Court Opinion

ID: 9513452
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 22:35:44.886269+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:05:51.863129
License: Public Domain

SANDSTROM, Justice,
concurring specially.
[¶ 28] I agree the conduct of Randall Hoffman merits suspension as ordered. The former judge believes he should be disciplined for uttering bad words at his former spouse. See ¶ 6. This minimizes his overall course of conduct. The majority’s needless repetition of the obscene language uttered gives weight to the former judge’s misperception, and diminishes the moral authority of this Court’s opinion. See Lovcik v. Ellingson, 1997 ND 201, ¶ 18, 569 N.W.2d 697 (Sandstrom, J., concurring in the result).
[¶ 29] Just as the underlying evidentiary records in homicide cases necessarily include autopsy photographs, and the underlying evidentiary records in rape cases necessarily include the names of the victims, the underlying evidentiary record here necessarily includes obscenities. But just as this Court in its published opinions does not include autopsy photographs or the names of rape victims, we should similarly refrain from publishing the obscenities here. As we expect a higher level of conduct from judges, we should aspire to a higher level in our formal opinions.
[¶ 30] Dale V. Sandstrom.