Opinion ID: 1735018
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Jurisdiction Over Misconduct During Previous Service as a Judge

Text: Judge Henson's term as county judge ended in January 2001, and he assumed office as a circuit judge in January 2003. In January 2004, the JQC Investigative Panel brought formal charges in Count I against Judge Henson for practicing law in December 2000, before his term as county judge ended. Judge Henson moved to dismiss these charges on grounds that the JQC lacked subject-matter jurisdiction to institute proceedings more than a year after he left the county bench for conduct occurring during his term as county judge. He relied on language in article V, section 12(a)(1) of the Florida Constitution, which provides: There shall be a judicial qualifications commission vested with jurisdiction to investigate and recommend to the Supreme Court of Florida the removal from office of any judge whose conduct, during term of office or otherwise . . . demonstrates a present unfitness to hold office. . . . The commission shall have jurisdiction over justices and judges regarding allegations that misconduct occurred before or during service as a justice or judge if a complaint is made no later than one year following service as a justice or judge. The Chair of the Hearing Panel denied the motion to dismiss. Judge Henson reprises his argument in this Court, asserting that under the time limit imposed by the Florida Constitution, the JQC lost jurisdiction over the conduct in Count I in January 2002, a year before the Investigative Panel filed formal charges. Judge Henson argues that the language in article V, section 12(a)(1) requires the JQC to begin proceedings no later than one year after the judge leaves the bench, regardless of whether the judge subsequently regains a judicial position. The JQC argues that it regained jurisdiction to pursue sanctions for Judge Henson's misconduct as a county judge when he returned to the bench as a circuit judge in January 2003. The JQC's position is that under article V, section 12(a)(1), a former judge's return to the bench revives jurisdiction to proceed against the judge for misconduct during the previous judicial service. The issue is the meaning of the language requiring that a complaint be made no later than one year following service as a justice or judge. Art. V, § 12(a)(1), Fla. Const. To date, the provision, which was adopted by the voters in 1996, has been applied only to judges who retired or resigned from office during investigation, not to a judge who has left and then returned to the bench. See In re Frank, 753 So.2d 1228, 1230 (Fla.2000) (retirement from bench does not deprive Court of jurisdiction to sanction misconduct during term of service); In re Hapner, 718 So.2d 785, 787-88 (Fla.1998) (resignation of judge after formal charges filed does not deprive Court of jurisdiction to proceed). Thus, the applicability of the one-year limitation to a judge with an interrupted term of judicial service is a matter of first impression. To determine the meaning of language in a constitutional provision, this Court follows principles parallel to those of statutory construction. See Zingale v. Powell, 885 So.2d 277, 282 (Fla.2004). [A]ny inquiry into the proper interpretation of a constitutional provision must begin with an examination of that provisions explicit language. Likewise, this Court endeavors to construe a constitutional provision consistent with the intent of the framers and the voters. . . . The fundamental object to be sought in construing a constitutional provision is to ascertain the intent of the framers and the provision must be construed or interpreted in such manner as to fulfill the intent of the people, never to defeat it. Such a provision must never be construed in such manner as to make it possible for the will of the people to be frustrated or denied. Moreover, in construing multiple constitutional provisions addressing a similar subject, the provisions must be read in pari materia to ensure a consistent and logical meaning that gives effect to each provision. Id. at 282-83 (quoting Caribbean Conservation Corp. v. Fla. Fish & Wildlife Conservation Comm'n, 838 So.2d 492, 501 (Fla.2003)) (citations omitted). The explicit language of article V, section 12(a)(1) does not resolve the issue. Therefore, we must probe deeper to determine the intent of the framers and voters, and construe the language to fulfill, rather than frustrate or deny, the will of the people. In previous opinions, this Court has explained the policy rationale for imposing sanctions for judicial misconduct up to and including removal from office. The Court has stated that [j]udges should be held to even stricter ethical standards [than attorneys] because in the nature of things even more rectitude and uprightness is expected of them. . . . The judge should observe high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved. He should conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. In re LaMotte, 341 So.2d 513, 517-18 (Fla. 1977) (citation omitted). In removing a judge from office for engaging in a pattern of deceit and deception, the Court has explained that [t]he judicial system can only function if the public is able to place its trust in judicial officers. In re Ford-Kaus, 730 So.2d 269, 277 (Fla.1999). Thus, the authority to investigate, determine, and sanction judicial misconduct contained in article V, section 12 is a mechanism to ensure that the justice system maintains the respect of the public that is essential to its mission as the third branch of government. Construing article V, section 12(a) to insulate a sitting judge from removal or discipline for misconduct during previous judicial service would frustrate and deny the will of the people as expressed in article V, section 12. Misconduct committed by an attorney who subsequently becomes a judge falls within the subject-matter jurisdiction of this Court and the JQC, no matter how remote. For example, in In re Davey, 645 So.2d 398, 410 (Fla.1994), this Court rejected the argument that article V, section 12 does not contemplate acts occurring outside judicial office, and reprimanded a judge for misconduct as an attorney occurring nearly a decade earlier. Further, had Judge Henson moved directly from the county to the circuit bench with no interruption in judicial service, the JQC would have had jurisdiction under article V, section 12 to seek sanctions for his misconduct as county judge. This continuing jurisdiction is the effect of a 1974 amendment specifying that the JQC has jurisdiction over misconduct occurring during term of office or otherwise: The amendment expanded the jurisdiction of the JQC by granting it authority to investigate offenses by judges occurring prior to their present term of office (as far back as November 1, 1966). The revision was in direct response to the case of [ State ex rel. ] Turner v. Earle, 295 So.2d 609 (Fla.1974), in which the supreme court held that a circuit judge could not be disciplined or removed from office as a circuit judge for misconduct committed in a different office. William A. Buzzett & Deborah K. Kearney, Commentary (1974 Amendment), 26 Fla. Stat. Ann., Art. V, § 12, Fla. Const. (West Supp.2005). Thus, JQC proceedings are constitutionally authorized for alleged misconduct by a judge during the time he or she was a lawyer. Proceedings are also clearly authorized based on a complaint filed against a judge currently in office for misconduct during a previous term of service in the same or a different judicial office if there has been no interruption of judicial service. Finally, if the complaint is filed no later than one year after judicial service, proceedings are authorized for misconduct by a judge who has left the bench and has not returned. See, e.g., Frank; Hapner. In accord with the purpose of article V, section 12 to protect the judicial system from loss of public confidence caused by misconduct of judges, we construe article V, section 12(a)(1) to confer jurisdiction on the JQC and this Court on a judge presently in office for misconduct during previous judicial service. In this case, the JQC instituted formal charges against Judge Henson in January 2004, during his current term of office. Thus, both the JQC and this Court have subject-matter jurisdiction over Judge Henson's alleged misconduct of practicing law while still a member of the judiciary as detailed in Count I. Judge Henson challenged only the Court's jurisdiction on the charge of practicing law while still serving as a county judge, and stipulated to the facts supporting the charge. Having resolved the jurisdictional issue against him, we approve the determination of the Hearing Panel that these facts constitute a violation of Canons 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the Code of Judicial Conduct.