Opinion ID: 7347067
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Count 1(B): Mooney

Text: Mary Ann Mooney met Judge Stanford and his family when they were neighbors. They attended the same church. The judge’s wife socializes with Mooney’s daughter-in-law “somewhat.” Judge Stanford and Mooney’s son were fraternity brothers in college. Mooney received a ticket in 2005 for impeding traffic. She was upset because she did not think she deserved the ticket. Judge Stanford learned about the ticket through someone other than Mooney, probably from his wife. The judge explained that he felt moved to assist Mooney, who was 82 years old at the time, because he believed she was frail and in ill health. Mooney’s family, however, stated Mooney was neither sick nor frail at the time and was generally very capable. Judge Stanford testified that she appeared frail to him when he saw and talked to her at church on Sundays. When asked why he did not advise Mooney to request a trial by declaration to avoid a trip to court, the judge simply answered he “didn’t think of it.” Judge Stanford conceded that he also was motivated to help her because she was upset about the ticket. Judge Stanford could not recall if he communicated his offer of assistance to Mooney. The masters found, based on the totality of the testimony, that Judge Stanford handled the ticket based on hearsay information from his wife. We concur. In December 2005, the ticket was transferred to Judge Stanford’s department. At the judge’s direction, his clerk entered a disposition of guilty with all fees and fines suspended. Mooney did not appear. The minutes state the court found “compelling and extraordinary circumstances” to waive the $20 security fee. There is not clear and convincing evidence that Judge Stanford made such a finding. Rather, the evidence establishes that it was entered by the clerk to effectuate Judge Stanford’s directive that no fines or fees be paid (certain fees cannot be waived without specific findings). Judge Stanford testified that it was possible he consented to the entry when he was told by his clerk that it was necessary. The clerk entered the disposition as “chambers work” because the judge’s notes came out of chambers for her to enter.