Opinion ID: 1761301
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the respondent should be publicly reprimanded, fined, and suspended pursuant to section 177a of the mississippi constitution.

Text: ¶ 12. Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890, as amended, provides that upon recommendation of the Commission, a judge may be removed, suspended, fined, publicly censured or publicly reprimanded by the Supreme Court. The Commission has recommended that Justice Court Judge Brenda M. Franklin, be publicly reprimanded, fined $1,500 and assessed the costs of this proceeding. ¶ 13. In accordance with Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution and Rule 10 of the Rules of the Commission, as interpreted by this Court, the Commission recommends disciplinary sanctions and the Court, based upon a review of the entire record, determines the appropriate sanction. As the Court stated in In re Quick, supra, 553 So.2d at 527: In judicial misconduct proceedings, this Court is the trier of fact, and it has sole power to impose sanctions. Garner, 466 So.2d at 885; Collins, 524 So.2d at 556. Although this Court has an obligation to conduct an independent inquiry, it nonetheless gives great weight to the finding of the Commission, which has had the opportunity to observe the demeanor of the witnesses. Garner, supra, at 885; Collins, supra, at 556. See also Mississippi Judicial Performance Comm'n v. Walker, 565 So.2d 1117 (Miss. 1990). ¶ 14. As previously noted, the sanctions available to the Court include removal from office, suspension, fine and public censure or reprimand. The Court stated in Mississippi Judicial Performance Comm'n v. Walker, 565 So.2d at 1124, The sanction imposed should be consistent with other like cases and `ought to fit the offense.' In Re Bailey, 541 So.2d 1036, 1039 (Miss. 1989). ¶ 15. The Commission has recommended a public reprimand, a fine and assessment of costs. Franklin has agreed to this recommendation and has joined in the Commission's motion to accept the recommended sanctions. The agreed Recommendation suggests that the proposed sanction is consistent with the elements as to the imposition of sanctions as found in In re Baker, 535 So.2d 47 (Miss. 1988), and Mississippi Judicial Performance Comm'n v. Walker, 565 So.2d 1117 (Miss. 1990). This Court gives great deference to the Commission's findings, however, we are also charged to render independent judgment. Mississippi Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Peyton, 645 So.2d 954, 956 (Miss. 1994). Without question the recommendation for a public reprimand and a fine is supported by the facts of this Inquiry and could be approved and adopted by this Court. The real question is whether or not the Court should impose the more serious sanction of removal. ¶ 16. In 1994 this Court in Mississippi Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Franklin, 630 So.2d 995, publicly reprimanded Franklin and levied a file of $300 against Franklin. The charge in the previous case involved operating a motor vehicle upon highways of Mississippi with an expired tag in violation of the law for which she was publicly reprimanded. Further, in the 1994 proceeding, Franklin was fined $300 for allowing ... family, social or other relationships to influence her judicial conduction or judgment. ¶ 17. In the earlier case, Franklin was sanctioned for lending the prestige of office and for intervening in a matter involving her brother. In the instant case, it is intervention on behalf of Franklin's friend and distant relative. ¶ 18. The Commission also found, and Franklin agreed, that violations involving bad checks, wherein a warrant for her arrest was issued, and a failure to file a report of campaign contributions and expenditures as required by statute with the Circuit Clerk's Office had occurred, though, in mitigation, these deficiencies have now been satisfied. Because of the charges being almost identical in fact and law and because of the prior sanctions, i.e., public reprimand and fine, we now find that Brenda M. Franklin should be publicly reprimanded, fined $1,500, and suspended without pay from her duties as Justice Court Judge for the Northern District of Marshall County, Mississippi, for thirty (30) days. We find this sanction appropriate in light of Franklin's prior discipline for similar conduct. Mississippi Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Peyton, 645 So.2d 954, 956-57 (Miss. 1994) (discussion of appropriate sanctions in regard to the offense committed.) ¶ 19. BRENDA M. FRANKLIN SHALL BE PUBLICLY REPRIMANDED, FINED $1,500, AND SUSPENDED FOR THIRTY (30) DAYS WITHOUT PAY FROM HER DUTIES AS JUSTICE COURT JUDGE FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MARSHALL COUNTY. DAN LEE, C.J., PRATHER and SULLIVAN, P.JJ., and BANKS, JAMES L. ROBERTS, Jr., SMITH and MILLS, JJ., concur. McRAE, J., not participating.