Opinion ID: 1854995
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Shower Comment

Text: Everts testified that sometime during the summer of 1993, respondent, the clerk of the court, and Everts were in the courtroom waiting for a legal proceeding to begin. While on the bench, respondent asked Everts how her shower was that morning, to which Everts responded, `Well, why, did it rain this morning.' Respondent replied, `No, how was your shower,' adding, `I bet you wonder why I'm asking you that.' Everts testified these comments embarrassed and confused her. Respondent's recollection of the event is that he thought Everts had taken a hurried shower that morning and still had wet hair upon her arrival in the courtroom. According to respondent, the clerk told him `That's hair style, that's the style'; he then said, `Oh, sorry,' and that was the end of the matter. The master found that this exchange took place and that respondent's conduct violated Canons 2 and 3(B)(4) and (5) of the Code of Judicial Conduct and § 24-722(6).