Opinion ID: 1874828
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction of the supreme court

Text: This Court has original jurisdiction in judicial disciplinary proceedings. La. Const. art. V, § 25(C). Therefore, this Court has the power to make original determinations of fact based upon the evidence in the record and is not bound by, nor required to give any weight to, the findings and recommendations of the Judiciary Commission. In re Quirk, 97-1143 p. 4 (La.12/12/97), 705 So.2d 172, 176. Pursuant to our supervisory authority over all lower courts, this Court adopted the Code of Judicial Conduct (Code), effective January 1, 1976, and amended July 8, 1996. The Code is binding on all judges, and violations of its Canons can, without more, serve as the basis for the disciplinary action provided for by La. Const. art. V, § 25(C). E.g., In re Jefferson, 99-1313, p. 3 (La.1/19/00), 753 So.2d 181, 184-85; In re Bowers, 98-1735, p. 7 (La.12/1/98), 721 So.2d 875, 879; In re Quirk, 97-1143, p. 4, 705 So.2d at 176. The Code consists of a series of canons which not only provide guidance and instruction but demand ethical conduct and the avoidance of unethical conduct or practices. The Code is binding on all judges, and judges are governed exclusively by [its] provisions. In re Decuir, 95-0056, p. 8 (La.5/22/95), 654 So.2d 687, 692 and La. R.S. 42:1167. The legislative statement in La. R.S. 42:1167, codifies our jurisprudence which provides that judges are governed exclusively by the Code, and the Code is not contrary to the Constitution's exclusive grant of authority to this Court in the realm of judicial misconduct. In re: Lemoine, 96-2116 (La.1/14/97), 686 So.2d 837. Because the Code contains some general commands, for example Canon 1 (A Judge Shall Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary) and Canon 2 (A Judge Shall Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in All Activities), it is apparent that the Code covers all misconduct as well, since misconduct offends, at the least, Canons 1 and 2. It is therefore safe to say, as the legislature did in 42:1167, that judges are governed exclusively by the Code's provisions, notwithstanding the self-evident fact that the Court has exclusive authority to punish misconduct, unlimited by the Code. While this Court has the authority to punish misconduct for violation of the Canons, the charge or charges against a judge must nonetheless be proved by clear and convincing evidence before this Court can impose discipline. In re Bowers, 98-1735 at p. 7, 721 So.2d at 880; In re Johnson, 96-1866, p. 7 (La.11/25/96), 683 So.2d 1196, 1199; In re Huckaby, 95-0041, p. 6 (La.5/22/95), 656 So.2d 292, 296. This standard requires that the level of proof supporting the charge or charges against a judge must be more than a mere preponderance of the evidence, but less than beyond a reasonable doubt. In re Bowers, 98-1735 at p. 7, 721 So.2d at 880; In re Quirk, 97-1143 at p. 4, 705 So.2d at 176; In re Huckaby, 95-0041 at p. 6, 656 So.2d at 296. Initially, we note that Judge Ellender and the OSC stipulated to the underlying facts of the charge. The parties stipulated that Judge Ellender wore an afro wig, black face makeup and a prison jumpsuit while at a public party and that his actions violated Canons 1 and 2 A of the Code of Judicial Conduct. In In re Johnson, 96-1866 at p. 4 (La.11/25/96), 683 So.2d 1196, 1200, we applied the clear and convincing standard of proof to a case where the judge and OSC entered into a stipulation of facts which was later adopted by the Judiciary Commission in its findings of fact and conclusions of law. There we stated: Judge Johnson has admitted to all the facts necessary to determine whether he violated the Code of Judicial Conduct in the Statement of Uncontested Material Facts jointly submitted by all parties and accepted by the Commission ... Because Judge Johnson agreed to stipulations encapsulating the essence of ethical violations,... our inquiry as to Johnson's violations of these Canons is at an end. See Decuir, 95-0056 at p. 8, 654 So.2d at 692 (finding that because the parties stipulated to the relevant facts and the judge admitted that the facts establish violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct, the Court is left only with the task of deciding the appropriate measure of discipline in this case.) Applying this analysis to the present case, we find that since Judge Ellender stipulated to all the facts needed to determine his violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct, Canons 1 and 2 A, we pretermit addressing the remaining violations of Canons 2 B and 3(A)(4), and 3(C), as the Commission found no violation of these Canons. We therefore find that the underlying facts forming the basis of the Formal Charges relative to Canons 1 and 2 A, have been proven by clear and convincing evidence.