next meeting, scheduled for June 28, 2013.

FILED

MAY 13 2013

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
 Circuit Judges Sidney R. Thomas and Richard C. Tallman did not 1

participate in the consideration of this matter.

 The Judicial Council has determined that Judge Cebull’s name should be 2

disclosed in this order. See Judicial-Conduct Rules 23(a) and 24(a)(2). 

JUDICIAL COUNCIL

OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT

IN RE COMPLAINT OF

JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT

Nos. 12-90026 and 12-90032

ORDER

Before: KOZINSKI, Chief Judge, WALLACE, FISHER and CLIFTON,

Circuit Judges, BEISTLINE, KING and WILKEN, Chief District

Judges, and ISHII and McNAMEE, District Judges1

On March 1, 2012, Richard Cebull , who was at that time the Chief District 2

Judge for the District of Montana, wrote to Chief Judge Kozinski and asked that an

inquiry be conducted as to whether his transmittal of an email about President

Obama’s mother constituted misconduct under the Judicial Conduct and Disability

Act. In the letter, he apologized for his “serious mistake and lack of judgment,”

and attached a letter of apology sent to President Obama. This matter was

docketed as Complaint of Judicial Misconduct No. 12-90026. 

On February 20, 2012, Judge Cebull forwarded the email referenced above

from his official court email account to six friends, at least one of whom forwarded

FILED

JUL 02 2013

MOLLY C. DWYER, CLERK

U.S. COURT OF APPEALS
Page 2

it. The email reached a reporter for the Great Falls Tribune, who published an

article quoting the email on February 29, 2012. According to the article, Judge

Cebull maintained to the reporter that he sent the email not because it was racist

but instead because it was “anti-Obama.” Judge Cebull is quoted as saying: “The

only reason I can explain it to you is I am not a fan of our president, but this goes

beyond not being a fan.” The article also states that Judge Cebull agreed the email

was racist, but denied any personal racial bias. Judge Cebull made similar

comments to the Billings Gazette, which were published in a February 29, 2012

article: “There’s no doubt it’s racist. It wasn’t forwarded for that purpose. . . . If

anything, it’s political.” Judge Cebull added that he intended the email to be

private and said that he would “never forward or send another email from his office

that isn’t business related.” This event generated nationwide media coverage, and

a number of groups and individuals called on Judge Cebull to resign. 

On March 23, 2012, Chief Judge Kozinski referred Complaint No. 12-90026

to a Special Committee for investigation. Members of the Special Committee are

Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown, presiding officer; Circuit Judge Richard A.

Paez; Chief Judge Rosanna Peterson, Eastern District of Washington; District

Judge Raner Collins, District of Arizona; and Chief Judge Kozinski, ex officio. 

Douglas R. Young of Farella Braun + Martel LLP, San Francisco, California, was
Page 3

appointed counsel to the Special Committee pursuant to Judicial-Conduct Rule

13(c). 

Chief Judge Theodore A. McKee of the Third Circuit also filed a complaint,

docketed at No. 12-90032, arising out of the same events, and requested that his

identity as complainant be disclosed. Chief Judge Kozinski referred Chief Judge

McKee’s complaint to the Special Committee for inclusion in the investigation. 

Because other filed complaints were based solely on public reports and did not

offer any firsthand information, they were held in abeyance pending resolution of

Complaint Nos. 12-90026 and 12-90032.

Pursuant to Judicial-Conduct Rule 17, the Special Committee issued a

Report (“the Report”) to the Judicial Council on December 17, 2012. The Report

described the Special Committee’s thorough investigation, which focused on 1)

retrieval, review and analysis of Judge Cebull’s emails from 2008-2012; 2)

interviews with over 25 key witnesses in Montana; 3) analysis of Judge Cebull’s

cases; and 4) an interview with Judge Cebull and materials submitted by his

counsel. 

The Special Committee’s extensive and thorough investigation found no

evidence of misconduct as to Judge Cebull’s performance of his official duties. 

The Special Committee analyzed Judge Cebull’s cases, with particular attention to
Page 4

sentencing practices, civil rights cases and appeals. The Special Committee

requested data from the U.S. Sentencing Commission (“USSC”) on Judge Cebull’s

sentencing practices from 2005 to the present. The USSC provided the Special

Committee with detailed data, broken down by race, showing the number of

within-guidelines sentences as well as the number of upward and downward

departures. The USSC provided additional detailed data with respect to certain

individual departures. The Special Committee thoroughly examined Judge

Cebull’s sentencing practices with respect to particular crimes and ethnic groups,

and found no evidence of bias against nonwhite defendants.

The Special Committee also reviewed appeals of Judge Cebull’s cases to the

Ninth Circuit that resulted in published opinions or unpublished memorandum

dispositions between July 2009 and July 2012. The Special Committee did not

identify any specific reversals or vacated cases as troubling, nor did it identify any

troubling patterns in the types of cases that were appealed.

The Special Committee also reviewed statistics on the disposition of the

labor, civil rights and prisoner civil rights cases Judge Cebull heard over the last

five years. The Special Committee did not see any anomalous patterns in the data,

including the appeals of those cases. The Special Committee did not hear reports

of bias in any such cases.
Page 5

The Special Committee undertook an extremely detailed and timeconsuming review to obtain additional information about the February 2012 email,

and to determine whether the email was an isolated incident or whether Judge

Cebull had a pattern or practice of sending inappropriate emails. The investigation

revealed that Judge Cebull sent a substantial number of similarly inappropriate

emails from his court email account. 

The Special Committee and its staff also traveled to Montana and

interviewed over 25 witnesses, including key individuals in Montana’s legal

community, court staff and Judge Cebull’s professional and social contacts. The

witnesses generally regarded Judge Cebull as a good and honest trial lawyer, and

an esteemed trial judge. There were no specific reports of bias or prejudice in

Judge Cebull’s professional conduct, including from attorneys who had appeared

before him on multiple occasions. Those with knowledge of his sentencing

practices did not identify any troubling general practices or specific cases where

his sentences may have been unfair. 

The Special Committee conducted an interview with Judge Cebull, who was

represented by his counsel. Judge Cebull acknowledged the seriousness of the

issue and expressed remorse for his conduct. Discussing the personal implications,

he said that his “public shaming [in reaction to the email] has been a life-altering
Page 6

experience.” He said he was “acutely aware that each day in my court is the most

important day in someone’s life” and that his behavior had undermined public

confidence in the judiciary. He said that once the story came out, he stopped

sending and receiving any personal email.

 The Judicial Council found misconduct with regard to the emails Judge

Cebull sent from his court account, and issued an Order and Memorandum on

March 15, 2013, imposing a number of remedial and disciplinary measures. 28

U.S.C. § 354. The Order was kept confidential during the appeal period pursuant

to Judicial-Conduct Rules 22 and 24(a). On March 29, 2013, Judge Cebull

submitted his retirement letter, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 371(a), effective May 3,

2013. Due to the resulting changed circumstances, the Judicial Council vacated its

March 15, 2013 Order on May 13, 2013. 

Because Judge Cebull has resigned and is no longer a federal judge, the

misconduct procedures and remedies no longer apply to him. 28 U.S.C. § 351(d);

Judicial-Conduct Rule 4; In re Charge of Judicial Misconduct, 782 F.2d 181 (9th

Cir. Jud. Council 1986) (holding that when the subject of a complaint is no longer

a judicial officer, he is beyond the reach of the misconduct procedures and the

remedies that they prescribe). The Judicial Council holds that this intervening

event concludes these proceedings, and dismisses the complaints as moot. 28
Page 7

U.S.C. § 354(a)(1)(B); see also Judicial-Conduct Rule 20(b)(1)(B).

This is the final Order of the Judicial Council, and shall be made public 63

days after its filing if no petition for review is filed before that date. See JudicialConduct Rules 22(c) and 24(a).