Opinion ID: 2497934
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether Judge Dearman's conduct violated Article 6, Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution.

Text: ¶ 15. We agree with the Commission that Judge Dearman violated Canons 1, 2A, 2B, 3B(1), 3B(2), 3B(7), 3C(1), and 3E(1) of the Code. We find by clear and convincing evidence that Judge Dearman's conduct was willful, as well as prejudicial to the administration of justice, bringing her judicial office into disrepute. The judge's conduct is in violation of Article 6, Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution. ¶ 16. Judge Dearman argues that most of the Complaints against [her] are matters involving the exercise of judicial discretion, disagreements with [her] application of the law, and honest mistakes. She now argues that her actions were not misconduct, but derived from being a fallible human, inevitably subject to occasional error while making hundreds of decisions often under pressure. This Court has defined the term willful misconduct to include any knowing misuse of the office, whatever the motive. In re Anderson, 412 So.2d 743, 745 (Miss.1982) (quoting In re Nowell, 293 N.C. 235, 237 S.E.2d 246, 255 (1977)). By engaging in the following conduct, Judge Dearman knowingly misused her office by: (1) sua sponte reducing bonds and charges without proper motion; (2) conditioning the reduction on church attendance; (3) exceeding her authority by altering bonds after a defendant had been released on bond or had waived preliminary hearing, or after a preliminary hearing had been conducted; (4) permitting others to create the impression that they were in a special position to influence her as a judge; (5) initiating and inviting ex parte communications; and (6) presiding at her nephew's initial appearance. Her motivations (including her belief that her system for handling drug offenders is more effective and better serves the public) are irrelevant to a finding of willful misconduct in office. See Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Vess, 10 So.3d 486, 489 (Miss.2009). ¶ 17. This Court has explained that conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into disrepute includes, by necessity, all willful misconduct. Anderson, 412 So.2d at 745. However, such conduct may also include behavior brought about through negligence or ignorance not amounting to bad faith.... The result is the same regardless of whether bad faith or negligence or ignorance are involved and warrants sanctions. Miss. Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Boykin, 763 So.2d 872, 875 (Miss.2000) (quoting In re Anderson, 451 So.2d 232, 234 (Miss.1984)). ¶ 18. Judge Dearman agreed with the Commission that her conduct violated several canons of the Code, particularly: Canon 1 (charging judges to establish, maintain, and enforce high standards of conduct to uphold the integrity of the judiciary); Canon 2A (charging judges to act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary); Canon 2B (charging judges to avoid lending the prestige of their office to advance the private interests of others); Canon 3B(1) (charging judges not to hear and decide matters requiring disqualification); Canon 3B(2) (charging judges to be faithful to the law and not be swayed by public clamor); Canon 3B(7) (charging judges not to initiate, permit, or consider ex parte communications other than those expressly excepted); Canon 3C(1) (charging judges to discharge their administrative responsibilities without bias or prejudice and to cooperate with other judges and court officials); and Canon 3E(1) (charging judges to disqualify themselves when their impartiality may be questioned or on grounds provided by law or judicial canon). ¶ 19. Judge Dearman agreed with the Commission's recommended sanctions. She acknowledges that she violated several canons of the Code and that her actions constituted willful misconduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, bringing her judicial office into disrepute. We accept the agreed-upon findings and recommendation. We find that Judge Dearman's misconduct was willful and prejudicial to the administration of justice, bringing the judicial office into disrepute.