Opinion ID: 2496966
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the judicial misconduct warrants removal from office and assessment of costs in the sum of $1,907.05.

Text: ¶ 34. The Commission has recommended that this Court find Judge Boone violated various canons of our Code of Judicial Conduct and that, under Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, as amended, he should be removed from the office of justice court judge and assessed all of the costs of these proceedings in the amount of $1,907.05. For the reasons discussed below, we respectfully disagree with the Commission's recommendation and impose, instead, a ninety-day suspension without pay and assessment of costs in the amount of $1,907.05. ¶ 35. The appropriateness of sanctions is weighed based on the following factors: (1) the length and character of the judge's public service; (2) whether there is any prior caselaw on point; (3) the magnitude of the offense and the harm suffered; (4) whether the misconduct is an isolated incident or evidences a pattern of conduct; (5) whether moral turpitude was involved; and (6) the presence or absence of mitigating or aggravating factors. Gibson, 883 So.2d at 1157. The primary purpose of judicial sanctions is not punishment of the individual but `to restore and maintain the dignity and honor of the judicial office and to protect the public against future excesses.' Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Guest, 717 So.2d 325, 329 (Miss.1998) (quoting In re Harned, 357 N.W.2d 300, 302 (Iowa 1984)). In light of our findings already discussed, we discuss the Gibson factors only as to Judge Boone's judicial misconduct concerning the ex parte communications with Jones and Twaddle and the improper fine reduction.