Name: Bruce Spanner
Title: Judge
Court: Benton County Superior Court
County: Benton
Discipline: Reprimand
Method of Resolution: Stipulation
Discipline Date: 11/22/2019
Canons Violated:Canon 1: Rules 1.1 and 1.2 and Canon 2: Rules 2.2, 2.3(A) , 2.6(A), and 2.9
Summary: From an agreed statement of facts, Benton and Franklin Counties Superior Court Judge Bruce Spanner stipulated that he violated Canon 1 (Rules 1.1 and 1.2) and Canon 2 (Rules 2.2, 2.3(A), 2.6(A) and 2.9) of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Judge Spanner violated the Code by issuing a court order with judicial "findings of fact" and "conclusions of law" in a case that was not before him for a decision, and he did so on his own initiative without giving notice or an opportunity to be heard prior to entering the order. Moreover, the findings and conclusions gratuitously impugned the integrity of the attorneys involved and was not based on competent evidence, but rather on mere speculation and conjecture from what the judge described as "back hall courthouse chatter." The judge's actions denied the parties and their attorneys an opportunity to be heard, created a perception of unfairness and partiality and were improperly based in part on ex parte information. The Commission reprimanded Judge Spanner and ordered him to certify that he has read the Code of Judicial Conduct within one month and complete four hours of pre-approved judicial ethics training within one year.
Case Documents Available:
Certificate and Order of Completion filed 6/26/2020.
Stipulation, Agreement and Order of Reprimand filed 11/22/2019.
Press Release Canceling Hearing filed 10/11/2019.
First Amended Notice of Fact-Finding Hearing filed 9/9/2019.
Notice of Fact-Finding Hearing filed 6/13/2019.
Answer to Statement of Charges filed 5/22/2019.
Statement of Charges filed 5/2/2019.