STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb5thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb5thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
I find it odd that the Supreme Court
would remove this judge
but yet keep a Supreme Court Judge which should have
had two DUIS'.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Saturday, October 28, 2006
JACKSON - The Mississippi Supreme Court has removed from office a Sharkey County Justice Court judge accused of 24 counts of misconduct.
Last summer, the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance filed the complaint against Ellis Willard. The complaint asked justices to remove Willard from the bench and that he be fined $9,084. The court opted to suspend Willard while it further considered the case.
On Thursday the justices removed Willard from office and ordered him to pay the fine.
Among the complaints was that Willard conducted court business at the pawnshop and tire center he owns.
Justice Kay Cobb, writing for the court, said Willard admitted to some of the allegations and "seems to have little, if any, knowledge of or concern for the due-process rights of individuals."
"Even worse, Willard does not seem concerned with the need for judges to be impartial in their treatment of those who come into contact with the court. In his testimony, Willard regularly excused his conduct due to inexperience," Cobb wrote.
Cobb said when Willard was elected judge he accepted responsibility to learn the law.
The commission cited Willard for suspending fines owed by criminal defendants, dismissing DUI cases, giving legal advice to would-be defendants before their cases were heard, failing to give a man arrested for violating parole access to a lawyer, and using the state's criminal process to collect a civil debt.
The commission said the investigation showed Willard typically held court after his tire center had closed for the day and "set up his own justice court office at his place of business."
All of the alleged incidents occurred between 1996 and 1999.
The commission alleged Willard called Warren County Court Judge Gerald Hoseman and tried to influence the outcome of a case involving game and fish violations.
The complaint also alleged Willard had Justice Court Clerk Patty Stevens arrested for contempt after keeping her and her staff at work from 8 a.m. through midnight.
When Stevens was brought into the courtroom at 1:30 a.m., Willard reportedly refused to let her have an attorney present.
He found Stevens guilty of "direct contempt" though court was not officially in session.
Willard was elected in 1995 and re-elected in 1999.
STEVEN A. McCALEB
COMMENTARY