Judge Reprimanded for Posting Order on Court Website That Accused Lawyers of Unethical Conduct
A Tennessee judge has been publicly reprimanded (PDF) for publishing an order on a Montgomery County court website that referred to claimed facts outside the record and accused attorneys of unethical conduct.
The order concerned recusal motions made by lawyers who had recently left a law firm at which the wife of Judge John Gasaway was a partner. One of the departed lawyers and the judge’s wife were involved in what the Court of the Judiciary terms “a significant dispute” at the time.
The reprimand says that the judge’s conduct violated rules requiring a judge to avoid the appearance of impropriety by acting in a manner that promotes public confidence in the judiciary and not allowing family relationships to influence the jurist’s conduct or judgment.
A WSMV story earlier this year provides additional details about the dispute between the attorneys.
Hat tip: Legal Profession Blog.
