Opinion ID: 1172050
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Jacks Matter.

Text: (11) Robert Jacks appeared at a preliminary hearing in Judge Ryan's court to answer on a felony sodomy charge. After the preliminary hearing, the judge learned that the district attorney intended to prosecute on misdemeanor charges. The judge called the district attorney ex parte and urged him to pursue the matter as a felony. The judge's misconduct did not prejudice the defendant. The district attorney did not follow the judge's suggestion to pursue the matter as a felony and the judge had nothing further to do with the case. Nevertheless, the fact that no harm was done to defendant does not lessen the judge's culpability. Although the masters and the Commission both concluded that this conduct was merely prejudicial, we conclude that it constituted wilful misconduct. Judge Ryan attempted to intrude into the charging authority of the administrative branch of government. Moreover, he deprived the defendant of an impartial magistrate by advocating a harsher charge. In Gonzalez v. Commission on Judicial Performance, supra, 33 Cal.3d 359, we addressed similar misconduct. In that case Judge Gonzalez attempted to persuade the district attorney to drop charges in matters that were not before the judge. We concluded that such activity constituted wilful misconduct. ( Id. at 369.) Applying the Wenger test ( supra, 29 Cal.3d 615) to the case at bar, Judge Ryan knew or should have known that his conduct was beyond his lawful authority, and the purpose of his conduct, viewed objectively, went outside the scope of the judicial function. Judge Ryan acted in bad faith and his misconduct was wilful.