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Republican Lawmakers Escalate Challenge Over Supreme Court Communications
Montana Republican legislative leaders have subpoenaed the Montana Supreme Court’s seven justices and court administrator, looking for evidence of alleged bias over bills that could be challenged in court. It is the latest development in a conflict brewing between the state’s legislative and judicial branches.
The subpoenas tell the justices to produce by Monday any internal communications about pending legislation moving through the statehouse. Court Administrator Beth McLaughlin has also been ordered to appear Monday before a committee Republican lawmakers formed to investigate the judiciary.
Montana Democrats are decrying the move as an attack on the separation of powers between the three branches of state government.
NC judge gets 30-day suspension for violating conduct code
April 16, 2021
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina District Court judge was suspended without pay for 30 days on Friday for violating judicial rules by serving as executor for the estates of two former family friends, receiving nearly $90,000 in commissions.
The state Supreme Court issued the suspension for Judge William Brooks, who holds court for four northwestern counties. The state Judicial Standards Commission recommended to the justices that Brooks be censured. The Supreme Court, however, decided the unpaid suspension was appropriate given the circumstances.
The justices agreed Brooks violated four portions of the Code of Judicial Conduct. Sitting judges are barred from serving as executors of estates except for those of family members. The standards commission and Brooks’ lawyer also agreed that he failed at the time to identify the extra-judicial income on economic disclosure forms for
The Montana Supreme Court on Sunday put the brakes on a legislative inquiry into the state court administratorâs emails, which recent revelations have shown to contain judgesâ polls on pending legislation and were deleted from the administratorâs account.
A dispute over the separation of powers is developing out of a state Supreme Court case over the constitutionality of a new law signed last month expanding the governorâs appointment power over judicial vacancies.Â
On Monday the Senate Republicans, through counsel with the Montana Department of Justice, said they will defy the court s order quashing the subpoena, stating the dispute over judicial emails do not belong in the case challenging the constitutionality of a new law.
The Montana Supreme Court on Sunday put the brakes on a legislative inquiry into the state court administratorâs emails, which recent revelations have shown to contain judgesâ polls on pending legislation and were deleted from the administratorâs account.
A dispute over the separation of powers is developing out of a state Supreme Court case over the constitutionality of a new law signed last month expanding the governorâs appointment power over judicial vacancies.Â
On Monday the Senate Republicans, through counsel with the Montana Department of Justice, said they will defy the court s order quashing the subpoena, stating the dispute over judicial emails do not belong in the case challenging the constitutionality of a new law.