DA filed blanket disqualification against Judge Neel causing more chaos at the Courthouse

 

If you read my blog regularly, you know the District Attorney's office disqualifies Assistant Presiding Judge Kelly Neel often. I have posted court minutes and written about how this worsens the already impacted court schedule.

I received information that the Court Executive Officer Meara Hattan announced Judge Neel who is assigned to  Courtroom #1 was switching with Judge Killoran in #6 effective today.  I heard that the DA has filed a blanket 170.6 on Judge Neel.  "No one knows why and not because no one asked, perhaps you sir can find out.?" was one of the messages I received.

Let's see what Ms. Hattan has to say and District Attorney Stacey Eads. 

I have also heard DA Stacey Eads is not responding to emails from attorneys. She has been non responsive to atleast two emails I sent since July because what I was asking was inconvenient to the DA, one was about Deputy DA Candace Myers' sisters case. I had to send a PRA request which I never had to do with former DA Maggie Fleming or even Ms. Eads until recently. The DA's behavior and ignoring communications is not helping the public or her experienced prosecutors. Ms. Eads needs to step down and let someone who is more political, media and management savvy take over.

My readers contact me regularly, thanking me for coverage, especially with court cases. This is a small community. People know who Ms. Eads' husband/ ex husband is and his law firm has been accurately called out on this blog including coverage of Chris Hamer being court ordered to pay Rio Dell Times owner's attorney over $53,000. Due to confidentiality, I wont share what my readers have told me but Ms. Eads lack of transparency, her handling of cases and lack of communication as DA is turning off community members. The jokes that work with her husband at his law firm need to wake up and smell the coffee. I have been very complimentary and fair to Ms. Eads for years. But as my readers and the community know I call em as I see them. That is why they trust me. 

I dont want to read a response by Ms. Eads on the right wing joke sycophant KINS or  other local media like RHBB where her ex husband's law firm advertises. She should respond to my email. And if she choses the cowardly route, at the very least issue the same statement to all media. I gave you the chance to address this privately. Rex Bohn and Michelle Bushnell aren't going to help you out Ms. Eads. They need to worry about their own relection and growing discontent among voters. I bring their names up because they hovered around at your campaign announcement and this kind of petty behavior is typical of Bohn and Bushnell. 

The Public  Defenders have started disqualifying  Judge Kaleb Cockrum. Certain PDs and private defense attorneys have done this with Judge Gregory Kreis but in his case, it is obvious why. 

This over the top power play against Judge Neel and Judge Cockrum is unprofessional. This kind of childish, inner clique behavior maybe okay in high school and par for Humboldt but in the halls of justice, attorneys should behave as adults  and professionals. People's cases and lives on hold because of this nonsense of lawyers gaming the system to judge shop. A good attorney can win a case regardless of the judge. This is happening due to the immature moron Kreis who is currently Presiding Judge, needs to removed next election since the CA Judicial Council and CA Commission have allowed Dumboldt Superior Court to turn into a circus with no consequences. 

The DA is an elected position and paid for by taxpayers. The public defenders also get paid by the people. Many Humboldt private attorneys are losing business  to attorneys out of the area. I said that would happen years ago.

11/15 update: I received this email from Ms. Hattan "Judge Neel is now assigned to Dept. 6, family law. Judge Killoran is now assigned to Dept. 1, criminal.  Judges may be assigned based upon the needs of the Court." The blanket disqualification question remained unanswered. 

No response, as expected from DA Stacey Eads.