Opinion ID: 2545693
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: Judge Eriksson's jurisdictional argument lacks merit. There is no question that this Court has jurisdiction to oversee the conduct of judges. See art. V, § 12, Fla. Const. The JQC also has jurisdiction to investigate alleged judicial misconduct. Article V, section 12(a)(1) of the Florida Constitution provides: There shall be a judicial qualifications commission vested with jurisdiction to investigate and recommend to the Supreme Court of Florida the removal from office of any justice of judge whose conduct, during term of office or otherwise... demonstrates a present unfitness to hold office, and to investigate and recommend the discipline of a justice or judge whose conduct, during term of office or otherwise ... warrants such discipline.... The commission shall have jurisdiction over justices and judges regarding allegations that misconduct occurred before or during service as a justice or judge if a complaint is made no later than one year following service as a justice or judge. The commission shall have jurisdiction regarding allegations of incapacity during service as a justice or judge. Although Judge Eriksson does not explicitly refer to the doctrine of judicial independence, his brief repeatedly refers to In re Allen, 998 So.2d 557 (Fla.2008), and the overall theme of his argument implies that the principles of judicial independence should have precluded the JQC from filing charges against him. The doctrine of judicial independence does not afford judges the power to do as they please. This Court explained the expectations for judges in In re Turner, 421 So.2d 1077, 1081 (Fla.1982): The duties, responsibilities, and powers entrusted to judges are awesome. Judges must necessarily have a great deal of independence in executing these powers, but such authority should never be autocratic or abusive. We judges must always be mindful that it is our responsibility to serve the public interest by promoting justice and to avoid, in official conduct, any impropriety or appearance of impropriety. We must administer our offices with due regard to the system of law itself, remembering that we are not depositories of arbitrary power, but judges under the sanction of law. Judges are expected to be temperate, attentive, patient and impartial, diligent in ascertaining facts, and prompt in the performance of a judge's duties. Common courtesy and considerate treatment of jurors, witnesses, court personnel, and lawyers are traits properly expected of judges. Court proceedings and all other judicial acts must be conducted with fitting dignity and decorum, reflecting the importance and seriousness of the inquiry to ascertain the truth. This Court balanced the Turner standard for judges against the necessities of judicial independence in Allen, 998 So.2d at 565. In that case, although very different factually, this Court upheld a JQC panel's determination that Judge Michael E. Allen violated the Code of Judicial Conduct when he issued a written opinion that personally attacked a judge on his court. In addressing the doctrine of judicial independence, this Court recognized that in the appellate context, [g]enerally, appellate judges are free to write almost anything in their opinions regarding the decision of the case or the facts and law involved in the case. However, the discussion must be germane to the case at bar and the facts that [were] within the record of the case. Id. at 565. In Allen we concluded that Judge Allen used extrarecord materials to personally attack another judge and [t]his type of action in a judicial opinion cannot be condoned, nor can it be protected by judicial independence. Id. The Court cautioned: While we find that the doctrine of judicial independence did not preclude the JQC from filing charges against Judge Allen for writing and releasing his concurring opinion in this case, we caution that our opinion today should not be viewed as a license for the JQC to judge and evaluate judicial opinions. Id. Judge Eriksson argues that his conduct was germane to the case at bar and the facts that [were] within the record of the case. Allen, 998 So.2d at 565. Implicit in his argument is an attempt to superimpose language from the Allen decision as an exclusive standard demarcating the jurisdiction of the JQC. First, Allen addressed far different circumstances in the appellate context. Additionally, this argument reads Allen far too broadly. The Allen decision rejected Judge Allen's attempt to use the doctrine of judicial independence to justify his actions by noting that his extrajudicial conduct was not germane to the case at bar [or] the facts that [were] within the record of the case. Id. However, nothing in that decision established that the jurisdiction of the JQC is limited to instances of judicial conduct that are unrelated to a case. Alternatively, the JQC refers to this Court's pronouncement in In re Taunton, 357 So.2d 172 (Fla.1978), where the Court said, There are, of course, limits that every judicial officer must observe. Judges are required to follow the law and apply it fairly and objectively to all who appear before them. No judge is permitted to substitute his concept of what the law ought to be for what the law actually is. He may exercise his judicial discretion conservatively or liberally, and he may temper justice with mercy, but he may not deny justice to any person. He may not withhold justice from one litigant in favor of another for whatever reason. Every judge is answerable for excesses or abuse of his awesome power. There is no place in our system for justice by whim or capricious notion. Regardless of the philosophy to which a justice or judge subscribes, he is not permitted to conduct himself in a manner which is unbecoming to a member of the judiciary and which demonstrates an unfitness to hold office. Id. at 179. Taunton effectively conveys the notion that judicial independence, while important, is not limitless. This Court has not precluded the JQC from investigating judges accused of similar conduct in the past. For example, in In re Aleman, 995 So.2d 395 (Fla.2008), the judge was disciplined for failing to provide defense counsel with an adequate amount of time to prepare proper written motions to recuse and for inappropriately threatening to hold defense counsel in contempt with regard to the preparation of those motions. The JQC found that the judge's conduct was arrogant, discourteous, and impatient, as well as inadequate, improper, unacceptable, and unreasonable. Id. at 399 (internal quotation marks omitted). Similar to the facts here, Judge Aleman was accused of reacting improperly to a motion to recuse. Another example of proper JQC investigative action in circumstances similar to the case before us can be found in In re Sloop, 946 So.2d 1046 (Fla.2006). In Sloop, several citizens appeared in the Seminole County courthouse to respond to traffic charges, but arrived at the wrong courtroom after being misdirected by courthouse personnel. See id. at 1050. After they did not appear in Judge Sloop's courtroom, Judge Sloop simply issued warrants for their immediate arrests and then proceeded to go to lunch. See id. Despite being informed that the individuals had eventually reported to his courtroom, he refused to rescind the warrants. See id. This Court concluded its opinion by stating, We hope that our decision today will remind all judges of their solemn obligation to `personally observe' high standards of conduct `so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved.' Id. at 1060 (quoting Fla.Code of Jud. Conduct, Canon 1). Here, the allegations against Judge Eriksson certainly challenge the integrity and independence of the judiciary, and thus an investigation was warranted. The JQC has an internal filter that guards the principles of judicial independence. First, the JQC decides which allegations of judicial conduct warrant an investigation. Second, an investigative panel decides which cases warrant a full hearing. Until an investigative panel recommends a full hearing, the accusations remain confidential. Third, a hearing panel conducts a full hearing and requires the JQC to establish misconduct by clear and convincing evidence for each individual allegation. Lastly, the charges for which the hearing panel finds misconduct are submitted to this Court for yet another level of scrutiny. Judicial independence is guarded at each phase of the judicial discipline process, and this case is no exception. The doctrine of judicial independence did not preclude the JQC from proceeding with these specific charges against Judge Eriksson.