Judicial Conduct Commission

Rick Casey at the Houston Chronicle has some new detail on the behind the scenes machinations at the State Judicial Conduct Commission over Presiding Judge Sharon Keller's public warning. For starters, he says:
During the closed-door session in which the 13-member commission debated what sanction it should give Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, one non-lawyer member of the commission opined that Keller should be commended for saving the state money by blocking the appeal. However, he wrote:
A majority of the panel agreed that Keller needed to be sanctioned for ignoring the procedures she admitted to knowing. Because of the poor performance of Richard’s lawyers and evidence of other problems at the Court of Criminal Appeals itself, none of the commissioners argued to remove Keller from office.

Austin Statesman courts reporter Chuck Lindell emails with a correction regarding possible options for the Sharon Keller Commission on Judicial Conduct proceedings:
So you know, the SCJC chairman misspoke during the hearing about their options.

He said they could issue a censure, reprimand, warning or admonition ... but that's a regular case.
After these "formal proceedings," they can only issue a CENSURE, dismiss or recommend removal.
(verified by Seana Willing, who also said the rules are wrong ... not updated ... when they say 6 votes needed to remove. It's 7, like McKetta told the commish.)Of the three options - censure, dismissal, or recommending removal - let me know in the comments which you think the commission will choose.

While my focus remains elsewhere for the moment, I can't help but anticipate next Friday's June 18 hearing at the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which will hear oral arguments in Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller's removal proceedings. I've consistently kept the date clear and plan to show up early for the queue to get a good seat. Mary Alice Robbins at Texas Lawyer has an excellent preview of the case, and Jordan Smith of the Austin Chronicle has an early writeup.

Scott Cobb at Burnt Orange Report analyzes what might happen if Travis County Attorney David Escamilla files criminal charges against Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for concealing income in required state ethics disclosures.