Opinion ID: 2174333
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Abuse of contempt power;

Text: C. Unprofessional relationship with and hostile attitude towards employees; D. Wilful neglect of adoption docket and refusal to respond to requests by the SCAO; E. Failure to file reports with the SCAO. After hearing the testimony of witnesses and arguments of counsel, the master submitted his report on December 31, 1991. The commission met in open session to hear oral arguments regarding the master's report on March 9, 1992. It adopted in full the master's findings of fact and conclusions of law that provided the basis for its decision and recommendation of discipline issued on April 13, 1992. The commission concluded that Judge Seitz was guilty of judicial misconduct that served to undermine the effectiveness of the judiciary and has engendered public disrespect for the office he holds. The commission stated that Judge Seitz has demonstrated, in a number of instances, over a substantial period of time, that he does not possess those qualities essential to be a competent judge, and that his wilful violations have impugned the honesty and integrity of his court and the entire Michigan judiciary. Therefore, the commission recommended that the Supreme Court remove respondent from office, and bar him from ever again holding judicial office. It becomes our task, by reviewing de novo the record of this case, to conclude whether the conduct charged to Judge [Seitz] and found by the Commission is established by the record. The issues for our consideration, then, are whether that conduct is of a nature warranting discipline and, if so, whether removal, as recommended by the Commission majority or some other form of discipline should be imposed. In re Bennett, 403 Mich 178, 184; 267 NW2d 914 (1978). [4]
James McCauley Seitz has a history of being unable to work in an amicable environment with anyone, be it people of authority, co-workers, or employees. When he first became a judge of the Monroe County Probate Court in 1977, hostilities began almost immediately between him and the chief judge and only colleague on the bench, Harry Seitz. Judge Harry Seitz resigned in 1985. [5] Before his vacancy was filled, the respondent discharged Harry Seitz' court reporter-secretary, Mrs. Trowbridge, which led to legal action by her against the respondent and Monroe County. Joseph Costello, with the urging of respondent, was appointed to fill the vacancy. What began as an amicable relationship between the two judges quickly deteriorated. The situation was so hostile, the then Chief Justice of this Court appointed Court of Appeals Judge JOHN GILLIS to act as chief judge [6] and assigned the State Court Administrator to act as special administrator of the Monroe County Probate Court. Judge GILLIS named Judge Costello as chief judge pro tem, resulting in his becoming acting chief judge when the appointment of Judge GILLIS as chief judge ended at the end of 1988. [7] Since that time the Monroe County Probate Court has been in a state of disarray. In referring to Judge Seitz and Judge Costello, the master summarized as follows: They have overwhelmed associates, staff, the State Court Administrator's Office and the Judicial Tenure Commission with complaints against one another, and have generated an impressive volume of complaints from others. Staff, caught up in the turmoil, have become pawns between the two, compelled to work in an environment of suspicion and hostility. Contact was reduced to written memoranda, employees made notes of events and compiled dossiers on judges and each other. Some of them brought law suits and one went to jail. Respondent secretly taped his telephone conversations. Central to an understanding of much of what transpired in the period during which the charges against respondent arose is his relationship with his secretary/court reporter. In discussing that relationship, the master stated: In early 1983, Cindy Paz was hired by respondent to be his secretary-recorder. Mrs. Paz, now Mrs. Cameron, failed the test for court recorder three times but was kept on the job by respondent and a bizarre relationship developed. She was described as rough, which is a fair description. Indeed, the tenor of conversation between the two, in the presence of other court staff or in private, took on the atmosphere of a bawdy house with sexual references and gifts of a crude and vulgar nature. Both respondent and Mrs. Cameron deny that a sexual relationship existed between them; if not, it would appear that respondent was trying to create one. He hinted to her that they should run off together; he discussed his matrimonial problems with her and described his wife to her in the most unflattering terms. He would drop in at her home at all hours of the day or night, often bringing liquor with him; he bought her expensive clothes. He was generous and helpful to her. And he expected absolute loyalty of her in his conflicts with Judge Seitz, Judge Costello and others, insisting that she refer to them in the crudest of terms and that she avoid contacts with them.
After the divorce of Mrs. Paz, in 1989, respondent drank heavily, talked more of his unhappy marriage, made suggestions to Mrs. Paz that they might run off together, and told her not to rush into any relationship with anyone else as he might be divorced. He would sometimes pass messages to Mrs. Paz through her friend, Irene Leonard, and in January of 1990 he told Mrs. Leonard (who told Mrs. Paz) that he was going to give Mrs. Paz a trip to Florida.... Mrs. Paz did not intend to and did not go to Florida. Later Mrs. Paz, without telling respondent, become engaged to Larry Cameron, an intake worker at the Youth Center. On Feb. 7, when respondent learned of the engagement from someone else, he vomited. He then gave her a bizarre series of notes and tapes, and sent her a message through Mrs. Leonard not to come to work because he might hurt her. Mrs. Paz sought employment elsewhere in the county system ... and, with her new husband, is now suing respondent. It was in this milieu that the following episodes occurred. A. TELEPHONE LISTENING DEVICE In the summer of 1988, Mrs. Cameron, suspecting that her husband was involved with another woman, asked Judge Seitz to install a tap for recording conversations on her home telephone. She alleges that Judge Seitz accompanied her to Radio Shack, insisted on purchasing the equipment himself with his credit card, and assisted her in installing the telephonic eavesdropping device. Judge Seitz emphatically denies purchasing and installing such equipment. [8] He does not deny that his assistance was requested, but that he declined the request after conferring with his friend, Judge James Carr, a United States Magistrate for the Northern District of Ohio. Judge Carr informed Judge Seitz that recording a third-party conversation is a felony and thereafter, according to respondent, he had no involvement in the matter. [9] He testified that he was later informed by Mrs. Cameron that someone else helped her install the device. [10] The master concluded that, although the testimony of the two was diametrically opposed, Mrs. Cameron's was the more credible. The commission agreed. They specifically found that Judge Seitz had violated the eavesdropping statutes, MCL 750.539c; MSA 28.807(3) and MCL 750.539f; MSA 28.807(6), by installing a telephone tape recording system at the home of Mrs. Cameron. In terms of specific grounds of misconduct, the master stated: His violation of the criminal code violates virtually all of the Canons of Judicial Ethics and is misconduct under MCR 9.205(C)(4), clearly prejudicial to the administration of justice. On the same topic, the commission concluded: Finally and most egregiously, Respondent's violations of the criminal statutes betray his very oath of office. By installing the surveillance device and by providing Mrs. Cameron with the device, knowing her purpose, Judge Seitz was guilty of felonious conduct, grossly inappropriate to this office. There can be no greater offense to the judicial system than a judge who has such contempt for the law that he breaks it as it suits him. This alleged misconduct by Judge Seitz amounts to the only significant factual dispute in the matters at issue in this case  whether or not he participated in the installation of an eavesdropping device, an act that could constitute a felony. Although we might be inclined to honor the request for additional testimony were we to accept the finding of an act that would constitute a felony, we need not do so. The undisputed facts demonstrate Judge Seitz' embroilment in his employee's marital dispute, use of his own recording device to surreptitiously record conversations, and knowledge that his employee also intended to commit and had commenced what he believed to be a felony. Such actions, while individually not necessarily constituting a specific charge, support our conclusions regarding Judge Seitz' overall lack of judicial temperament and sense of propriety as developed in this opinion. [11] B. ABUSE OF CONTEMPT POWER In November of 1988, Judge JOHN GILLIS, acting as chief probate judge assigned by the Supreme Court, issued an administrative order that required youth home residents to have their hearings conducted at the youth home, a facility operated under the direction of the probate court for the detention and treatment of juveniles. The youth center is a maximum detention facility, and this order was issued for security reasons and to avoid transportation to the courthouse. In January 1989, when Judge Costello assumed control of the court after the assignment of Judge GILLIS expired, the superintendent of the youth center was Daniel Gentner. Judge Costello, who favored the administrative order, informed him that it was to be followed and that juveniles were not to be brought from the center to the courthouse for hearings. Judge Seitz, who did not favor the order, issued orders in two cases contrary to Judge Costello's directions to Mr. Gentner. [12] However, hearings were not held because the juveniles were not brought from the center. During the third week of January, Mr. Gentner met with Judge Seitz to discuss the conflicting orders. Judge Seitz told him that Judge GILLIS' order was invalid. Mr. Gentner said that he did not want to disobey Judge Seitz, but that he felt he was required to follow the orders of the chief judge. Judge Seitz indicated that he recognized Mr. Gentner's position. He did not, however, inform Mr. Gentner that he intended to comply with the order. In fact, Judge Seitz immediately scheduled two hearings to be held in his courtroom. Mr. Gentner did not transport the juveniles from the center. Instead, the hearings were held by conference call. Judge Costello then issued Administrative Order No. 1989-2, a verbatim copy of Judge GILLIS' order. He submitted the order in February 1989 to the State Court Administrator's Office for approval under the court rule. The order was approved in March 1989. The order continued to be a topic of discussion between Judge Seitz, Judge Costello, and the SCAO. On May 5, 1989, Judge Seitz issued an order to the youth home director, stating that on May 10 the director, Mr. Gentner, was to release a juvenile female to her father after 9:00 A.M. for a hearing to be conducted in the courthouse that afternoon. [13] The order contained the statement that failure to comply would be deemed contempt. This caused the master to conclude that Judge Seitz was deliberately trying to trap Mr. Gentner. [14] Mr. Gentner expressed his concern about the order to Judge Costello, who instructed Mr. Gentner not to release the girl to her father. Mr. Gentner testified that in any conflict, he thought he would be required to follow the directive of the chief judge. When the father came to the center that morning, he was told that his daughter could not be released. Judge Seitz sent deputies to the youth home and had Mr. Gentner arrested and brought to his courtroom. Judge Seitz conducted a mock hearing devoid of due process. When Mr. Gentner asked for counsel he was ignored. Judge Seitz ordered that Mr. Gentner call the youth home and have the girl released. Mr. Gentner respectfully cited the order and directives of Judge Costello. [15] Judge Seitz found Mr. Gentner in contempt of court and ordered him jailed. [16] Judge Seitz accused his colleague, Judge Costello, of obstruction of justice and requested that the prosecutor bring criminal charges. He also filed a grievance against him with the Judicial Tenure Commission. [17] Judge Seitz argued that he was not required to follow the order because it was never published and he was never given a copy of it after it was approved. MCR 8.112(B) contains no requirement for publication of administrative orders or the giving of notice. Judge Seitz was aware that the order had been issued by Judge Costello and that it had been submitted for the SCAO's approval. He also was aware that both Judge Costello and Mr. Gentner considered it to be effective. He testified that he did not know the order had been approved by the SCAO, nor did he bother to make any inquiry with regard to whether the order had been approved. The master found that the testimony was an outright falsehood or contemptuously indifferent to the necessities of judicial administration. Judge Seitz argued that it was common practice to release children before a hearing if the recommendation was that they be sent home on probation. Judge Seitz states in his brief that it was his intention to permanently release the juvenile on probation, and, therefore, the juvenile was no longer a party detained at the Monroe County Youth Center and Administrative Order No. 1989-2 did not apply. [18] After making findings of fact on this topic, the master made the following observations: No conclusion can be reached but that this was an abuse of judicial power for the sole purpose of humiliating the Chief Judge Pro Tem and perhaps subjecting him to prosecution on a trumped up charge of obstruction of justice. The Superintendent of the Youth Center, whose sole offense was following the orders of Judge Costello, was to be humiliated as well. Respondent's stubborn resolve not to conform to Administrative Order 1989-2 could have been accomplished by more subtle and considerate means than those employed here. And, had respondent any concern for his court and for his court's employee, Mr. Gentner, he could have resolved this particular case in many other ways ... by adjournment, by using an order to show cause rather than a bench warrant, or even by going forward with the hearing without the presence of the juvenile. Respondent testified that he felt sorry for Mr. Gentner, but it is clear that he had no feeling whatever for him. His conduct was an abuse of judicial power so grossly prejudicial to the administration of justice, MCR 9.205(C)(4), as to deserve the severest sanction.[ [19] ] In agreeing with the master's findings, the commission concluded that Judge Seitz abused his judicial power for the sole purpose of humiliating others in violation of Canon 3A(9) of the Code of Judicial Conduct. [20] The respondent would have us resolve this incident on the question whether he knew about the approval of the administrative order by the SCAO and whether this factual situation was in violation of the order. While we think both questions can be answered affirmatively, it is sufficient to find, as did the master and the commission, that the facts amply support the conclusion that Judge Seitz was intent upon subverting the rules of his court and the decisions of his chief judge with which he disagreed, and that in doing so he demonstrated a penchant for creating tension and contention in the courthouse. The master and the commission have properly found, as do we, that the facts of this episode amount to a violation of the standards of judicial conduct and are deserving of sanction.