Wilson Vetoes Bill to Limit Discipline of Judges
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SACRAMENTO — Gov. Pete Wilson has vetoed legislation that would have prohibited a judge from being disciplined for a legally flawed or rebellious opinion.
The bill by Assemblywoman Martha Escutia (D-Bell) was prompted by disciplinary charges against Presiding Justice J. Anthony Kline of the 1st District Court of Appeal. Kline was former Gov. Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr.’s legal affairs advisor.
In a dissenting opinion last December, Kline refused to follow a 1992 ruling by the state Supreme Court. He said his opinion was an act of conscience. The Commission on Judicial Performance accused Kline of willful misconduct, which can be punished by removal from office.
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