Opinion ID: 1737782
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: formal charge i(c)

Text: In Formal Charge I(C), Judge Emanuel is charged with failing and/or refusing to timely sign ex parte orders while serving as Civil Order Signing Judge. As a result, lawyers practicing before the First Judicial District Court were regularly submitting pleadings that required the signature of routine ex parte orders either a week before or a week after Judge Emanuel's assignment to sit as Civil Order Signing Judge, thereby increasing the workload of the other judges. Accordingly, the First Judicial District Court amended Local Rules 2, Sections 2 and 3, Section 4, effective August 15, 1996, eliminating the no assignment of matters which do not require action in open court, such as minor's settlements, tutorships, worker's compensation settlements, executory proceedings, successions and probate matters; and further eliminating the Civil Order Signing Judge duty assignments. As a direct result, all such routine matters must now be submitted to assigned sections of court for signing. The Stipulation acknowledged that if called to testify, certain lawyers and judges would testify accordingly. The Commission found that this charge was proven by clear and convincing evidence, constituting violations of Canons 1, 2 A and 3 A(7)(1976) and 1974 La. Const. art. V, § 25(C).