Opinion ID: 1560454
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Fixing Tickets and Other Dispositive Actions

Text: ¶ 12. Judge Bradford unsuccessfully requested the prosecutor to dismiss traffic offenses in a case pending before another judge. This Court has held that, Often the sanction for `fixing' tickets is a public reprimand, fine and assessment of the costs. In re Bailey, 541 So.2d 1036 (Miss.1989). See also Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Warren, 791 So.2d 194 (Miss.2001); Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Boykin, 763 So.2d 872, 872 (Miss.2000). ¶ 13. The Commission states that the other instances in which Judge Bradford dismissed or took other dispositive action in cases without notifying the prosecutor or affording the prosecutor the opportunity to present witnesses is akin to ticket fixing, and cites several cases in which a judge dismissed a case before allowing the prosecutor to present witnesses. See Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Williams, 880 So.2d 343 (Miss.2004), Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Boykin, 763 So.2d 872 (Miss.2000), and Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Gunn, 614 So.2d 387 (Miss.1993). In each of these cases, the justice court judges at issue improperly disposed of certain cases or charges. In each matter, this Court adopted the recommendation of the Commission, which included a public reprimand and fine.