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Case Summary for Complaint # 6284


Name: Stephen R. Shelton

Title: Judge

Court: Puyallup Municipal Court

County: Pierce

Discipline: Reprimand

Method of Resolution: Stipulation

Discipline Date: 07/08/2011

Canons Violated:1, 2(A), 3(A)(1)

Summary: From an agreed statement of facts, the Commission found that Puyallup Municipal Court Judge Stephen Shelton violated Canons 1, 2(A), and 3(A)(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct when he summarily incarcerated an alleged domestic violence victim overnight as a contempt sanction, without authority and contrary to law. The alleged crime victim had submitted a second statement to the police recanting her original statement, and the judge summarily had her held in jail overnight after he read the second statement during the defendant's arraignment. Judge Shelton agreed that the reasoning he used at the time was not correct, and that there was no justification for failing to accord the alleged crime victim the benefit of due process required by law. The Commission reprimanded Judge Shelton and ordered him to promptly read and familiarize himself with the Code of Judicial Conduct. Judge Shelton further agreed, and the Commission ordered, that he will satisfactorily complete additional training focused on issues of domestic violence awareness/prevention approved in advance.

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