Opinion ID: 1949231
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Charge VI:

Text: Respondent adjudicated guilty a defendant who had pled nolo contendere to a charge of driving while under the influence of alcohol and ordered him to pay approximately $545 in fines and court costs, to attend driver improvement school, and to complete 50 hours of community service; in addition, he was sentenced to serve a term of probation for one year and his driving privileges were revoked for six months. Approximately three weeks after he imposed this sentence, respondent set aside the conviction upon an oral ex parte motion by counsel representing the defendant. No notice was given to the state attorney, nor was any written motion filed. Approximately five months later, the circuit court entered an order reinstating the original judgment and sentence and declaring void all orders entered by respondent after the date of the original judgment and sentence. Respondent admitted before the Commission that he had had ex parte conversations with the defendant's attorney regarding the setting aside of the conviction. He testified that the attorney advised him that affidavits would be filed to support the motion. Although respondent admits that he engaged in ex parte communication with the defendant's attorney pertaining to the setting aside of this conviction, he attempts to justify it by arguing that, in a rural county with a heavy county court docket and no full-time assistant state attorney, this type of communication is common and does not offend the Canons of Judicial Conduct or the criminal justice system. Respondent further suggests that he should not be responsible for the defense attorney's failure to present a written motion. The Commission concluded that respondent set aside the conviction without motion or notice and engaged in ex parte communications in violation of Canons 1, 2(A), and 3(A) of the Code of Judicial Conduct.