Tulare Superior Court Judge Robin Wolfe admonished by CJP for threatening court employees; implementing policies against local court rules,confiscating a litigant's cell phone and other acts of misconduct

 

Today, the California Commission on Judicial Performance issued a press release as well as a decision and order imposing public admonishment on Tulare Superior Court Judge Robin Wolfe. 

Judge Wolfe waived her right to formal proceedings and and review by the Supreme Court.

Another former Governor Jerry Brown appointee disciplined by the CJP.

From press release:

"The commission determined that it should publicly admonish Judge Wolfe for engaging in numerous acts of serious misconduct. Without authority, Judge Wolfe ordered a court employee to personally appear before her and threatened the employee with monetary sanctions. She also summoned another court employee to her courtroom to admonish her and directed her to apologize to a litigant. Judge Wolfe implemented blanket policies regarding cell phone possession that were contrary to local court rules. She improperly confiscated a litigant’s cell phone and retained possession of it until the end of the court day. Judge Wolfe also excluded domestic violence support persons from counsel table and refused a reasonable ADA accommodation request from a litigant.  In aggravation, Judge Wolfe’s misconduct had a detrimental effect on both professional relationships with family court services staff and court administration, and on litigants.   

Judge Wolfe is represented by Kathleen M. Ewins, Esq. and Jacklyn Martello-Berg, Esq. of Long & Levit, LLP of San Francisco. 

Decision and order imposing public admonishment:

From page 18:

The commission acknowledged that, in her response to the commission’s investigation, and in her appearance before the commission, Judge Wolfe generally admitted her mistakes.  (See Policy Declarations of Com. on Jud. Performance, policy 7.1(2)(a) [whether the judge has acknowledged the acts.

You can read the 18 page decision and order on the CJP website.