Thread: Judge Cleared For Opposing Illegal Immigration

Judge Cleared For Opposing Illegal Immigration
Fri, 01/18/2008 - 16:23 — Judicial Watch Blog

The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board has dismissed an ethics complaint filed against a state court judge for publicly stating that local authorities need more power to deal with illegal immigrants.

The Superior Court judge, Correale Stevens, also said that county judges should be given deportation authority. Judge Stevens made the comments during a September 2007 event, sponsored by several Pennsylvania legislators, at the state capitol in Harrisburg.

The lawmakers held a news conference to release a report detailing 120 criminal incidents involving 3,100 illegal immigrants in the last four years. The idea was to point out the federal government’s failure regarding immigration laws and therefore the state legislature’s need to enact its own measures to address illegal immigration.

A Mexican-American Philadelphia attorney who advocates for illegal immigrants filed the ethics complaint against the judge. The complaint said that, by attending the September rally in Harrisburg, Stevens put himself into an emotional debate about immigration, undermining the impartiality and credibility of the court.

A relieved Stevens says he knew he did nothing wrong since judicial rules allow him to speak on issues as long as he doesn’t reveal how he would vote on a case. He maintains that illegal immigration is causing problems for the administration of justice and believes federal authorities should empower county judges to hold deportation hearings.

In November, Judge Stevens was reelected to his second term on the bench. Before being elected to the Superior Court in 1997, he served four terms in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and as Luzerne County District Attorney.
http://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/judge ... mmigration

another frivolous lawsuit.

I'm very relieved for this judge -can we have more like him please?

A Mexican-American Philadelphia attorney who advocates for illegal immigrants filed the ethics complaint against the judge. The complaint said that, by attending the September rally in Harrisburg, Stevens put himself into an emotional debate about immigration, undermining the impartiality and credibility of the court.






By advocating for illegal immigrants doesn't this attorney also put himself into an emotional debate about immigration?

How does his inolvement affect his ability to behave ethically and credibly?

People who live in glass houses.............



I'm glad the judge was cleared. He had done nothing whatsoever wrong.

Unfortunately, and sadly to say, in the not too distant past, this man could have very easily lost everything to a misguided attempt to placate this "minority".

It is such a huge relief to see these people finally being unable to wield never ending control over every bit of this country by using the race card.

I think I will send congrats to Judge Stevens as well as thanks for speaking out as he did and not apologizing for his right to do so legally.

A Mexican-American Philadelphia attorney who advocates for illegal immigrants

Why didn't the paper name the accusor?

Dixie

By going to the event there is an implication that he might try to uphold the law. GASP!

Real news article below:

State dismisses ethics complaint vs. Stevens
Thursday, 17 January 2008
By KENT JACKSON
Staff Writer
A state board dismissed a complaint filed against Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens because of his attendance at a news conference against illegal immigration.

Stevens, who was sworn into a second term on Tuesday, said he learned the complaint was dropped when a representative of the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board telephoned him a few weeks ago.
Normally, he said, complaints remain private while the board researches whether allegations have merit.
“In my case, somebody sought to have statewide publicity,â€

Robert S. Nix A Mexican-American Philadelphia attorney who advocates for illegal immigrants

So advocating for illegal immigrants is not an ethics violation?

A posting last year on Digger's Realm:

PA Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens Breaks Silence On Illegal Immigration
By Digger

With the public attention to the Hazleton, Pennsylvania trial over its Illegal Immigration Relief Act, usually judges stay quiet on the issues before the courts. Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens though came forth in a rare act to throw his support behind enforcing the law and specifically on states enforcing immigration laws because the federal government won't. Judges typically avoid public statements because of the potential for conflict of interest should a case come before them.

[quote]Citizens Voice

state Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens, in a somewhat surprising move for a jurist, decided to join the conversation.
...
Stevens - who served as a [Luzerne] county judge from 1991 to 1997 before election to his statewide position — writes in the letter that “the administration of justice in Pennsylvania is being compromised daily as a result of the lack of enforcement of immigration laws.â€

Superior Court Judge Correale F. Stevens