Opinion ID: 1735237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Count VIViolation of Section 177A

Text: ¶ 47. Count VI charges that Judge Byers, by engaging in the aforementioned conduct, violated Section 177A of the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 as amended (1979), and specifically that said conduct constitutes violations of subsections (b) willful misconduct in office and (e) conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the judicial office into disrepute. As stated previously, willful misconduct is the improper or wrongful use of power that involves more than an error of judgment or a mere lack of diligence that may occur through negligence or ignorance not amounting to bad faith. Russell, 691 So.2d at 936-37; Milling, 651 So.2d at 538; see also Mississippi Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Fletcher, 686 So.2d 1075, 1077 (Miss.1996). The Commission found by clear and convincing evidence that the violations stated in Counts I, II, III and V constituted a violation of Section 177A, Count VI. ¶ 48. This Court finds by clear and convincing evidence, that Judge Byers's conduct, in its totality, constituted willful misconduct in office and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.