Opinion ID: 1965277
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Court's Denial of Recusal Motion

Text: Paradoxically, after arguing in this appeal that the trial court committed reversible error by not allowing him to proceed with a bench trial before it, appellant next argues that the trial judge erroneously failed to recuse herself after having stated on the record that she could not be an impartial fact-finder because of information learned in pre-trial proceedings. Appellant first made a motion for recusal after the trial court denied appellant's request for a bench trial. A recusal is required only where the party requesting recusal establishes that there is a substantial doubt as to the jurist's ability to preside impartially. Commonwealth v. Boyle, 498 Pa. 486, 490, 447 A.2d 250, 252 (1982). The mere fact that the trial judge participated in earlier pretrial stages in the proceedings is not alone sufficient grounds for recusal. Id. Rather, appellant must demonstrate that the judge could not rule impartially. A court's decision to deny a recusal motion, however, will not be disturbed absent an abuse of discretion. Commonwealth v. Council, 491 Pa. 434, 438, 421 A.2d 623, 625 (1980). Here, the court ruled upon several pre-trial motions and after it denied appellant's motion for a bench trial, appellant moved for the court's recusal. The trial court denied the recusal motion because, although she did not believe she could be an impartial fact-finder, she did believe she would be able to be impartial in ruling on matters of law. Appellant contends, however, that the trial court could not be impartial and that this is demonstrated by her subsequent rulings at trial. Specifically, appellant contends that the fact that the trial court allowed the Commonwealth to present the testimony of Clara Johnson clearly establishes that the trial judge was unfairly biased against appellant as a result of the pretrial proceedings. However, as discussed supra, the trial court's admission of that testimony was a proper evidentiary ruling well grounded in the law. A mere adverse ruling, without more, does not demonstrate the bias required for a recusal to be granted. Moreover, an examination of the entire record reveals that the trial court did not consistently rule for the Commonwealth but instead made numerous legal rulings in appellant's favor, including the exclusion of the testimony of Clara Johnson during appellant's penalty phase and the exclusion of all evidence of several other similar crimes with which appellant was charged at both trial and sentencing. [18] Boyle, supra at 491-92, 447 at 253 (denial of motion for recusal will not be disturbed where record reflects proper exercises of discretion with no suggestions of bias or unfairness to defendant.) It was not an abuse of discretion for the trial court to deny appellant's motion for recusal. This claim must therefore fail.