Municipal Court Judge’s Ouster Sought on Misconduct Charges

The state Supreme Court has been asked to remove from the bench a Municipal Court judge accused of a range of misconduct.

The unusual action was sought last week by the state Judicial Performance Commission in a 26-page report charging Placer County Judge Richard J. Ryan with “conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”

The court has removed only six judges from office since the commission was created in 1960 to investigate complaints and recommend discipline for judicial misconduct.

Among other things, Ryan was accused of:

- Dismissing drug charges against a defendant and later telling the prosecutor and public defender it was because she “had shown him her breasts”; the commission reached no conclusion on whether the incident actually took place.

- Jailing a defendant in a small-claims case for 24 hours for contempt of court, without giving her notice or a chance to be heard; the judge had overheard the woman complain as she left the courtroom about his order requiring her to pay a judgment to a drug store to compensate for her daughter’s shoplifting.

- Offending women attorneys by telling obscene jokes in his chambers.

Under the state Constitution, Ryan is prohibited from acting as a judge, without loss of pay, while the court considers his removal.

It is not known whether Ryan will contest the commission’s recommendation to the court.