Judge’s censure long overdue

Re “Panel votes to censure U.S. judge,” Dec. 23

The recent censure of U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was long overdue. Real has been a loose cannon for many years, and he had gotten away with it until now. There are many instances of judicial misconduct on both the state and federal levels that go unpunished far too often. They are swept under the rug by judicial disciplinary commissions with the rationale that the public would lose faith in the judiciary were they to publicize some judges’ incredible misbehaviors. The result is that the public is stuck with a few arrogant jurists like Real, who escaped any accountability until he was 82. Judges are not gods and should not be treated as such. Kudos to the 9th Circuit for doing the right thing.

STEVE CEDILLOS

Beverly Hills