Where applicable, the following public cases may include Commission decisions, statements of charges, answers to statements of charges, exhibits, and/or supreme court decisions. These documents are available for download as Adobe Acrobat PDF files.

In re the Honorable Fred R. Staples

Superior Court Judge Fred Staples circulated petitions, made campaign speeches, organized a committee, and ran ads in the local papers in support of a proposed constitutional amendment transferring the county seat from one city to another nearby.

The [Judicial Qualifications] Commission took disciplinary action against Judge Staples for violating Canon 7(A)(4) of the Code of Judicial Conduct, and by 4-3 vote recommended admonishment to the Washington Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Opinion 105 Wn.2d 905, 719 P.2d 558, filed 5/22/1986.

Final Commission Decision filed 7/2/1985.

Commission Decision filed 6/5/1985.

Formal Complaint filed 2/28/1985.

 

In re the Honorable William C. Goodloe

State Supreme Court Justice Goodloe’s 1984 campaign committee did not fully comply with the laws concerning public disclosure requirements, i.e., Revised Code of Washington 42.17. The judge acknowledged that any committee violation would be his legal responsibility. The Commission determined that Justice Goodloe violated Canon 2A of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Justice Goodloe was admonished to take appropriate steps on the future regarding the actions of his campaign committee.

Letter of Admonishment filed 5/21/1985.

 

In re the Honorable John T. Day

In a stipulation with the Commission, a judge of the Skamania County District Court agreed that (1) that he was physically disabled and was unable to carry on the duties of judicial office, and (2) that he would not during his lifetime ever seek, accept, or serve in any judicial office in the State of Washington or any other State. The judge also admitted that the following facts alleged in the Commission's Formal Complaint were substantially correct: Refusing to remove himself from a case in which he knew a party; Appearing in court while under the influence of alcohol; Identifying himself as a judge while attempting to have released defendants being held in another jurisdiction; Misusing the legal system for purposes of harassment and disregarding judicial decorum (e.g., (a) maliciously bringing a frivolous suit against ex-clients which resulted in a judgment against respondent, which judgment he then refused to pay, resulting in garnishment of his wages; (b) on his own initiative setting a hearing to determine the general fitness as a juror of a citizen who publicly criticized respondent’s failure to prosecute certain actions; and (c) wrongfully attempting to prevent an attorney with whom he had a publicly known running feud from collecting statutory attorney’s fees on a garnishment action in respondent’s court). Holding discussions with non-parties and thereafter dismissing the case because the deputy prosecuting attorney was unprepared to answer claims made by these unnamed nonparties and the defendant that there was misconduct on the part of a tangentially involved police officer; Hearing cases involving a long-time acquaintance, clients and friends; Writing checks without having sufficient funds and initiating ex parte contact with another judge, in a case in which he was disqualified.

Stipulation filed 3/13/1985.

Notice of Amendment to Formal Complaint filed 11/20/1984.

Formal Complaint filed 8/23/1984.