California Judge Denied Appeal of Removal Order

A California judge lost his bid to have the state supreme court review his ordered removal from the bench for misconduct allegations that included gender bias.

Justices during their weekly meeting on Wednesday refused without comment to review the Commission on Judicial Performance ruling that removed Judge John T. Laettner of the California Superior Court for Contra Costa County.

Laettner, a former assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, was a judge since March 2006.

Public defenders’ complaints about him resulted in a charge to the commission.

Much of Laettner’s “misconduct reflects a pattern of engaging with attorneys ...