Judge Robert Hight Misconduct: Sacramento County Presiding Judge Rehires Ex-Con Judge Peter McBrien

Criminal Investigation Against Judge Peter McBrien: Whistleblower Leaked Report from Sacramento County District Attorney's Office

In 2000, Judge Peter McBrien faced
a felony criminal prosecution for
the destruction of trees in a
public park. 

The criminal investigation report of Judge Peter McBrien by Sacramento County District Attorney's Office Criminal Investigator Craig Tourte is embedded at the end of this post. To view additional records from the 2000 prosecution and conviction of McBrien, click here. To read the Sacramento News and Review cover story about the case, click here. 

In 2009, McBrien was caught lying under oath to the Commission on Judicial Performance about the circumstances surrounding his 2000 criminal conviction. 

Court watchdogs allege that the judge also is responsible for a family court criminal racketeering enterprise involving collusion and kickbacks between judges and divorce attorneys who also work as part-time judges in the same court. Click here for an investigative report by Sacramento Family Court News. 

McBrien retired from the bench in 2014, but was authorized to continue working as a family court commissioner by controversial Sacramento County Presiding Judge Robert Hight and troubled family court Supervising Judge James Mize. 

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Sacramento Family Law Court Protest: Hon. Robert C. Hight - Hon. James M. Mize - Hon. Peter J. McBrien

Sacramento Family Court Protest Against Corruption and Judge Peter McBrien - Kept in Office by Testimony from Judges Robert Hight and James Mize 

From the documentary film Divorce Corp. 

Sacramento Family Law Court Protest - Judicial Council of California - California Supreme Court - CJP Victoria Henley from Sacramento Family Court News on Vimeo.

Sacramento Family Court reform activists conduct a demonstration in this clip from the documentary Divorce Corp. Among other issues, the demonstration raised awareness of family court corruption and the failure of the Commission on Judicial Performance to remove Judge Peter McBrien from the bench after his second misconduct prosecution by the CJP. Defense character witness testimony on McBrien's behalf by Sacramento Judges Robert Hight and James Mize was cited by the CJP as a mitigating factor which reduced McBrien's punishment and allowed him to remain on the bench.

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Caught on Transcript: Justice Arthur G. Scotland Provides Misleading Character Witness Testimony for Judge Peter J. McBrien at CJP

Leaked Court Reporter Transcript Catches 3rd District Justice Arthur G. Scotland 2009 Deceptive Testimony for Judge Peter McBrien

To help Sacramento County Family Court Judge Peter McBrien avoid removal from the bench for misconduct, 3rd District Court of Appeal Justice Arthur Scotland misleads the Commission on Judicial Performance about McBrien's reversal rate in the court of appeal. Click here for the full story. 

Also included with the transcript is the felony charging document from McBrien's criminal case. Click here for more on 3rd District Appellate Court controversy. Click here for additional reporting on ethically-challenged Judge Peter McBrien at Sacramento Family Court News. Scotland is now Of Counsel at the high-power Sacramento lobby firm Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP.

Sacramento County Family Court Hon. Peter J. McBrien Felony Charging Document from 2000

Sacramento County Family Court Judge Peter McBrien Charged with Felony Criminal Conduct 

Family Court Controversy Documents

Family court Judge Peter McBrien 2000 felony charging document with attached D.A. investigator report. Summons in lieu of arrest warrant charging Peter James McBrien with the commission of a violation of Penal Code section 594, a felony. With the five-page investigation report of Sacramento County District Attorney's Office Criminal Investigator Craig W. Tourte detailing Judge McBrien's responsibility for the destruction of public owned trees valued at more than $20,000 in the Ancil Hoffman Park Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Carmichael, California. Judge McBrien had the trees destroyed to improve the view from his home, according to the investigators report. 

The case was resolved when McBrien pleaded no contest to a reduced, misdemeanor charge. Click here for the full story. Click here for local coverage of Judge McBrien at Sacramento Family Court News. Hon. Peter J. McBrien, is a Sacramento County Superior Court, family court judge. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye was a Sacramento Superior Court Judge from 1997-2005 and presided over the first court in Sacramento dedicated solely to domestic violence issues, working closely with Judge McBrien.