Broward Judge To Face Public Reprimand
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A Broward County circuit judge will receive a public reprimand from the Florida Supreme Court in a disciplinary case that stemmed from an email sent to a public defender.
On Thursday, the state' highest court unanimously approved recommendations from the state Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigated the actions of Circuit Judge John Contini. Along with requiring a public reprimand, the Supreme Court also directed Contini to continue in a judicial-mentoring program and complete a stress-management program.
The series of events started with a March 2015 email sent by Contini to an assistant public defender and later disclosed to prosecutors. The email, which included suggestions for the use of a proposed order, led prosecutors to seek to disqualify Contini from pending criminal cases.
The issue went to the 4th District Court of Appeal.
An investigative panel of the Judicial Qualifications Commission said Contini took the matter "very personally" and made disparaging comments about prosecutors.
The Supreme Court order said Contini had acknowledged violating the state's Code of Judicial Conduct.
"Judge Contini accepted full responsibility for his actions at every stage of these proceedings and, according to the JQC (the Judicial Qualifications Commission), he 'expressed sincere remorse,' " the Supreme Court order said. "Also, Judge Contini was new to the bench, sending the ex parte e-mail during his first day of Judicial College. The fact that he distributed the order to the state (prosecutors) within a week suggests that his ex parte communication was not intentionally prejudicial. Finally, Judge Contini apologized to one attorney, agreed to apologize to another, and has agreed to mental health treatment and guidance from experienced judges, which are all conditions directly relevant to his misconduct."
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.