Opinion ID: 2541697
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Bias and Misconduct by Commission Staff

Text: Judge Simes further claims that the Commission's Findings and Recommendations were predetermined and tainted by the bias and misconduct of the staff and Commission members. Judge Simes supports this allegation by saying that the Commission violated its own rules, clustered this case with others, and arbitrarily allotted Judge Simes only ninety minutes to present his case, among other allegations. Judge Simes adds that the Commission's investigator, Lance Womack, attempted to evade responding truthfully at the hearing. We hold that these arguments are without merit. As previously discussed, the Commission did not violate its rules. Furthermore, the record shows that the Commission permitted Judge Simes to postpone many hearings and attempted to accommodate his schedule so that he and his lawyers could present their case in full. Judge Simes was, in fact, given longer than ninety minutes to present his case. Moreover, Judge Simes concedes that Lance Womack eventually did disclose the information sought to be elicited.