Reinstated judge to have alcoholism monitored
MARTHA BELLISLE
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 1/23/2008

The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline has reinstated its alcohol abuse monitoring of Judge Charles McGee, who had retired at the beginning of 2005 after being jailed and censured for a drunken-driving conviction in 2003 and now is returning to the bench.

The panel said "it would be in the best interests of the public to resume its process of monitoring Judge McGee for compliance with alcohol abuse treatment/counseling requirements, and to ascertain his medical status."

The commission's order said it decided to resume monitoring after McGee was appointed on Dec. 24 by the Nevada Supreme Court to work as a senior judge. It had stopped its monitoring in October, saying that if he was commissioned as a senior judge in the future, it would reopen his case.

McGee, who won acclaim and respect for helping to start Washoe County's family court system, began drinking after his parents died in 2001 and 2002, he said in a 2004 interview. He entered an alcohol rehabilitation center in 2003, but was arrested for driving under the influence soon after.

He pleaded guilty in December 2003, and spent two days in the Washoe County Jail. He retired in 2005 after serving on the bench since 1984.

The judicial discipline commission censured McGee in January 2005 for his drunken-driving conviction and required him to agree to treatment and periodic reviews.

McGee began working as a senior judge soon after retirement, but resigned that position on June 1, 2007, to pursue his mitigation practice, said Margaret Evans, who runs the Senior Judge Program within the Administrative Office of the Courts. He asked to be reinstated in November and was accepted in December, effective Jan. 1, she said.

The commission's order states that it is authorized to collect a list of information from McGee, including medical records on any alcohol-abuse treatment he might have been involved in from Jan. 1, 2007.

It also asked for confirmation from someone other than McGee concerning how often he had attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings during that same period and required sworn statements from McGee on all prescription medications he has been using.

"Judge McGee is encouraged to submit any other information he chooses that is not covered by the list above, which may shed light on the current status and recent past status of his treatment for alcohol abuse or alcoholism," the order said.

McGee must submit this material by March 1, the order said.

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic ... 30434/1002