News of the professional-misconduct charges against state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola didn’t surface until about a month after they were filed. The state Supreme Court Office of Discipline doesn’t breathe a word about charges lodged against lawyers until attorneys respond to the charges and hearings on the complaints have been scheduled.
In Piccola’s case, the office filed the charges June 29, but didn’t make them publicly available until July 30.
Even then, the office doesn’t go out of its way to alert the public about charges. It posts hearing dates and the names of those being charged on its website, but it doesn’t give background information on the charges unless asked, and it doesn’t issue news releases on the matters.
That isn’t how it works with the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania, which disciplines judges.
As soon as charges are lodged against a judge, the information goes public.
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Misconduct charges against judges make news much quicker than those against lawyers
I wonder if that's also because misconduct against lawyers is becoming commonplace. We know judges are involved in misconduct, but it's harder to prove. Immunity is judge's best friend and has saved many of them from being held accountable in guardianship and conservatorship abuse.
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