In Georgia, a Republican lawmaker filed articles of impeachment Tuesday against an Atlanta judge who allegedly had sex in her chambers and then denied it to investigators, only to change course when they developed evidence otherwise.In Idaho, a federal appeals court judge is under internal investigation after a parking lot incident in which he allegedly smashed the eyeglasses of a fellow motorist.And in Michigan, a federal district court judge pleaded not guilty to violating the terms of his probation, after he allegedly failed to undergo drug and alcohol tests following a conviction for driving under the influence.Federal judges tasked with upholding the law now stand accused of skirting it in these three high-profile incidents this week."When judges act badly, even in their private lives, it reflects badly on everyone else," said Jeremy Fogel, a retired judge who now leads the Berkeley Judicial Institute, which works to promote an ethical and independent judiciary."The focus in all three of these cases has to be the larger reputation of the judiciary and not just these three individual people."The code of conduct for federal judges requires them to uphold the integrity of the judiciary and avoid impropriety — or even the appearance of improper behavior — "in all activities."The judiciary's system for policing misconduct is coming under fresh scrutiny in light of the recent incidents playing out across three different states.In Idaho, Ninth Circuit Appeals Court Judge Ryan Nelson pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after a confrontation in a parking lot recently uncovered by the Idaho State Journal.
During the April encounter, which was captured on video and obtained by the State Journal, Nelson allegedly grabbed a motorist's glasses and stomped on them in a fight over parking.The incident went unreported publicly for months, while Nelson continued to hear cases.Curtis Smith, a lawyer for Judge Nelson, said he is "embarrassed by this incident."...