Judiciary
Calif. Judge Accused of Skipping Out of Work Agrees to Resign
Posted Apr 17, 2009 9:33 AM CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
A California judge accused of routinely leaving work early—often before noon—has agreed to resign and accept a public censure.
It’s not the first time that the judge, Christopher Sheldon of Riverside County, has been accused of skipping work. In 1998, the Commission on Judicial Performance issued a public admonishment saying he left the courthouse and jogged on the stairs during his pretrial calendar, the Recorder reports.
The commission said Sheldon left work even as Riverside County was struggling with a huge case backlog, according to the Daily Journal (sub. req.).
Under the agreement with the commission, Sheldon will stop work in May but use leave time so that he doesn’t officially resign until October. As a result, he will have 20 years of service and will be eligible for a full pension, the Recorder says.
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Comments
J.D.
Apr 17, 2009 10:42 AM CST
That government is best which governs least…? I guess?
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K.
Apr 17, 2009 11:54 AM CST
The terms of the departure this guy has negotiated don’t sound like a “resignation under public censure”—sounds more like he’s retiring AND LEAVING EARLY AT THAT! (So, at least he’s consistent?)
P.S. J.D., this is one of those times when you don’t seem to make an awful lot of sense to me.
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J.D.
Apr 17, 2009 12:18 PM CST
A gov’t official is not showing up to work. So he’s not getting any work done.
In a quote attributed to Thomas Jefferson, and often Thomas Paine and H.D. Thoreau, they showed their disdain for government:
“The best government is that which governs least.”
So by not showing up to work, perhaps the judge is doing us all a favor.
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K.
Apr 19, 2009 9:48 AM CST
Ah. I recognized the quote but couldn’t figure out how it might pertain here.
I am in court daily and have seen how it’s a constant struggle to get cases called and heard; being in court is synonomous with delay and frustration for me and my clients.
I don’t think this is punishment enough, but it’s a start.
But then again, with some judges I’ve seen, the only thing worse than having them off the bench is when they’re on the bench. So I guess I do see your point.
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zekethewonderdog
Apr 19, 2009 9:05 PM CST
Would someone please introduce ex-judge Sheldon to ex-judge Nettles-Nickerson of Lansing Michigan?
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