It's Her Party . . . And Her Reprimand, Too

The Dallas judge who made national headlines last year for throwing a party at a hearing where she sentenced a man to life in prison was publicly reprimanded by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. I'm happy to see that the commission didn't drop the ball on this case. This defendant was not a likeable guy. He did have a lengthy criminal history, and ran out in the middle of his trial for choking his girlfriend into unconsciousness. But, sentencing a man to life is not an occasion to throw a party with cake, balloons, and streamers. The best part is that nothing would have happened to the judge if she hadn't called the medai herself to have them come film the whole affair. This is the same judge, though, who has previously ordered probationers to attend church. So, it does not appear that she always uses the best judgment.