Court Opinion

ID: 9470089
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:56:57.346008+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:41:43.735756
License: Public Domain

NATHANIEL R. JONES, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
Although I concur completely in Parts I and II of the opinion, I write separately to make clear my feelings about the issue in Part III in regard to the requirements that are imposed upon trial judges, especially when they are conducting a jury trial. Sexist or other similar ill-advised aspersions cast by a judge have no place in a judicial proceeding. A trial judge is required to conform to standards of fairness and impartiality and, consequently, he should exercise self-restraint so as to preserve an atmosphere of impartiality. This requirement extends to the area of stereotypical gender references just as firmly as to other types of bias and prejudice. When the remarks of the judge during trial or the manner in which he conducts a trial indicate a personal bias or prejudice, any resulting judgment is rendered invalid. Knapp v. Kinsey, 232 F.2d 458, 466 (6th Cir.1956). More importantly, the trial judge “must be careful not to indicate by his behavior that he prefers one litigant over another or that he disparages a litigant or his counsel.” Steinberg v. Ogden Foods, Inc., 501 F.2d 1339, 1341 (6th Cir.1974) (per curiam). Moreover, when a review of the record evidences that the jury could have easily concluded that the judge favored one party’s position, then a new trial is warranted. Newman v. Staley Manufacturing Co., 648 F.2d 330, 336 (5th Cir.1981).
Upon review of the trial proceedings below, it is clear that the comments of the trial judge and the manner in which he conducted the proceedings contravened the standards of fairness and impartiality that have been mandated by our previous decisions. These standards should be adhered to upon the retrial of this case so that an atmosphere of impartiality is preserved.