Legislature enacts new discipline system for judges

Knoxville News Sentinel ^ | 4/10/12 | Tom Humphrey

[SmithL]

Court of the Judiciary abolished, new board created

NASHVILLE — After years of sometimes heated argument, the House sent to the governor Monday night compromise legislation that puts into place a new system for disciplining judges for misdeeds on the bench.

Final approval came on an 88-5 House vote without any debate. The Senate had approved SB2671 unanimously earlier.

Though the votes came with virtually no discussion, the debate over the past three years has included repeated charges that the present Court of the Judiciary ignored judicial misdeeds and operated in unwarranted secrecy. Former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner was offered by critics of the current system as a prime example of its shortcomings.

The bill abolishes the Court of the Judiciary, which was composed of judges and lawyers appointed by the state Supreme Court and the Tennessee Bar Association. In its place, the legislation creates a new 16-member Board of Judicial Conduct, 10 of them judges and six nonjudges. Of the nonjudges, three will be lawyers and three will be "lay persons."

[556x45]

‘The bill abolishes the Court of the Judiciary, which was composed of judges and lawyers appointed by the state Supreme Court and the Tennessee Bar Association. In its place, the legislation creates a new 16-member Board of Judicial Conduct, 10 of them judges and six nonjudges. Of the nonjudges, three will be lawyers and three will be “lay persons.”’

LOL!!! So the new board will be essentially filled w/ bottom feeders along w/ a token sampling of ‘lay persons’. Nothing has changed and we’ll be reading about corrupt judges (well those who get caught) into the distant future. What could possibly go wrong. Its just more of the same w/ different packing.

[Gasshog]

Judicial “Discipline” Scroeboard

Judges&Lawyers 13
Laypersons 3

Not hard to figger the final scroe.

[PUGACHEV]

There really does need to be more review of Judge's behavior. On at least two occasions, including once in Federal Court, I can recall judges falling asleep during a trial. And before anyone says anything clever, in neither case was I the one at the podium when it happened, so you can't blame me.

[longtermmemmory]

day to day conduct of the lower court judges would shock people. Particularly when they have heavy caseloads on their schedule. think 100-200 cases all set for 9am.

Then there are the judges who just rubber stamp and ignore the letter and spirit of the law.

If anything they should LOWER mandatory retirement for state court judges.

[PUGACHEV]

I’ve had items in the mid 500s on a 9:30 docket and been out of there by 11:30.