Sen. Beavers and judges at odds over ethics panel

Sen. Beavers and judges at odds over ethics panel


3:26 AM, Feb. 11, 2012

A plan backed by Tennessee judges that would change the ethics panel that disciplines jurists is at odds with arguably the judiciary’s biggest critic in the legislature — Sen. Mae Beavers.

The differences in opinion came out this week at a debate before the Tennessee Press Association between Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jeff Bivins.

Beavers has long complained that the ethics board, known as the Court of the Judiciary, is dismissing too many citizen complaints against judges accused of serious misconduct.

The judges are backing legislation that would make it more difficult to dismiss a complaint against a jurist. But they still insist that the vast majority the disciplinary board be made up of judges.

The majority of members now are judges appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

“I just think it looks bad when you have judges appointed by judges to judge judges,” Beavers said at the debate.

Beavers wants fewer judges on the panel and thinks they should be appointed by the speakers of the House and Senate.

Bivins, who is also a member of the judicial disciplinary board, said it was necessary to have a majority of judges because the panel has to conduct hearings that are in compliance with legal rules. He also said that it’s customary for members of the same profession to discipline their own, the way doctors, architects, pharmacists and others do.

“So, we’re simply asking to be treated like the other professionals,” Bivins said.

Beavers and Bivins agreed that there have been problems with the panel.

Records show that the court disposed of 334 complaints against judges last fiscal year, with the overwhelming majority dismissed. The panel issued nine public reprimands, six private reprimands and three deferred discipline agreements.

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http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120211/NEWS0201/302110051/Sen-Beavers-judges-odds-over-ethics-panel?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

Editor's note: Alice R. Gore Estate value about 1 million dollars: Alice R. Gore, deceased, a disabled 99 year old ward of the Probate Court of Cook County, Judge Kawamoto’s courtroom was hours away from ending up in the Cook County Morgue. Alice's estate was depleted by probate court parasites and there were reportedly no funds to bury her. Her loving family paid for the burial expenses so that Alice would not have to suffer the indignity of being stacked like an Auschwitz inmate in the Cook County morgue. The judge allowed an easily manipulated mentally disabled granddaughter to be appointed as Alice’s guardian and yet no sanctions were instituted against the judge for this blatant infraction of the law. An ethics board staffed by "citizens" would be appropriate! Lucius Verenus, Schoolmaster, ProbateSharks.com

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