Texas. State Judicial Qualifications Commission

The Texas State Judicial Qualifications Commission, now the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, was created in 1967 (House Bill 378, 60th Legislature) as a means to address judicial misconduct. The commission hears complaints pertaining to the conduct (professional and personal) of judges or justices, makes investigations, and conducts hearings. It may request the Texas Supreme Court to appoint a master (a district judge or Court of Civil Appeals justice) to conduct a hearing and report the findings to the commission. If the results of the hearing show persistent or willful misconduct, the commission may reprimand the judge or justice or recommend to the Texas Supreme Court the removal or retirement of the judge or justice in question.

In 1975 the State Judicial Qualifications Commission initiated formal proceedings for the removal of District Judge O.P. Carrillo (229th Judicial District, Duval County) from office. The charges included illegally acquiring funds from the county treasury for goods and merchandise through the use of non-existent or fictional welfare recipients; accepting bank stock, a car and other revenue from a plaintiff in a suit pending in his court and refusing to voluntarily withdraw from the case (he was later disqualified from the case by another judge); arranging monthly payments from the Road and Bridge Fund of the county to be paid to an associate who did not work for the county; and using county employees and equipment for various projects on his private ranch. The charges covered the years 1971-1975 but primarily focused on events from 1972 to 1974. The Commission recommended the Texas Supreme Court remove the judge from office. During the Commission's hearings the House of Representatives and Senate also held impeachment proceedings against Judge Carrillo. Both legislative bodies voted to impeach the judge. In 1976 the Texas Supreme Court heard the case and ordered the removal of Judge Carrillo from his office effective July 14, 1976.

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