2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. State investigators said the improper spending included money for Inkster High School cheerleader uniforms, a school European trip fund, a 1970 class reunion and the Inkster Police Auxiliary. The public punishment of judges may prompt those remaining on the bench to behave, she said. Wayne County's 36th District Court Judge Brenda K. Sanders was removed in July 2015 after concerns were raised about her mental health when she sent a conspiracy- filled letter to then-U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade. READ:Detroit charter school says it has fired Sharon McPhail. background-color: #003388; The 22 ND District Court, located at 27331 S. River Park Drive, Inkster, MI 48141 was served by the Hon. color: white; The Judicial Tenure Commission's 2019 photo inside their offices in the Cadillac Place, where State of Michigan offices are held, in Detroit's New Center, Aug. 5, 2019. James attorney implied that the allegations were politically motivated, since they were only made after the judge opposed the policies of the mayor. Their records show that removing a judge from the bench is rare. Voting in Michigan | } 88, Michigan Department of State, Unofficial 2012 General Election Results: 30th Circuit Court, Wayne County, 2012 Judicial Primary Results, Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association, Judicial Candidate Evaluation Committee, https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Sylvia_A._James&oldid=7217304, Former Michigan district court judges, 22 District, Defeated Michigan judicial candidates, 2012, Tracking election If you would like to help it grow, please consider donating to Ballotpedia. font-weight: bold; She has continued to receive pay and benefits as thecomplaint process plays out. McPhailsaid Bay Mills has no authority to fire her and now it's up to a judge. | The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a request late Tuesday evening asking. 0:00. Judge James argues that I should disqualify myself based on this Court's order placing her on administrative leave. Fischer said the number of complaints about misbehaving judges have remained steady, though recent cases have garnered much more attention, likely because they have involved titillating behavior like sex, theft and lying that ended up in headlines. A psychiatrist who later examined the letter for court officials said it showed classic symptoms of "psychosis" marked by "insane delusions" and warned that Sanders, who has been known to carry a handgun, could be dangerous. Voters can be dispassionate if not outright uninformed when it comes to electing judges in Michigan. Judge Sylvia James appears in court WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 688K subscribers 171 Share 23K views 11 years ago Judge Sylvia James appears in court to defend against allegations of embezzling. Sylvia A. James was a judge for the 22nd District Court in Michigan. 6.9 2022 X-Ray TV-14. She was ordered to repay $16,500. Copyright 2018 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Judge placed on administrative leave. color: white; The 34-year-old Today Extra host was spotted enjoying a Alternative Title: Sylvia Alice Earle. Some states have tried to provide more citizen access and greater policing. If you would like to help it grow, please consider donating to Ballotpedia. He also was ordered to pay $12,000 in costs. Donald Trump has yet to pay a court-ordered $10,000-a-day fine for flouting a subpoena for his business documents. Bay Mills Community College, the authorizer for Detroit Community Schools, made the decision. "But there is a counterpoint to be made. Despite our concerns about lawyers in general, We suggest that anyone with legal questions consult an attorney for an answer, particularly after reading anything on this website. ICELAND HOSTED SECURE & CENSORSHIP FREE. Therequest comes as Brennan appeared in a Flint courtroom Wednesday afternoon for a hearing on three felony charges, a criminal case that is separate from the Judicial Tenure Commission complaint. He also prevented the transmission of or altered court information legally required to be given to the Michigan Secretary of State, dismissed cases without conducting hearings or involving prosecutors, failed to follow plea agreements and made false statements to the commission, the court found. The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association rated candidates running for judicial office in 2012. Michigan 22nd District Court. Officials say Detroit 36th District Judge Brenda Sanders is seriously mentally ill, a danger to herself and others. The Michigan Board of Education says McPhail does not have her administrator certification and the school is not in compliance with the law. width: 57%; She was defeated by Sabrina Johnsonin the general election on November 6, receiving 33.67 percent of the vote. .widget-row { Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. The Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association rated candidates running for judicial office in 2012. How to run for office | background-color: green; .widget-row.Republican { It's been an honor to serve as your Chambers County Judge since 97 and the Commissioner since 93. Arizona has a "judicial review commission," made up of mostly nonlawyers, that queries jurors, litigants, attorneys, court staff and witnesses about their experiences in front of judges. On Monday, proceedings will start to remove yet another Michigan judge from the bench. Inkster's 22nd District Judge Sylvia A. James is seeking reelection despite being removed from her bench Tuesday amid findings that she misspent public funds intended for victims of crime. All thats left now is for the Michigan Supreme Court to toss this certified loser off the bench. Related: Judicial Tenure Commission report: Facts show 'gross misconduct' by Theresa Brennan. Anything less would only further prove that Judicial Misfits are held to a lower standard of conduct than everyone else in the Wolverine State. / CBS Detroit. Judge Sylvia serves on the County Juvenile Board, and also as County School Superintendent Ex-officio, who is responsible for distributing funds to each independent school district within the county. As of Thursday, he owes $30,000, but the court order does not demand that he cut . The comments of visitors or guest authors to the website are their opinions and do not therefore reflect our opinions. Sylvia A. James was a judge for the 22nd District Court in Michigan. Leslie Abramson, a professor at the Louis Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, said the nature of the transgressions should prompt the state to look hard at how judges are elected and retained. Dennis Wiley, Berrien County district judge, issued a public censure after he found a woman in contempt and jailed her for 10 days over Christmas because court clerks told him she had muttered an obscenity in the clerk's office while attempting to take care of traffic tickets. FIND YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE, Report your Judge, Attorney & Public Official Today, Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office, Copyright Court Victims Network 2020-2023, COURT VICTIMS NETWORK Bring Justice Back to the World A Alexander Smirnovs group Worldwide Court Victims because they fear the masses, Notice: "We, are not attorneys. James has been on the bench since 1988 and is running for re-election. The Livingston Daily reported in April of 2017 that Brennan wasunder investigation by the Judicial Tenure Commission. Sheila Ann Gibson, Wayne County Circuit Court judge, issued a public censure and 30-day suspension without pay after a Detroit television crew followed her and filmed her arriving late to the courthouse and leaving early on several days. .widget-row.Green {
man shot in clearwater, Website problems and Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia. .widget-key { Dennis Powers, Novi district court judge, retired in September to avoid removal from the bench after investigators found thousands of dollars of improper mileage reimbursement. font-size: .9em; And in California, two county judges were publicly censured in September in separate cases for having sex in their chambers, one with his clerk, and the other with two of his former law students. Anything less would only further prove that Judicial Misfits are held to a lower standard of conduct than everyone else in the Wolverine State. 2013) case opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Amy is also a graduate of Harvard, where she majored in comparative religion. Public policy. Ballot measure laws | OUR CITY. Many are complaints about rulings, out of the jurisdiction of the commission. Criminal Court, Divison 2, Judge Saul I. Rabb crushed his only opponent, Forrest B. display: inline-block; float: right; } margin-bottom:0px; background-color: white; [2], James advanced from the primary election on August 7, winning 25.68 percent of the vote. Cities | Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office . Bruce Morrow, Wayne County Circuit Court judge, 60 days suspension in 2014 for mismanaging cases, including his refusal to lock up a convicted rapist pending sentencing. ", QUICK EASY SHARE OPTIONS PRESS + FOR MORE, Michigan judge suspended by Supreme Court, December 29, 2011. technical assistance: "Even if the numbers are stable, the nature and severity of what these people are doing would suggest a cultural problem," said Abramson, who lectures extensively on judicial ethics. Wade McCree, Wayne County Circuit Court judge, removed from the bench in 2014 after carrying on an affair with a female litigant appearing before him, then lying about it to the Judicial Tenure Commission. [1] In August 2012, she was removed from office for the remainder of her term by the Michigan Supreme Court. Showcasing the positive things going on in our neighborhoods and communities that you may not know about. The irrepressible Judge Judith Sheindlin continues to hold court as presiding judge on Judge Judy, the highest-rated daily, half-hour, nationally syndicated reality courtroom series. width: 150px; Inkster Judge Sylvia James is guilty of misusing court funds says report issued today. font-weight: bold; if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? All rights reserved (About Us). Inkster judge found guilty of misusing court funds Ruling: Judge Sylvia James used money for catering, bonus pay, charitable donations Published: April 24, 2012, 5:50 PM Coleman was pushed out of Detroit public schools and reached a plea deal in 2008 in connection with a bribery scandal in Dallas schools. Sanders, on the bench since 2008, wrote the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit in 2013 that her fellow judges were being murdered to stop them from revealing wrongdoing and that she, too, was in imminent danger. Instituted a dress code that inappropriately denied some litigants and visitors access to the court. James advanced from the primary election on August 7, winning 25.68 percent of the vote. The administrative office of the Michigan Supreme Court place James on administrative leave while it expanded its earlier audit of the court. A corrupt former Brooklyn judge was sentenced to 15 months in prison Wednesday after being convicted of obstruction of justice charges - a case that "struck at the heart of the . width: 250px; Librarians are very serious about being non judgmental. He won't put the money into escrow. background-color: red; Please read ourTerms and Conditions. Email:husqvarna hydrostatic transmission problems, Maat Store inquires: ", Others say that while the trend is troubling, Michigan residents should be encouraged by the prosecution of bad judges. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Violated court rules by hiring and giving raises to her niece. Whatever this website says about the law is presented in the context of how we or others perceive the applicability of the law to a set of circumstances if one of us (or some other author) was in the circumstances under the conditions discussed. In a 2-1 decision Wednesday, an appeals court says James can pursue those claims in federal court. color: white; ICELAND HOSTED SECURE & CENSORSHIP FREE. Sylvia and Bob tell me about instances in which the mothers of slain children not only forgive the perpetrators but sometimes reach out to them in prison. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Below are but a few examples of Arrogant Sylvias illegal expenditure of court funds for personal use: Catering, flowers and professional photography at courts annual Law Day at Inkster High School, Donations to Inkster High School alumni gatherings including her sisters 40, $3,218 to attend a Natl Assoc of Drug Court Professionals in Boston, Hosed the court for a personal flight to New York City, Bilked court for airfare even though she used her own frequent flyer miles for the cost, Money to help pay for an Inkster High School sports championship celebration, Gave $4,500 to the Inkster Auxiliary Police for picnics and unspecified supplies, The Michigan Supreme Court suspended Sylvia in April 2011 after the Judicial Commission filed its charges, which included a claim that she tapped the court fund for over $100,000 in travel, landscaping, untaxed bonus pay and new uniforms for Inkster High School junior varsity cheerleaders. Judges recently punished by Michigan Supreme Court. | Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Porter is simply doing what she was elected to do. In December the Michigan Attorney General's Office charged Brennanwithperjury, tampering with evidenceand common law offenses. After Inkster District Judge Sylvia James was removed from the bench in 2012 for misusing public funds, including money meant for crime victims, she ran for her old seat in the following November election. Michigan is among 39 states that elect their judges. Who was the fool that said crime doesnt pay? It certainly wasnt the Dishonorable Sylvia James, right? Michigan is not the only state with judges committing jaw-dropping behavior. The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission filed a request late Tuesday evening asking the Michigan Supreme Court to suspend Livingston County District Court Judge Theresa Brennan without pay. ), First published on July 31, 2012 / 5:52 PM. vertical-align: top; That document can be read here: Judicial Tenure Commission, Former Complaint No. Sylvia James, Inkster district court judge, removed from the bench in 2012 for misusing public funds meant for crime victims, then lying to the Judicial Tenure Commission about it. The comments of visitors or guest authors to the website are their opinions and do not therefore reflect our opinions. The administrative office of the Michigan Supreme Court place James on administrative leave while it expanded its earlier audit of the court. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). [7], On May 14, 2012, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission held a public hearing on accusations facing James. Sanctions can include a private censure, a public reprimand, paid or unpaid suspension, mandatory retirement or removal from office. } She was defeated by Sabrina Johnson in the general election on November 6, receiving 33.67 percent of the vote.[3][4][5]. "That Alito was speaking via closed circuit . James spent funds intended for the court's Community Service Program, a portion of which is marked for crime victim restitution, on travel, advertising and donations to charities of . Transcripts from depositions in her divorce from now ex-husband Don Root raised questions about whether she was having an affair with Michigan State Police Detective Sean Furlong during a murder trial for Jerome Kowalski. Diane Hathaway, a Michigan Supreme Court justice, retired from the bench rather than face removal following her 2013 conviction on mortgage fraud. Ballotpedia features 408,477 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Dennis Wiley, a district court judge in Berrien County in southwest Michigan, was publicly censured in 2012 after he found a woman in contempt and threw her in jail for 10 days because she. Following its hearing on the allegations against Judge James, the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission released its official complaint against James. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. font-weight: bold; The Supreme Court ordered James to repay more than $81,000 for the total amount of the misappropriated funds and the cost of the Judicial Tenure Committee prosecution. On July 31, 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court removed James from office for the remainder of her term which ended December 31. background-color: #f9f9f9; Noting Hathaway's forced retirement from the Michigan Supreme Court, Abramson said: "It sounds like a top-down problem and should prompt the question of whether there needs to be a cultural change, either through education, or a reminder that these people are held to a very high standard, and not just on what they do on the bench. .infobox p { Funds were instead spent on travel, advertising and donations to charities of James' choice, including one headed by her niece. Jackson County's 12th District Court Judge James Justin "failed to follow the law, apparently believing that it simply did not apply to him," the Michigan Supreme Court found. [Bloomberg Businessweek] * After being found guilty of judicial misconduct for misappropriating public funds, Michigan state Judge Sylvia James will be removed from the bench for the remainder of . The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission typically receives about 600 complaints a year. Questions have also been raised over people McPhail has hired. Inkster's 22nd District Judge Sylvia A. James is seeking reelection despite being removed from her bench Tuesday amid findings that she misspent public funds intended for victims of crime. } U.S. Congress | hurricane recipe without passion fruit juice. The law is a gray area at best. In or about January 2016, ASH was appointed as the presiding judge in . Leroy K New: Leroy was the prosecutor in the Sylvia Likens trial. The AG's office alleges that Brennan gave false testimony regarding a cell phone that was considered a marital asset during hearings in her divorce case and that she tampered with evidence in an official proceeding. Supreme Court justices had evicted her from her home. A killer lurks among the men and women at Gulfview High School's class of '86 reunion. Elections in 2023 | Former Judge Sylvia James, who was booted from the bench in Inkster by the Michigan Supreme Court, is the dean of students. And though Judge Sylvia JamesInkster's only judgedemands everyone to follow her rules, city officials say she refuses to follow their'sgoing so far as to keep secret what she does with millions of tax-payer money. Right now, according to Bay Mills, fines over this fight have reached more than$200,000. "Perhaps in a year or so, it will be back to the typical thing, like drunk driving," Gray said. Judge Stomayor has been treated unfairly by the Media, including Alan a couple of years back when he was doing charity work in Queensland and I was working for Tweed Heads . Judge Sylvia James sits on the 22nd District Court located in Inkster, which is a suburb of Detroit. He made headlines in 2010 after he sent a shirtless photo of himself to a county employee, and when questioned by reporters said, "There's no shame in my game.". I am deeply humbled to receive this distinction, and I thank everyone.. After Inkster District Judge Sylvia James was removed from the bench in 2012 for misusing public funds, including money meant for crime victims, she ran for her old seat in the following November. aetna vice president salary, owen oyston bodyguard,308th Rescue Squadron Tryouts,
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