Court Opinion

ID: 9393999
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-05-11 20:05:37.233224+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:56.751514
License: Public Domain

D     ORIGINAL                                                                           05/11/2023

          IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA                               Case Number: PR 19-0677

                                       PR 19-0677                            FILED
                                                                              MAY 1 1 2023
                                                                            Bowen Greenwood
                                                                          Clerk of Supreme Court
                                                                             State of Montana

PUBLIC REPRIMAND AND SUSPENSION                               PROCEEDING
UNDER RULE 10(G) OF THE JUDICIAL                               IN PUBLIC
STANDARDS PROCEDURAL RULES                                    REPRIMAND

       CHIEF JUSTICE McGRATH: This is the time and date set for the public reprimand
of District Judge Raymond Dayton.
       Judge Dayton, if you will now come to the well of the Court in front of the rostrum,
we will proceed with your public reprimand.
       This proceeding is based on a formal disciplinary complaint filed against you with
the Judicial Standards Commission in August 2022. The complaint is based on your
actions and public comments made in a public hallway in the Anaconda-Deer Lodge
County courthouse on August 11, 2022. Specifically you made highly inappropriate
comments of a sexual nature about a witness in a matter pending in your court and in a
related matter in the Justice Court. Your comments were made to the Justice of the Peace
following a hearing in the Justice Court and overheard by court personnel. As recounted
by these witnesses, your comments were offensive to women and highly derogatory toward
a witness in both court proceedings. The comments indicate your lack of respect not only
for the witness, but the ongoing legal process as well. Your conduct undermines the
integrity of the office you hold.
       You have stipulated that your actions and comments in that rnatter violated Rule 1.2
of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires a judge to act in a manner that promotes
public confidence in the judiciary. This public reprimand is being delivered today in
accordance with our Opinion and Order dated May 2, 2023, in which you were also
suspended from office for 30 days.
      Rule 1.2 of the Code of Judicial Conduct requires judges to act in a manner that
promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the
judiciary, and avoids the appearance of impropriety. We have determined that your
conduct has eroded public confidence in the judiciary and created an appearance of
impropriety in violation of the Montana Code of Judicial Conduct.
      Judge Dayton, we hereby impose upon you the public reprimand of this Court.
      This Proceeding in Public Reprimand will be filed with the Clerk of the Supreme
Court and copies shall be delivered to you, Judge Dayton, and to the members of the
Judicial Standards Commission.
      DATED this 11 th day of May, 2023.

                                                             Chief Justice

                                                               Justices

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