Opinion ID: 1953592
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Disqualification: The Most Significant Event

Text: As a result of the Governor's failure to forward his August 23, 1994, press release to the plaintiffs, the plaintiffs filed a motion for an order to show cause why Mr. Truscott and Governor Engler should not be held in criminal contempt. This motion was scheduled to be heard on September 12, 1994. The parties and Judge Giddings each have differing perspectives of what actually took place that day. Before a hearing on the motion, Judge Giddings, the parties, their attorneys and representatives, and the monitor held a conference in chambers off the record. The purpose of the conference was to discuss, inter alia, the plaintiffs' motion for an order to show cause regarding Governor Engler. During the course of this conference, Judge Giddings referred to the motion of the plaintiffs appearing in propria persona to show cause. He indicated to Mr. Walen that the pleadings, as filed, were inadequate. As a result, Judge Giddings indicated that the motion needed to be redrafted. What happened next is in dispute. Attorney General Govorchin, by way of affidavit, describes the events that took place in chambers as follows: [25] 4.... Judge Giddings reviewed the [plaintiffs'] motion [to show cause] and noted that the Plaintiffs were placing more emphasis on the alleged false statements in a press release issued by John Truscott than on the assertion that the press release had not been faxed as directed in the Court's order.... 5.... Judge Giddings expressed doubt about a motion to hold John Truscott in contempt because he could probably not act on his own. Judge Giddings stated that the show cause hearing would have to be heard by a different judge. Judge Giddings then reviewed the three alleged false statements set forth in the Plaintiffs' motion and commented that the falsity of those statements was not all that clear. Judge Giddings noted that if Plaintiff was seeking criminal contempt, the motion should set forth distinct counts describing the contempt.
8. Judge Giddings then said that another statement would seem more appropriate for the motion. He referred to a letter sent by Governor Engler to Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General for the State of Michigan, on August 12, 1994. Judge Giddings asked if anyone had a copy of that letter. Both Charlene Snow, Plaintiff-Intervenors' counsel, and Plaintiffs' representative Chuck Walen had a copy.... 9.... Judge Giddings then read a portion of the letter out loud. That portion concerned the Governor's statement that Judge Giddings had adjourned the trial date in Cain again, for reasons known only to the Court. 10. Judge Giddings stated that that statement was not true. That the record would reflect that the Cain case was adjourned due to the MDOC's non-compliance with Plaintiffs' Discovery Requests and a default entered against the MDOC.
12. Judge Giddings then implied that the Governor's letter to Attorney General Frank J. Kelley ... would be a more appropriate basis for contempt on the basis of the false statement regarding the adjourned trial, under the contempt statute [M.C.L.A. § 600.1701(1); M.S.A. § 27A.1701(1) ]. Plaintiffs' representative Walen indicated that he would revise the motion for contempt. [Emphasis added.] The department argued before this Court that this action by Judge Giddings is indicative of bias. Accordingly, the September 12, 1994, conference forms the basis of the department's motion to disqualify. However, Judge Giddings viewed the in-chambers conference in a different light. [26] He described the events as follows: The Court has little disagreement with the summary of the in-chambers discussions and other events described [in] Defendant's Brief in Support of the Motion to Disqualify. The summary is, however, somewhat incomplete and contains inaccuracies. Serious inaccuracies are contained in the affidavits of attorneys representing the Department. With regard to the Govorchin Affidavit, the Court disputes Mr. Govorchin's comment ... that this Court said that another statement would seem more appropriate for the motion. That is not correct. The Court did indicate that if Plaintiffs intended to proceed with the contempt, then they should consider including reference to inaccuracies in Governor Engler's letter of August 12th. This Court did not suggest, as asserted in ... Govorchin's affidavit that the letter of August 12th was a more appropriate basis for contempt. [ [27] ] Accordingly, there is a conflict between the department and Judge Giddings with respect to the events of the September 12 conference. The department filed its motion to disqualify Judge Giddings on September 26, 1994. The hearing transcripts indicate that the department did not inform the judge or the other parties of the existence of this motion until the day it was filed.