Inquiry Concerning Murphy

*CJP Supp. 181 Opinion

This disciplinary matter concerns Judge Patrick B. Murphy, a judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The Commission on Judicial Performance, based on Judge Murphy’s absences from court from 1996 through 2000, charged Judge Murphy with persistent failure or inability to perform his judicial duties. Judge Murphy was also charged with failing to give his judicial duties precedence over all other activities and engaging in activities that interfered with the proper performance of his judicial duties, and with exhibiting a lack of candor to his presiding judge and failing to cooperate in the administration of court business. In addition, the commission charged Judge Murphy with malingering in that he “falsely claimed to be ill *CJP Supp. 182 and/or medically disabled for the purpose of continuing to collect [his] salary without performing [his] judicial duties.”

A panel of three justices, sitting as special masters, found that all the charges were supported by clear and convincing evidence. For the reasons set forth in this decision, the commission unanimously adopts the masters’ findings of fact and conclusions of law and removes Judge Patrick B.…