Illinois Judge Retires During Ethics Probe
Dr. Kardasz -
Read the following report and consider:
1. Which typology of unethical behavior was exhibited by the accused?
2. Which decision making process might have prevented the accused from making the wrong decision?
Typologies of unethical behavior - http://kardasz.org/CorruptionTypologies.html
Decision making processes - http://kardasz.org/Decision_Making_Tools.html
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Former Kane County drug court judge to retire
By Adam Kovac, Daily Herald Staff Writer, June 08, 2006
Embattled Kane County (IL) Circuit Judge James T. Doyle has announced his retirement. He did so late Wednesday in a letter to Chief Judge Donald Hudson.
The former drug court czar did not state a reason for stepping down in his letter, instead citing his experience as a suburban police officer, public defender, prosecutor and judge in some of Kane County’s highest profile criminal cases.
“During my career I have had the opportunity to meet with jurors and campaign to citizens and I believe the citizens of Kane County represent the most knowledgeable and committed voters,” Doyle wrote in the letter dated May 30 and released this morning. “It truly has been my privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Kane County.”
Doyle has been off the bench and performing administrative duties for 15 months in the wake of an investigation by the state’s Judicial Inquiry Board into allegations of misconduct while he presided over the county’s vaunted drug court rehabilitation program.
In February 2005, a 20-count complaint said Doyle violated the constitutional rights of defendants through intimidation, ignored privacy laws, denied legal counsel and showed bias in his decisions. A state judicial ethics panel three months ago leveled more charges.
Even after he stepped down from drug court, Doyle meddled in the program and used court staff to help his defense against allegations of misconduct, according to an amended complaint from the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board.
He also failed to require some drug court participants to register with a DNA database, receive recommended mental health treatment or pay court fines and costs while he was on the bench, the complaint says.
Hudson called Doyle a close friend and colleague for a number of years and wished him well.
“He’s been a very dedicated as well as innovative judge whose heart has always been in the right place,” Hudson said in his chambers this morning.
Doyle will be eligible for a full pension, which means he will receive 85 percent of his salary.
What follows it the complete text of Doyle’s letter to Chief Judge Donald Hudson:
“Please be advised I have submitted my application for retirement as circuit judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit Court effective Aug. 2, 2006.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the citizens of Kane County for giving me the opportunity to serve in many different legal capacities during the past 30 years. As you are aware, I grew up in Cook County, attended university & law school there and served the citizens of Cook County as a suburban police officer. Upon completion of law school in 1976, I relocated to Kane County and joined the Kane County Public Defender’s office. I was well trained as a defense attorney, then joined the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office, where I was given the opportunity to serve Kane County as one of the top prosecutors. In 1981, I was given the opportunity to serve the citizens of the City of Aurora as the head of the legal department and later represented the citizens of Kane County in my private law practice. For the past 18 years the citizens of Kane County have given me the opportunity to administer justice for the 16th judicial circuit court. I have presided over thousands of major felony cases including nearly 100 homicide cases and over a dozen death penalty cases.
During my career I have had the opportunity to meet with jurors and campaign to citizens and I believe the citizens of Kane County represent the most knowledgeable and committed voters. It truly has been my privilege and honor to serve the citizens of Kane County.”
Retrieved June 9, 2006 from http://www.dailyherald.com/search/printstory.asp?id=197491