In re Judge Robin Free

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This matter comes before the Louisiana Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Judiciary Commission that respondent, Judge J. Robin Free of the 18 Judicial District Court, Parishes of West Baton Rouge, Iberville, and Pointe Coupee, be suspended without pay for thirty days and be ordered to reimburse and pay to the Commission $6,723.64 in hard costs. In Count 1, the complaint alleged Judge Free engaged in improper ex parte communications with counsel for a party in an environmental contamination class action lawsuit, and improperly handled a request to recuse himself from the case due to his mother’s status as a class member. In Count 2, the complaint alleged that in 2010, Judge Free accepted an invitation to participate in an all-expenses-paid trip on a private jet to a hunting ranch in Texas, extended to him by attorneys in a personal injury case before him at or near the time of settlement negotiations, including an attorney who regularly tries cases in his court, and which trip occurred shortly after the trial was concluded. The Commission received an anonymous complaint concerning this trip in August 2010. The Commission conducted an investigatory hearing, made findings of fact and conclusions of law and determined that Judge Free violated Canons 1, 2, 2A, 3A(4), 3A(6), and 6B(2) of the Code of Judicial Conduct and Article V, Section 25(C) of the Louisiana Constitution. After reviewing the record, the Supreme Court found all of the charges against Judge Free, except his failure to recuse in Count I, were proven by clear and convincing evidence and the Court accepted the recommendation of discipline of the Commission. View "In re Judge Robin Free" on Justia Law