Former San Diego Superior Court Judge Howard Shore censured by CJP for improper absences, making racist comments irrelevant to the issues before him including using the N-word while arguing with an expert witness

In recent months, this is the second former judge publicly admonished and censured by the California Commission on Judicial Performance.

Former San Diego Superior Court Judge Howard Shore was censured for improper absences, making racist comments irrelevant to the issues before him including using the N-word while arguing with an expert witness.

CJP Press Release:

The Commission on Judicial Performance has publicly admonished former Judge Howard H. Shore of San Diego County Superior Court.  The commission determined that it should publicly admonish former Judge Shore for the following misconduct. In 2023, the commission issued a severe public censure to former Judge Shore for improper absences, without approval, for at least 155 days in 2021 and 2022, and which exceeded his available vacation time by 87 days. Former Judge Shore was not present in the courthouse on a single Friday between May 28, 2021, and November 18, 2022. Before and after the commission issued the severe public censure, former Judge Shore made express statements that constituted misrepresentations, omissions, and minimization of the facts underlying the severe public censure. These statements constituted a lack of candor. In addition, while presiding over pre-trial criminal hearings, former Judge Shore made undignified, discourteous, and offensive comments, reasonably perceived as bias, prejudice, or harassment, based on race. Former Judge Shore’s comments were largely irrelevant to any of the issues before him and constituted gratuitous interjections, including the use of the N-word in a hypothetical while arguing with an expert witness. Former Judge Shore’s misconduct was significantly aggravated by the severe public censure issued by the commission in 2023. The public admonishment is available on the commission’s website at https://cjp.ca.gov (under “Pending Cases – Press Releases & Documents” and “Public Discipline & Decisions”). 

Former Judge Shore is represented by Heather L. Rosing, Esq. and David M. Majchrzak of Rosing, Pott & Strohbehn of San Diego. 

I am not posting the entire 11 page decision and order. You can read it on the website and the link is in the press release.

This disciplinary matter concerns Judge Howard H. Shore, a former judge of the San Diego County Superior Court.  His last term began in 2021.  On January 14, 2025, Judge Shore waived his right to formal proceedings under rule 114 and to review by the Supreme Court and demanded an appearance before the commission.  On February 11, 2025, through his attorneys Heather L. Rosing and David M. Majchrzak, Judge Shore withdrew his demand for an appearance before the commission and submitted on his written objections.  --from page 1.