U.S. Relieves Judge of Duties in Courtroom (Immigration judge employed by the DOJ)

[maddezmom]

U.S. Relieves Judge of Duties in Courtroom

By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: March 13, 2007
An immigration judge in New York who has been repeatedly rebuked by federal appeals judges for his hostile questioning of asylum-seekers was relieved of courtroom duties yesterday and reassigned to a desk job, lawyers and a union official said.

The judge, Jeffrey S. Chase, has been portrayed by supporters and even by some of his critics as a scapegoat in an escalating battle between the Justice Department, which employs immigration judges, and federal circuit courts around the country.

The circuit courts have been overwhelmed with asylum appeals since the Bush administration curtailed an internal immigration appeals process, and have complained of a pattern of biased and incoherent decisions and bullying conduct by immigration judges, who are not part of the independent federal judiciary.

A spokesman for the Justice Department would neither confirm nor deny Judge Chase’s reassignment, calling it “a personnel matter” covered by privacy laws. But the spokesman, Charles S. Miller, said that 11 of the nation’s roughly 215 immigration judges had been temporarily suspended from courtroom duties since June, “based on concerns about how they were conducting immigration proceedings.” Some have since returned to the bench, he said.

more:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/13/nyregion/13judge.html

[radfringe]

1. US Attorney's first?

why does the quote "first you kill all the lawyers" come to mind

Firing/re-assignment of the judges might be legitimate - but in light of how politicized the judiciary has become under bush/gonzales - makes you wonder

[aquart]

2. Not one decision can be trusted. Not one prosecution.

And the attorneys knew what was happening which is why Fitz was so protected in his mandate (or whatever the legal term is).

[aquart]

3. Not one decision can be trusted. Not one prosecution.

And the attorneys knew what was happening which is why Fitz was so protected in his mandate (or whatever the legal term is).