tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23701539.post-23733538168694450172008-05-13T16:27:00.005-04:002008-05-13T16:57:23.615-04:00<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >In the state of Maryland, a gentleman with business before the court felt that Baltimore County District Judge Bruce S. Lamdin was unprofessional and belittling. The gentleman filed a complaint over Judge Lamdin's handling of traffic cases.<br /><br />I'm not particularly interested in the case itself, but rather the public board to whom you file such an appeal: <a href="http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/26excom/html/22jdisf.html">The Maryland Commission on Judicial Disabilities</a>. I find that a very interesting name for a public board. It seems a very rare condition indeed: a judicial disability.<br /><br />According to the state of Washington, a judicial disability is defined as:<br /><br /></span><p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">...a disability which is, or is likely to become, permanent and which <b>seriously</b> interferes with the performance of judicial duties. It can be a physical or mental disability, which may include, but not be limited to, the following: </span></p> <ul style="font-family:arial;"><li> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Alcohol or drug abuse </span></p> </li><li> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Senility </span></p> </li><li> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Physical illness </span></p> </li><li> <p><span style="font-size:100%;">Mental illness </span></p> </li></ul><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >According to the <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_county/bal-judge0513,0,1716944.story">Maryland Commission</a>:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The Commission is empowered to investigate complaints against Maryland judges. It receives, investigates, and hears these complaints...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">As it deems necessary, the Commission conducts hearings or takes informal action <span style="font-weight: bold;">provided that the judge involved has been properly notified.</span> To determine whether to initiate formal proceedings, the Commission conducts a preliminary investigation after which a hearing may be held regarding a judge's alleged misconduct or disability.<br /><br /></span>So let's get this straight: A citizen complains to the Commission. The Commission - apparently - notifies Judge Lamdin that they are investigating him. They tape several weeks of his proceedings and they <span style="font-weight: bold;">still</span> find 20 instances of sanctionable conduct, including:<br /><br /> 1. Disparaging remarks about drug treatment programs and the Baltimore City criminal justice system;<br /> 2. A joke that the county's Circuit Court judges spend their afternoons sipping cocktails rather than working;<br /> 3. Profanity not typically heard from the bench.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Maybe there is something to this "judicial disability" after all.<br /><br />His 30-day suspension starts Monday.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span>CoralandOpalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12351985847303007612noreply@blogger.com