State Auditor Files Response to CJP Lawsuit Trying to Block Legislature Ordered Audit of Judge Oversight Agency

"I don't know what they are afraid of." Attorney Myron Moskovitz

From the Daily Journal:

Attorneys for the California State Auditor submitted a response Monday to a writ filed last month by the Commission on Judicial Performance challenging the auditor's jurisdiction.

The CJP sued Auditor Elaine M. Howle in San Francisco Superior Court in October, seeking to limit the scope of an audit ordered by the Legislature in August. The CJP is the state agency that investigates and disciplines judges charged with misconduct...

Traffic Court Judges Responsible for Statewide, Institutionalized Socioeconomic Bias Against Poor Remain Unaccountable, Unpunished

Statewide traffic courts scandal news reports expose institutionalized socioeconomic bias against the poor by California courts and judges. Bias based on socioeconomic status is illegal and prohibited by state law in four separate sections of the Code of Judicial Ethics, covering both the adjudicative and administrative responsibilities of judges.  

Over one year later, no disciplinary action taken against a single judge by the California Commission on Judicial Performance. In fact, the CJP has never disciplined a judge for bias based on socioeconomic status, according to CJP data. Read, download, and share the special 38-page compilation below: 

Controversial Sacramento Superior Court Judge Matthew Gary Involved in Fatal Traffic Incident with Cyclist

UPDATE: The Sacramento Bee has published an investigative report about the questions surrounding this incident: click here. 

The California Highway Patrol has issued a press release announcing a fatal traffic incident involving controversial Sacramento County Judge Matthew Gary:

Commission on Judicial Performance Fails To Investigate, Prosecute Serial Misconduct Spanning Years by Sacramento County Judge

The appellate brief excerpt embedded at the bottom of this post recounts one instance of Sacramento Superior Court Judge Matthew Gary's alleged misconduct in the high profile Susan Ferris case, in connection with an illegal attorney fee sanctions order. 

The appeal in the case is pending at the controversial 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento. 

The proceedings have been reported by the Sacramento Bee, and are being closely watched by court reform advocates. Interest in the case and family court corruption in Sacramento County on social media, YouTube, and Vimeo has reached viral levels among family court reform watchdogs.

The embedded document package also includes the court reporter transcript from a hearing in the case recording that Gary ordered Ferris to pay $2,500 to the opposing attorney, Timothy Zeff, based on Ferris' "body language." 

Whistleblower Document Leak: Judge Repeatedly Gives Perjurious Testimony During Second CJP Prosecution - CJP & Special Masters Ignore

Monday Document Dump - CJPR Exclusive

Sacramento Superior Court Judge Peter McBrien's personal 
vendetta against Ulf Carlsson was detailed and reenacted 
in the 2014 documentary film Divorce Corp.

False testimony under oath by Judge Peter McBrien is documented by the Commission on Judicial Performance in this set of whistleblower leaked documents, embedded at the bottom of this post. 

The CJP is the state agency responsible for the oversight and accountability of judges in California.

The CJP did not refer the perjury of Judge McBrien to law enforcement, nor add additional counts for violations of the Code of Judicial Ethics to its existing misconduct proceeding against the judge. CJP watchdogs allege that judges under investigation by the CJP routinely give false, misleading or perjurious testimony without consequences.

Judge Peter McBrien Felony Criminal Prosecution Records Leaked by Whistleblower Reveal False, Misleading Testimony to CJP

Friday Document Dump - CJPR Exclusive

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

The whistleblower leaked 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. 

The CJP ultimately declined to remove McBrien from the bench, instead imposing ostensible discipline of "public censure."  The CJP did not hold McBrien accountable for his false testimony during the judicial misconduct prosecution. 

Sacramento Judge Serial Code of Judicial Ethics Violations Against Disabled, Indigent Litigants Without Lawyers Remain Ignored by CJP

Larscheid, Buchanan & Zeff family law attorney Timothy Zeff requested and was granted an unlawful $920 child support order by Judge Matthew J. Gary. Zeff's partner, Scott Buchanan, is a family court judge pro tem. The order financially devastated 52-year-old disabled, single parent Susan Ferris. Evicted from her Sacramento home and now homeless, she sleeps on the couch of a Bay Area friend.  

A Sacramento County judge who engaged in continual violations of state law and the California Code of Judicial Ethics remains unaccountable and unpunished three years after the misconduct occurred. 

The victims of the misconduct were indigent, disabled pro per litigants who could not afford an attorney and faced opposing spouses represented by veteran family law lawyers who also worked as part-time judges in the same court. 

Sacramento County Judge Thadd Blizzard Role in Criminal Child Abduction Remains Unscrutinized by Commission on Judicial Performance

Sacramento County Family Court watchdogs 
assert that JudgeThadd Blizzard punished 
court reform activist Robert Saunders for his 
1st Amendment-protected protest activities.  

A whistleblower leaked court reporter transcript obtained by CJP News reveals that Sacramento County Judge Thadd Blizzard last November retroactively endorsed an unlawful out-of-state "move away" and child abduction at the request of local judge pro tem attorney Richard Sokol. 

The unprecedented ruling went against San Francisco constitutional law attorney Archibald Cunningham, who the transcript reflects was dumbfounded by the decision. 

The complete transcript is embedded at the end of this post, and can also be viewed or downloaded at Scribd.

The bizarre chain-of-events began in June 2013 after Cunningham's pro bono client, Robert Saunders, filed paperwork seeking child visitation under an existing temporary custody order.

After the visitation paperwork was lodged, Sokol's client, April Berger, abruptly moved to Hawaii with the parents' twin daughters. Berger did not obtain court permission prior to the move.

CJP Ignores Video and Court Records Establishing Abuse of Authority, Code of Judicial Ethics Violations by Controversial Sacramento County Judge

A startling courthouse security video leaked by a government whistleblower records the illegal 2009 assault and arrest of indigent, disabled pro per litigant and family court reform activist Robert Saunders. 

During a March 9, 2009 court hearing, Judge Matthew Gary ordered the self-represented Saunders arrested and jailed for contempt of court. Two outside, independent judges who later reviewed the incident determined that both the contempt charge and arrest were illegal.