Monday, October 26, 2015

Commission on Judicial Performance Controversy: Judge Discipline Process Secrecy Questioned

Commission on Judicial Performance Director Victoria B. Henley Chief Counsel, Janice M. Brickley Legal Advisor to Commissioners, Bradford L. Battson Senior Attorney, Valerie L. Marchant Senior Attorney, Stephen D. Rockwell Senior Attorney, CJP, Sei Shimoguchi Senior Attorney, Mariah Baird Senior Attorney, Cynthia R. Dorfman Senior Attorney, Charlene M. Drummer Senior Attorney, Sonya R. Smith Senior Attorney, Karen L. Claybroome Senior Attorney, David Lane Senior Attorney, Colette A. Brooks Senior Attorney, Commission on Judicial Performance - Supreme Court of California – Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye – Associate Justice Carol A. Corrigan – Associate Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar – Associate Justice Ming W. Chin – Associate Justice Goodwin H. Liu – Associate Justice Mariano Cuellar – Associate Justice Leondra Kruger - Justice Cantil-Sakauye –California Supreme Court – Corruption – Judicial Misconduct – California Judicial Council
The Commission on Judicial Performance and Director Victoria B. Henley have long been criticized for excessive secrecy when investigating allegations of judge misconduct in California

A Central Valley political science professor has published an editorial criticizing the state Commission on Judicial Performance for conducting secretive, "under the radar" deliberations when it considers allegations of judge misconduct brought by the public. After he filed a complaint against a court commissioner - which was summarily dismissed by the CJP - Tamir Sukkary was surprised at what he learned about CJP procedures. 
"[I] found out from my state senator's office that the CJP's meetings are neither open to the public, nor subject to the California Public Records Act, Brown Act or Freedom of Information Act," Sukkary wrote. "Not even the CJP clerical staff is allowed to attend during deliberations. Why is the commission operating in such a secretive fashion? Isn't the commission supposed to be serving the public?"
The full editorial is posted below, or at this Scribd page. Sukkary has been profiled by CBS News in Sacramento and runs a YouTube Channel featuring educational videos on political science and the Middle East. For additional reporting about the CJP, visit California Commission on Judicial Performance News.   

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