Opinion ID: 1918744
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the chancellor erred in failing to recuse herself.

Text: ¶ 17. On September 4, 1996, McBride filed a Motion for Recusal. His Motion was heard and ruled upon that same day. McBride sought to have Chancellor Springer recuse herself because he had discovered that she had worked for Tom Goldman, an attorney for the City who was involved with one of the projects involved in this litigation. McBride also pointed out that Chancellor Springer had worked for Bourdeaux & Jones, who was representing the City in the present case. ¶ 18. As it turns out, Chancellor Springer had worked for Bourdeaux & Jones for a few months prior to receiving her Mississippi license to practice law. She had been associated with the firm of Tom Goldman from 1985 to 1990 but neither of the projects in question had come into being at the time of the Chancellor's employment there. ¶ 19. The Chancellor considered the Motion carefully, and ruled that it should be denied. ¶ 20. Canon 3(C)(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct provides in pertinent part that: (1) A judge should disqualify himself in a proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned, including but not limited to instances where: (a) he has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceeding; (b) he served as lawyer in the matter in controversy, or a lawyer with whom he previously practiced law served during such association as a lawyer concerning the matter, or the judge or such lawyer has been a material witness concerning it; ¶ 21. This Court reviews a judge's refusal to recuse herself using the manifest error standard. Bredemeier v. Jackson, 689 So.2d 770, 774 (Miss.1997)(citing Davis v. Neshoba County Gen. Hosp., 611 So.2d 904, 905 (Miss.1992)). There is no contention that Chancellor Springer was disqualified by virtue of Miss.Code Ann. § 9-1-11 (1991), therefore we review McBride's challenge under Canon 3(C)(1). ¶ 22. As this Court explained in Green v. State, 631 So.2d 167, 177 (Miss.1994); [T]he Canon enjoys the status of law such that we enforce it rigorously, notwithstanding the lack of a litigant's specific demand. Collins v. Dixie Transport, Inc., 543 So.2d 160, 166 (Miss.1989). The standard by which we determine if a judge should have disqualified himself is an objective standard under Canon 3. A judge is required to disqualify himself if a reasonable person, knowing all the circumstances, would harbor doubts about his impartiality. Jenkins v. State, 570 So.2d 1191, 1192 (Miss.1990). A presumption exists that a judge, sworn to administer impartial justice, is qualified and unbiased. To overcome the presumption, the evidence must produce a `reasonable doubt' (about the validity of the presumption) [.] Buchanan, 587 So.2d at 896, quoting Turner v. State, 573 So.2d 657, 678 (Miss.1990). When a judge is not disqualified under the constitutional or statutory provisions, the propriety of his or her sitting is a question to be decided by the judge and is subject to review only in case of manifest abuse of discretion. Ruffin v. State, 481 So.2d 312, 317 (Miss.1985). ¶ 23. Nothing in the record indicates that Chancellor Springer abused her discretion in refusing to recuse herself. Apparently, she worked for Bourdeaux & Jones, who is representing the City, over a decade before the hearing of this case, and then only for a few months. Chancellor Springer's work with Tom Goldman, who has represented the City on the projects involved in this litigation, did not involve these projects. In fact, Chancellor Springer left Goldman's office several years prior to the validation hearings, and never did any work for the City except for a lease on a hangar at the airport. ¶ 24. McBride did not overcome the presumption that Chancellor Springer was qualified and unbiased. He did not come remotely close to proving that a reasonable person, knowing all the facts and circumstances, would harbor doubts about Chancellor Springer's impartiality. This assignment of error is wholly without merit.