Carl out of Jail because man-hating judge w/agenda does something unethical

[LanderPoke]

She illegally called Carl's therapist before his no contest plea. Can Kricken be disbarred? She's everything wrong with the legal system.

https://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/football/judge-releases-ex-uw-football-player-from-jail-after-changing/article_79ec3985-94bb-5cef-bda4-6e7fddecc86a.html

 

[OrediggerPoke]

She illegally called Carl's therapist before his no contest plea. Can Kricken be disbarred? She's everything wrong with the legal system.

https://trib.com/sports/college/wyoming/football/judge-releases-ex-uw-football-player-from-jail-after-changing/article_79ec3985-94bb-5cef-bda4-6e7fddecc86a.html

The term 'illegal' indicates the call was of a criminal nature. It is not. The call is unethical under the Wyoming Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys and judges and is inexplicable because every first year lawyer absolutely should know that ex parte communications are not ok under any situation. It becomes shocking when one considers the call was made by the sitting Judge (usually these situations arise when witnesses try to call the judge themselves not the other way around).

I would seriously doubt it would lead to disbarment (those are usually relegated to serious offenses such as an attorney stealing client's money). However, I would probably expect some type of public censure if there is no good reason put forth as to why the ex parte communication was necessary and why it was not made a part of the record and disclosed to the attorneys in the case.

Calling Judge Kricken 'everything wrong with the legal system' is extreme. Everyone makes mistakes and I am unaware of any history of such ex parte communications occurring in other cases. My guess is that she was perplexed as to what to do and wanted additional information like an average human would; that doesn't excuse the fact that it is clearly unethical to engage in ex parte communications.