Impartiality of a former DA turned judge
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Impartiality of a former DA turned judge
A person who I am advocating for is
involved in a case where the Judge is a
former DA who prosecuted a prior case
against him. The judge denied a bond
reduction on the basis that he knows the
accused prior criminal history from his
time as a DA. Is there an inherent
conflict of interest?
Asked on December 21, 2017 under Criminal Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
The defendant (or his attorney) could reasonably, with a fair chance of success, do any or all of the following: apply to a more senior judge (e.g. the courthouse administrative or chief judge, if that is not the same person as this judge) to have the case moved to a different judge; appeal the bond reduction; and/or if he loses ultimately at trial before this judge, appeal the decision against him--all on the basis of actual or at least apparent/evident bias. A judge should *not* hear a case where he previously prosecuted (or was part of the office prosecuting) that defendant: judges should go in without pre-personal knowledge (i.e. they should only know what is of public record) and without having taken an adverse position to the defendant previously. However, you would not have "standing," or legal grounds, to seek these things, because you are not the defendant or his attorney; third parties may not apply for these things, only the party(ies) themselves involved in the case.
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