Name: Larry Larson
Title: Judge
Court: Grant County Superior Court
County: Grant
Discipline: Reprimand
Method of Resolution: Stipulation
Discipline Date: 04/02/1993
Summary: Pursuant to a stipulation with the judge, the Commission reprimanded a judge who had been very argumentative with officers of the county sheriff's department who stopped a boat in which he was a passenger on a lake in Idaho. The judge was non-responsive to reasonable requests for information made by the officers, used abusive language to the officers and attempted to pick a fight with one of them, was arrested for being in physical control of a boat while under the influence of alcohol, refused to exhale into the alco senser III, and was charged with obstructing an officer in the performance of his duties and being in physical control of a boat while under the influence of intoxicants. The actions of the judge became public knowledge and were widely disseminated by news media, both in Idaho and in the county where he served as judge until he was defeated in an election. A certified alcohol agency evaluated the judge and recommended that he attend alcohol information school, followed by six months of monthly counseling at an approved alcoholism treatment agency. The stipulation noted that the judge had never before been sanctioned for any violations of the rules of judicial conduct by the Commission, he had been forthright and immediately reported his conduct to the Commission, and had cooperated by providing information requested by the Commission. The judge had agreed to the reprimand (he was still serving as a pro tem judge.)
Case Documents Available:
Stipulation, Agreement and Order of Reprimand filed 4/2/1993.
General Denial of Charges filed 3/18/1993.
Statement of Charges filed 1/21/1993.