United States DC Circuit

Trial court judge engaged in "serious judicial misconduct" by making derogatory and ex parte remarks to the news media about a litigant, causing reasonable and informed observers to question the judge's impartiality.

Appellate Information

• Decided 06/28/2001
• Published 06/28/2001

Judges

• Before:  EDWARDS, Chief Judge, WILLIAMS, GINSBURG, SENTELLE, RANDOLPH, ROGERS and TATEL, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States DC Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Richard J. Urowsky and Steven L. Holley argued the causes for appellant.   With them on the briefs were John L. Warden, Richard C. Pepperman, II, William H. Neukom, Thomas W. Burt, David A. Heiner, Jr., Charles F. Rule, Robert A. Long, Jr., and Carter G. Phillips.   Christopher J. Meyers entered an appearance., Lars H. Liebeler, Griffin B. Bell, Lloyd N. Cutler, Louis R. Cohen, C. Boyden Gray, William J. Kolasky, William F. Adkinson, Jr., Jeffrey D. Ayer, and Jay V. Prabhu were on the brief of amici curiae The Association for Competitive Technology and Computing Technology Industry Association in support of appellant., David R. Burton was on the brief for amicus curiae Center for the Moral Defense of Capitalism in support of appellant., Robert S. Getman was on the brief for amicus curiae Association for Objective Law in support of appellant., Lee A. Hollaar, appearing pro se, was on the brief for amicus curiae Lee A. Hollaar., Carl Lundgren, appearing pro se, was on the brief for amicus curiae Carl Lundgren.


• For Appellees:
  
• Jeffrey P. Minear and David C. Frederick, Assistants to the Solicitor General, United States Department of Justice, and John G. Roberts, Jr., argued the causes for appellees.   With them on the brief were A. Douglas Melamed, Acting Assistant Attorney General, United States Department of Justice, Jeffrey H. Blattner, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Mary Jean Moltenbrey, Director, Catherine G. O'Sullivan, Robert B. Nicholson, Adam D. Hirsh, Andrea Limmer, David Seidman, and Christopher Sprigman, Attorneys, Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General, State of New York, Richard L. Schwartz, Assistant Attorney General, and Kevin J. O'Connor, Office of the Attorney General, State of Wisconsin., John Rogovin, Kenneth W. Starr, John F. Wood, Elizabeth Petrela, Robert H. Bork, Theodore W. Ullyot, Jason M. Mahler, Stephen M. Shapiro, Donald M. Falk, Mitchell S. Pettit, Kevin J. Arquit, and Michael C. Naughton were on the brief for amici curiae America Online, Inc., et al., in support of appellee.  Paul T. Cappuccio entered an appearance.