Opinion ID: 1239182
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Judge's Failure to Disqualify Herself Sua Sponte

Text: (4a) Defendant argues that the earlier proceedings made it impossible for the judge to remain impartial during the court trial, and she should have disqualified herself sua sponte. We disagree. At hearings months before trial, the judge heard various statements regarding witness Johnson and was informed that defendant had pleaded guilty to and been sentenced for related noncapital charges, and defense counsel gave the judge information about whether defendant would plead not guilty by reason of insanity. We doubt whether these facts alone would require the judge to disqualify herself had any party requested she do so. (5a) Although a defendant in a criminal proceeding, indeed a party in any proceeding, is entitled to a trial by a judge who is detached, fair and impartial ( In re Richard W. (1979) 91 Cal. App.3d 960, 967 [155 Cal. Rptr. 11]), the mere fact a judge obtains information during litigation does not automatically disqualify that judge from further proceedings. A trial judge hears many items during the course of a trial which are inadmissible, and [s]he is called upon to rule on the admissibility of numerous evidentiary matters. The fact that [s]he has heard these things does not mean that [s]he cannot divorce them from [her] mind. ( People v. Beaumaster (1971) 17 Cal. App.3d 996, 1009 [95 Cal. Rptr. 360], quoted in In re Richard W., supra, 91 Cal. App.3d at p. 968 [both cases involving a court trial].) (4b) The information the judge received here was relatively insignificant and given for purposes other than to establish guilt or innocence. The record does not suggest the judge based her ultimate verdicts on anything but the evidence properly presented at trial. ( In re Richard W., supra, 91 Cal. App.3d at p. 968.) We need not decide definitively whether the judge should have disqualified herself on request, for the defense made no request. Defense counsel knew all the facts defendant now cites, and he did not ask the judge to disqualify herself. Therefore, defendant may not raise the issue for the first time on appeal. (5b) If a judge discovers that [s]he cannot avoid consideration of information from another proceeding, or from a hearsay or other source, the preservation of the proper image of justice requires the judge to either recuse [her]self from conducting the trial or reveal the particular information to the parties so that the person who is possibly affected may either object to the court's consideration of the case, waive possible grounds for disqualification, or otherwise lay aside the issue. ( In re Richard W., supra, 91 Cal. App.3d at p. 967, italics added.) (4c) Here, the judge did exactly what was required. The defense was fully aware of the facts because they were revealed either by or in front of defense counsel long before trial. The judge did not have to disclose further what the parties already knew. On another occasion, at trial, the judge did reveal information relevant to her impartiality that the parties might not otherwise have known. Before Dr. Ginsburg testified as a defense expert, the judge informed the parties that, years previously, her husband had rented office space from the witness. Neither party expressed concern that this fact would affect the judge's consideration of the case. If a judge refuses or fails to disqualify herself, a party may seek the judge's disqualification. The party must do so, however, at the earliest practicable opportunity after discovery of the facts constituting the ground for disqualification. (Code Civ. Proc., § 170.3, subd. (c)(1).) Here, defendant knew all the facts he now cites by the time he waived a jury, about four months before the trial. Yet he never objected to the judge's presiding over the trial or otherwise sought her disqualification. It is too late to raise the issue for the first time on appeal. ( Caminetti v. Pac. Mutual L. Ins. Co. (1943) 22 Cal.2d 386, 392 [139 P.2d 930] [`It would seem ... intolerable to permit a party to play fast and loose with the administration of justice by deliberately standing by without making an objection of which he is aware and thereby permitting the proceedings to go to a conclusion which he may acquiesce in, if favorable, and which he may avoid, if not.']; In re Steven O. (1991) 229 Cal. App.3d 46, 53-55 [279 Cal. Rptr. 868]; People v. Bryant (1987) 190 Cal. App.3d 1569, 1572-1574 [236 Cal. Rptr. 96]; In re Christian J. (1984) 155 Cal. App.3d 276, 278-279 [202 Cal. Rptr. 54]; In re Richard W., supra, 91 Cal. App.3d at pp. 967-968; People v. Beaumaster, supra, 17 Cal. App.3d at p. 1009.) Defendant argues he did not waive his objection to the judge because he was not personally present at the hearing regarding witness Johnson. His absence makes no difference. He was represented by counsel, who was present at the hearing. (6) `When the accused exercises his constitutional right to representation by professional counsel, it is counsel, not defendant, who is in charge of the case. By choosing professional representation, the accused surrenders all but a handful of fundamental personal rights to counsel's complete control of defense strategies and tactics.' ( In re Horton (1991) 54 Cal.3d 82, 95 [284 Cal. Rptr. 305, 813 P.2d 1335], original italics [holding that counsel may impliedly stipulate to trial before a court commissioner].) `An attorney may not sit back, fully participate in a trial and then claim that the court was without jurisdiction on receiving a result unfavorable to him.' ( Id. at p. 91.)