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Case Summary for Complaint # 7985


Name: Douglas Anderson

Title: Pro Tem Judge

Court: Grant County Superior Court

County: Grant

Discipline: Censure

Method of Resolution: Stiplulation

Discipline Date: 07/15/2016

Canons Violated:Canon 1: Rules 1.1 and 1.2 and Canon 2: Rules 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5

Summary: From an agreed statement of facts, Grant County Superior Court Commissioner Pro Tem Douglas G. Anderson stipulated that he violated Canon 1 (Rules 1.1 and 1.2) and Canon 2 (Rules 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5) of the Code of Judicial Conduct by creating the appearance of bias in favor of a litigant. Pro Tem Commissioner Anderson met privately with the litigant's father, a retired superior court judge, on the morning of a scheduled hearing and failed to disclose that contact. He then allowed the retired judge to make and argue a motion during the hearing, even though the retired judge was neither a currently licensed attorney nor a party to the proceeding. Pro Tem Commissioner Anderson then granted the father's motion to void a valid court order that had been issued by a superior court judge. The Pro Tem Commissioner had no legal authority to void the order. At the least, this conduct created the appearance of favoritism and nepotism. The Commission censured Pro Tem Commissioner Anderson and ordered him to promptly read the Code and undertake training focused on due process rights.

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