Opinion ID: 1832209
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Charge IV: Failure to obey order issued by Louisiana Supreme Court and to cooperate with Supernumerary Judge Harrison

Text: In early 1998, the three judges serving on the Monroe City Court began to quarrel about the way in which Judge Jefferson, as the presiding judge of the Monroe City Court, handled administrative matters. On February 27, 1998, two of the judges on the court, Judges James Garland Smith and Bernard Scott Leehy, issued an en banc order that created the position of Administrative Judge. The order also enumerated the duties and responsibilities of that office and elected Judge Smith as the administrative judge of the court. Judge Jefferson filed a lawsuit challenging the en banc order. On April 17, 1998, the Fourth Judicial District Court found Judge Smith's election valid and enjoined Judge Jefferson from interfering with Judge Smith's authority over administrative matters. In response to the conflicts arising between the three judges relative to the administrative duties of the court, this Court, on May 28, 1998, appointed a Supernumerary Judge pro tempore for the Monroe City Court. This judge, retired judge John Harrison, temporarily assumed all administrative duties of the court. The judges of the Monroe City Court, including Judge Jefferson, were expressly relieved of all administrative duties and were ordered not to assume or discharge such duties. Against this background lies Charge IV, which stems from a criminal case involving the violation of the City of Monroe's Dog Regulatory Ordinance and culminates in Judge Jefferson's refusal to obey two orders issued by Supernumerary Judge Harrison. On August 11 and 12, 1998, two dogs belonging to Ms. Dianne Hill were captured and taken to the Monroe Animal Shelter and Ms. Hill was issued citations for violating City Ordinances relating to dog nuisances and dogs running at large. Monroe v. Hill, No. 98-M-4881. On August 25, 1998, Judge Jefferson signed an order directing a writ of habeas corpus to the Director of the Monroe Animal Shelter ordering him to produce the two dogs on August 28, 1998, at 1:30 p.m., Courtroom A. The order also stated that the prosecutor (Mr. Pierre) and the Director of the Monroe Animal Shelter show cause on August 28, 1998, at 1:30 p.m., Courtroom A why an order should not issue ordering the return of the dogs to their owner. The city prosecutor filed an answer to the petition for habeas corpus on August 28, 1998. He also filed a motion to dismiss the Petition for Habeas Corpus. On the same day, Judge Jefferson ordered the city prosecutor to either file a pleading seeking authority to detain the two dogs by August 31, 1998, or they would be released. The prosecutor timely filed the motion and rule. On August 31, 1998, Judge Jefferson signed an Order setting the Rule to Show Cause for September 15, 1998, at 9:30 p.m. in Courtroom D. On September 15, 1998, Judge Jefferson denied Dianne Hill's Motion to Dismiss for No Cause of Action and Unauthorized Use of Summary Proceedings. On the same day, Ms. Hill filed her intention to apply for supervisory writs from the ruling. Judge Jefferson stayed the matter until final disposition by the Second Circuit Court of Appeal. Judge Jefferson signed this order on September 16, 1998. Judge Harrison heard about the above-mentioned case while watching the evening news on or about August 29, 1998. He suspected judge shopping in the Hill case because it was unusual to file a writ of habeas corpus for the release of dogs and because the petition was filed and a hearing set so quickly that service of process on the numerous witnesses would have been difficult or impossible to achieve. By written memorandum dated August 31, 1998, Judge Harrison ordered Judge Jefferson to produce the pleadings in the Hill matter. Judge Jefferson refused to do so. Subsequently, on September 4, 1998, Judge Harrison ordered Judge Jefferson not to hear the Hill case, [5] which had been allotted to the September 1998 criminal docket to be heard by Judge Scott Leehy. [6] In essence, Judge Harrison had reason to believe that Judge Jefferson was trying to manipulate the random allotment scheme by hearing the case. As noted above, although Judge Jefferson received Judge Harrison's directive or order not to fix any rules or other proceedings in the Hill case, he presided over the case on September 15, 1998. The record clearly shows that Judge Jefferson deliberately disobeyed both of the orders issued by Judge Harrison pursuant to his authority as administrative judge. Specifically, Judge Jefferson refused to allow Judge Harrison to review the pleading file regarding Monroe v. Hill, No. 98-M-4881 and admittedly retained the file in his chambers until the proceeding was over. Additionally, he continued to hold proceedings in the Monroe v. Hill matter even after Judge Harrison ordered him to turn the case over to the section of court to which it had been allotted. Such conduct was unprofessional, discourteous, utterly unwarranted and a blatant violation of this Court's order of May 28, 1998. Moreover, Judge Jefferson's disregard of Judge Harrison's requests and orders regarding this matter constituted willful misconduct relating to his official duty and further evidenced persistent and public conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into disrepute in violation of La. Const. art. V, § 25(C).