Filing Complaints
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Make sure you keep a copy of all
complaints in a safe place.
To file a complaint against a judge, call or write to the
following.
Judicial Conduct Commission
P.O. Box
21868
Lexington, KY 40522
Phone: 859-233-4128
To file a complaint against an attorney, call or write to
the following.
Angela Hood, Intake Paralegal
Kentucky
Bar association
515 West Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone:
502-564-3795 ext. 261
email: ahood@kybar.org
http://www.kybar.org/Default.aspx?tabid=235
3. If you have convincing evidence of bias by a Judge, tapes,
statements with witnesses from whom you can get sworn affidavits, etc.
send them with a cover letter to.
Western District of Kentucky (W/KY)
U.S.
Marshal: Ronald R. McCubbin
U.S. Courthouse
601 W Broadway - Room
162
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone 502-588-8000
If you have convincing evidence of bias by a State Agency,
tapes, statements with witnesses from whom you can get sworn
affidavits, etc. send them with a cover letter to.
Office of the Attorney General
The
Capitol, Suite 118
700 Capitol Avenue
Frankfort, KY 40601-3449
To file a complaint on Department of Children and
Family Services:
Dr. Eugene Foster
Undersecretary for Children and Family Services
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
Michael J. Robinson
Commissioner
Cabinet for Health and Families Services
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
Judicial Misconduct: The following are some types of Judicial Misconduct that may lead to discipline: Improper Influence Allowing family, social, or political relationships to influence judicial decision making. Conflict of interest. Giving or receiving gifts, bribes, loans, or favors. Improper Courtroom Decorum Improper conduct while on the bench, such as sleeping or drunkenness. Expressions of bias based on race, gender, ethnicity, etc. Rude, abusive, and otherwise improper treatment of parties, counsel, witnesses, jurors, court staff, and others. Other Improper or Illegal Activities Including Off-Bench Conduct Failing or refusing to dispose promptly of judicial business. Abusing the contempt power. Interfering with the attorney-client relationship.Communicating improperly with only one-side to a proceeding. Commenting on or interfering with a pending or impending case. Engaging in improper political campaign activities. Misappropriating or misusing public property, funds, or resources. Violating rules relating to court administration. Obstruction of justice, perjury, or filing a false document. Ticket fixing. Criminal Conduct.
The West's rules are now available online on the
kycourts website.
http://www.kycourts.net/Appeals/COA_Opinions.shtm
The following complaint was filed
against Family Court Judge Cynthia Sanderson on November 19, 2005 with
the persons and agencies listed at the end of this document.
FATHERS
Fathers Asking To Have Equal Rights
www.kyfathers.org
November 19, 2005
To: Whom it may concern
Re: Judicial misconduct in Western Kentucky
The following are complaints against Family Court Judge Cynthia
Sanderson and her inner circle of lawyers in McCracken County Kentucky.
1. Judge Sanderson is identifying FATHERS members in her court before
degrading them, and ruling harshly against them. This type of political
discrimination is prohibited.
2. Local lawyers are telling FATHERS members that the reason they lost
in front of Judge Sanderson is because of their involvement in the
FATHERS group. This type of political discrimination is prohibited
3. Judge Sanderson has intimidated members of FATHERS board via email.
This is a misuse of the judge’s power.
4. Court video tapes of Judge Sanderson are being altered. One of our
member’s, (involved in complaint number one), had his video tape
altered. Judge Sanderson became so angry she broke a pencil after the
mother’s lawyer showed the judge a copy of a court order signed by Judge
Sanderson on the FATHERS web site. This incident was not on the court
video given to this FATHERS member by the clerk. Altering court videos
is strictly prohibited.
5. One FATHERS member’s lawyer told her that she would not remind Judge
Sanderson of a statement that the Judge made at one of our meetings in
regard to awarding parenting time to the non-custodial parent in place
of day care watching the child because “I want to continue practicing
law in western Kentucky”. Judge Sanderson has intimidated local lawyers
to the point they can no longer fairly represent their client.
6. The local newspaper, The Paducah Sun, refuses to run FATHERS meeting
announcements. FATHERS is a non-profit support group for non-custodial
parents. FATHERS vice-president was told by the paper this was because
of pressure from local attorneys. This is just one example of
inappropriate out of court behavior.
7. Judge Sanderson has written visitation guidelines and then enforced
them as if they were KRS. Judges are forbidden from writing and enacting
law.
8. Judge Sanderson refused to postpone a hearing when one of FATHERS
members lawyer did not appear at the hearing. This particular member is
struggling financially. Socioeconomic discrimination is routine in Judge
Sanderson’s court.
9. Judge Sanderson has stated publicly that her court does not recognize
the mental and emotional form of child abuse known as PAS, parental
alienation syndrome. It is inconceivable that a family court judge
overlooks any form of child abuse. (This statement was made at one of
FATHERS meetings Judge Sanderson attended in front of fifty plus
witnesses.)
10. Judge Sanderson is verbally abusive to non-custodial parents in her
court, telling them such things as, “they are a fool to be in her court
without a lawyer”. This type of behavior on the bench is forbidden by
the judicial code of conduct.
11. It appears Judge Sanderson has hired a former public relations
representative of the City of Paducah and put her on the state payroll
in order to bolster Judge Sanderson’s public standing and promote the
judge’s pet projects. This is an inappropriate use of state funds.
12. In many cases it is clear that Judge Sanderson has already decided
the outcome of the hearing before it ever starts by the biased fashion
in which she admits or discredits evidence and witnesses. Dee Gordy’s
hearing is a good example. (see www.kyfathers.org)
Numerous complaints and appeals have been filed with the Judicial
Conduct Commission, and the Court of Appeals against Judge Sanderson. We
believe that the lack of action from these two judicial bodies is in
part due to Judge Sanderson’s close personal and political ties with
members involved in both, and the “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch
yours” attitude that has become such a part of a system that relies on
“lawyers overseeing the judicial system of lawyers”.
We are asking for an investigation into the current lack of action by
the Judicial Conduct Commission, and the Court of Appeals, as well as
effective alternatives to a system that is just plain broken.
Sincerely,
Mike East
Vice-President, FATHERS
1673 Hamburg Rd.
Kevil, KY 42053
270-876-7741
mikeeast@vci.net
c.c. Governor Ernie Fletcher, First Lady Glenna Fletcher, Lt. Governor
Stephen Pence, Office of the Attorney General, Peter Baniak Lexington
Herald Leader, Jim Malone Louisville Courier Journal, Michael Powell
Kentucky Publishing Inc., Justice William Graves, State Representative
Steven Rudy, Mayor Bill Paxton City of Paducah, Amy Watson News Channel
6, U.S. Marshal Ronald R. McCubbin, Judicial Conduct Commission, Office
of the Auditor of Public Accounts Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky
General Assembly
Enclosed: Copies of the first two FATHERS meeting announcements the
Paducah Sun newspaper refused to run.
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