Peter Busch, the KPHO TV reporter who broke the story about Judge Hinson in late February, has another scoop on Judge Hinson.
He's learned from the Arizona Supreme Court Public Information Officer that the Commission on Judicial Conduct has (finally) ruled on Judge Hinson. [Update: They ruled on March 10. One wonders what's been taking so long to make this public.] Given that Judge Hinson took a vacation day today and tomorrow—probably just coincidence—I'm guessing the report should be posted Friday on the Commission's website. It's Case number 08-308.
UPDATE: I've just obtained a report, called a "Statement of Charges," regarding Judge Hinson. To their credit, the Commission found one matter where Judge Hinson took 167 days to rule! That's almost a year and a half!
Here are some excerpts from the Statement. Please note all the many "informal" reprimands he was allowed. Ask yourself if there's two kinds of justice. You don't get this many informal reprimands for speeding... and that's only a "civil infraction." Here were talking about a Superior Court judge who violated the Constitution!
5. In Case 01-203, the commission informally reprimanded Respondent for failing to rule on a petition for post-conviction relief for over nine months. The Commission notified Respondent that in the future he should rule on cases at his “earliest opportunity.”
6. In Case 02-018, the commission informally reprimanded Respondent for failing to rule on a different petition for post-conviction relief for eighteen months. The Commission issued a second informal reprimand stating, “your dilatory handling of this matter is unjustifiable . . . .”
7. In Case 04-059, the commission informally admonished Respondent for failing to rule on four motions in a timely manner. The admonishment noted that “Canon 3B(8) of the Code of Judicial Conduct and Article 6, § 21 of the Arizona State Constitution require judges to rule on matters promptly.”
8. Despite these strong and repeated warnings from the Commission, Respondent continued to fail to timely rule on cases.
Given all these informal reprimands, one wonders how long the Commission would have waited to act had not a citizen made a stink about all this.
I'll plan to post more when the report becomes public, so please bookmark this blog and check back soon.
In the meantime, watch the KPHO TV 10 p.m. news tonight (Thursday) for an update.
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