Audrie & Daisy Netflix Documentary Controversy: Whistleblower Leaked Motion to Close Courtroom and Seal Reporter's and Clerk's Transcripts

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Institutionalized Socioeconomic Bias Revealed in Traffic Courts Scandal: Judges Still Unaccountable for Systemic Code of Judicial Ethics Violations

Statewide traffic courts scandal news reports expose institutionalized socioeconomic bias against the poor by California courts and judges. Over two years later, no disciplinary action taken against a single judge by the California Commission on Judicial Performance.  

Damning Report Cataloging Career Spanning Misconduct by Judge Bruce C. Mills Leaked by Whistleblower Group

Judge Bruce C. Mills

A report cataloging serial acts of misconduct spanning more than 10 years by Judge Bruce C. Mills has been leaked to the public by a court watchdog and whistleblower group.

The 51-page dossier collected both public and "secret" discipline prosecutions against the judge by the Commission on Judicial Performance, the state agency responsible for judge oversight and accountability. The report is embedded at the end of this post.

The report reveals that in addition to two well known public disciplinary actions taken against the veteran Contra Costa County jurist, Mills was also found guilty in three additional incidents where the type of discipline and name of the offender were "private" and not revealed to the public.

The group identified Mills as the offending judge in the secret proceedings by reverse engineering details from the public disciplinary actions and cross referencing the information with old CJP annual reports. The acts of public and private misconduct occurred in 2001, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2013.

Judge Bruce Clayton Mills was appointed to the bench by Governor Pete Wilson in July, 1995. Mills worked as a Contra Costa County prosecutor from 1985-95, and was in private practice from 1984-87. The judge is a 1984 graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon.

Attorney Brad Baugh Whistleblower Leak: Olivier Garbe Winnov Founder Divorce Case Past Due Attorney Fee Invoice

San Jose divorce attorney Brad Baugh.

The past due attorney fee invoice embedded at the bottom of this post is from the high-conflict Silicon Valley divorce case between Winnov Inc Founder Olivier Garbe and Diana Dong. The case is being heard by controversial Santa Clara County Family Court Judge Mary Ann Grilli.   

San Jose divorce attorney Brad Baugh represents Garbe in the trial court, and prominent appellate attorney Garrett C. Dailey represents Garbe on appeal. Dong has been represented by a string of attorneys or been self-represented due to denials of motions requesting attorney fee funds.  

Baugh is connected to a number of high-profile, high-conflict Santa Clara County divorce cases, including Richard and Laura Beauchesne, Janet and Kyle Bowers, Susan and Robert Bassi, and Evan and Violet Brooks. 

Court watchdogs allege that court records show Baugh deliberately generates conflict between divorcing couples who have substantial assets and income, unnecessarily drags cases out for years, and in the process churns exorbitant legal fees.  Whistleblowers also assert that Baugh fails to disclose conflicts of interest with Santa Clara County Superior Court judges, referees, special masters, judge pro tems, and child custody evaluators, who Baugh has had personal, social, or professional relationships with for more than 20 years. 

Court case file statistical sampling and anecdotal evidence suggest that Baugh obtains favorable outcomes for his clients at a statistically improbable level. Whistleblowers attribute the attorneys unusual success to alleged unethical conduct, serial moral turpitude misconduct, bad faith litigation tactics, and corruption within his network of judges and associates. 

Whistleblower Leak: Winnov CEO Olivier Garbe Past Due Invoice from Attorney Garrett Dailey of Elkins v. Superior Court

• Case: Marriage of Dong & Garbe 608-FL-000101
• Judge: Mary Ann Grilli Santa Clara County Superior Court

Sacramento Superior Court Corruption: Local Court Reform Group Logs 700 Followers on Facebook

A Sacramento County court reform group has announced that they have just surpassed 700 followers on Facebook. The Sacramento Family Court Corruption group posts information about incidents of judge and attorney misconduct, and an alleged Kids for Cash-style racketeering enterprise they contend operates in the family court system.

The court reform advocates also engage in direct action campaigns to raise awareness and compel enforcement of state judicial ethics laws. In the most recent action, the group published and mailed a letter to Sacramento County Presiding Judge Kevin Culhane demanding that he enforce the state Code of Judicial Ethics against Judge Matthew Gary. 

Gary reportedly is involved in an improper, personal relationship with his court clerk, Christina Arcuri. Under state law, a judge is not permitted to engage in a consensual relationship with a court employee under his supervision.

The group has compiled and posted on Facebook dozens of examples of what they contend is corruption throughout the court.   

"We continue to gain Facebook followers because every week a new victim of court corruption is created in Sacramento Family Court," said Susan Ferris, a group administrator. "At some point, oversight agencies who have ignored this for so long won't be able to ignore the sheer volume of victims." 

The group says they have been frustrated by inaction and indifference by the state Commission on Judicial Performance, responsible for oversight and accountability of judges in California, the State Bar, responsible for attorneys, and local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. 

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has refused to enforce perjury, obstruction of justice, child abduction, court document counterfeiting, false arrest, and other laws, the group charges. 

"Our local DA has made clear she would rather be a judge. To be elected a judge you need the endorsement of other judges and prominent attorneys, and Schubert is not enforcing these laws because they implicate several local judges, along with attorneys who have aided and abetted client misconduct, including criminal child abductions," Ferris explained.

"This is all about politics and ambition. There are so many unprosecuted crimes that Schubert has all but issued a decree that local judges and attorneys are immune from criminal prosecution. This preferential treatment for the legal community should ensure her election or appointment as a judge," Ferris added. 

The 2014 documentary film Divorce Court cataloged corruption in family courts throughout the United States, and designated the Sacramento County system as one of the worst in the nation. 

Related links:

• Sacramento Family Court Corruption Group on Facebook. 
• Sacramento County Family Law Court Operates as RICO Racketeering Enterprise, Charge Whistleblowers
• Judge Thadd Blizzard and Matthew Gary, and Attorneys Who Aided Criminal Child Abductions Remain Unaccountable.  
• Sister of Prop 8 Mastermind Runs for Judge in Sacramento
• Prop 8's Schubert Supports Gay Sister's Bid for Judge
• Lesbian DA Ends Campaign to Become Judge

Santa Clara County Judge Mary Ann Grilli Controversy: Socioeconomic, Pro Per Bias Alleged by Family Court Whistleblowers

Santa Clara County Superior Court whistleblowers allege that many wealthy judges convey explicit socioeconomic and pro per bias against indigent, disabled and financially disadvantaged litigants. 

A Santa Clara County government whistleblower has leaked the Statement of Economic Interests financial disclosure data for controversial family law Judge Mary Ann Grilli. The records reveal that Grilli enjoys a net worth substantially above seven figures. The 30-page document, embedded at the end of this article, shows a well diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, as well as an IRA and a revocable trust. 

Indigent, disabled and financially disadvantaged "pro per" litigants who can't afford counsel report that Grilli routinely exhibits socioeconomic and pro per bias, and favoritism towards lawyers. Court dockets and records from cases reviewed by the Family Court Accountability Coalition indicate that Grilli also often disregards "level-playing field" laws that mandate both parties in a divorce be represented by counsel where community property and assets are sufficient.