In re Inquiry Concerning Wasilenko

*CJP Supp. 32 Opinion

This disciplinary matter concerns Judge David E. Wasilenko (ret.), formerly a judge of the Yuba County Superior Court. Judge Wasilenko is charged in 10 counts, generally, of diverting cases to himself that were not pending before him and that otherwise would not have been assigned to him, and affording defendants—relatives, friends, and friends of friends—special favored procedural handling, and additionally in some instances, substantively lenient disposition of their traffic cases and related offenses. The judge is represented by James A. Murphy, Esq., and Harlan B. Watkins, Esq., of Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney of San Francisco, California. The examiners for the commission are Commission Trial Counsel Andrew Blum, Esq., and commission assistant trial counsel Bradford Battson, Esq.

*CJP Supp. 33 Three special masters were appointed by the Supreme Court to hear and take evidence and to report to the commission. The masters are Hon. Rodney Davis, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District; Hon. Ramona J. Garrett, Judge of the Solano County Superior Court; and Hon. John W. Runde, Judge of the San Mateo County Superior Court. They…