Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

In Pro Per,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxAV

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, CA 95030

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 
 


SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA

JUVENILE DIVISION

 

 

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, In Pro Per

Defendant,

And

SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, DEPENDENCY DIVISION, SANTA CLARA COUNTY

Real Party at Interest,

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

))))

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ,

(DOB 02/xxxxx) JDxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

(DOB 05/xxxxx) JDxxxxx

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,

(DOB 12/xxxxx) JDxxxxx

Indxxxxxx

(DOB 09/xxxxx) JDxxxxx

 

 

MOTION TO RECUSE THE HONORABLE KRISTINE MACKIN MCCARTHY, LENARD EDWARDS AND DEPENDENCY DIVISION OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA CODE OF CIVIL PROCEEDUE § 170.1(a)(6)(C)

 

 

I

INTRODUCTION

 

     Defendant respectfully requests the Honorable Commissioner Kristine Mackin McCarthy, Judge Leonard P. Edwards and all judges or commissioners under the supervision of Leonard P. Edwards disqualify themselves under the California Code of Civil Procedures (CCP) Section (§)170.1 (a)(6)(C): “For any reason . . . A person aware of the facts might reasonably entertain a doubt that the judge would be able to be impartial.”  The honorable Leonard P. Edwards and Kristine Mackin McCarthy are defendants in a federal constitutional and civil rights law suit as filed by the defendants partner Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx H. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx III and the case is active and ongoing.  Kristine Mackin McCarthy, Leonard P. Edwards and anyone under the supervision of Edwards must disqualify themselves in the defendant’s dependency case and the defendant requests that a new judge be assigned from outside of these judges influence.

 

II

POINTS AND AUTHORITIES FOR DISQUALIFICATION OF

MCCARTHY, EDWARDS AND THE DEPENDENCY DIVISION OF

THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

 

     The defendant lives with xxxxxxxx H. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx III and he has court ordered visitation with her sons.  The defendant is involved in an ongoing juvenile dependency case and expects hearings to continue.  Defendant believes as any reasonable person who would look at her situation, as it now exists that there is a significant conflict of interest to have Commissioner McCarthy acting as a judge in her dependency case with supervising Judge Edwards presiding over the division and thereby presiding as the managing judge over the defendant’s case.  The defendant’s partner filed a federal constitutional and civil rights suit pursuant to 42 USC § 1983, 1985 and 1987 naming McCarthy and Edwards as defendants.  McCarthy and Edwards should be disqualified: In the case [United Farm Workers of America v Superior Court (1985, 4th Dist) 170 Cal App 3d 97, 216 Cal Rptr 4.] “The standard for disqualification provided in Code Civ. Proc., § 170.1, subd. (a)(6)(C), providing for disqualification for bias or prejudice where a person aware of the facts might reasonably entertain a doubt that the judge is able to be impartial, is fundamentally an objective one. It represents a legislative judgment that, due to the sensitivity of the question and inherent difficulties of proof, as well as the importance of public confidence in the judicial system, the issue is not limited to the existence of an actual bias. Rather, if a reasonable person would entertain doubts concerning the judge's impartiality, disqualification is mandated. To insure that proceedings appear to the public to be impartial and hence worthy of their confidence, the situation must be viewed through the eyes of the objective person. This standard indicates that the decision is not based on the judge's personal view of his own impartiality, and also suggests that the litigants' necessarily partisan views do not provide the applicable frame of reference. Rather, the judge ought to consider how his participation in a given case looks to the average person on the street. (emphasis added)” The average person looking at this situation would see a conflict of interest and in the best interest and for respect of the court this request for disqualification must be granted.  The California legislature made reasonable decisions in these rules for disqualification and the rules must be followed.

     There are many objective persons who would be willing to testify that the situation of the defendant being represented by McCarthy and Edwards is a conflict of interest: “Code Civ. Proc., § 170.1, subd. (a)(6)(C) (Judge disqualified if person aware of facts might reasonably entertain doubt that judge would be impartial) makes the disqualification standard fundamentally an objective one. It represents a legislative judgment that due to the sensitivity of the question and inherent difficulties of proof as well as the importance of public confidence in the judicial system, the issue is not limited to the existence of an actual bias. Rather, if a reasonable man or woman would entertain doubts concerning the judge's impartiality, disqualification is mandated. To ensure that the proceedings appear to the public to be impartial and hence worthy of their confidence, the situation must be viewed through the eyes of the objective person. The reason for the objective standard of proof is the difficulty in showing that a judge is biased unless the judge so admits. In addition, public perceptions of justice are not furthered when a judge who is reasonably thought to be biased in a matter hears the case. (emphasis added)”  Catchpole v Brannon (1995, 1st Dist) 36 Cal App 4th 237, 42 Cal Rptr 2d 440.

     The charges being brought by the defendant’s partner are being brought against Edwards and McCarthy in both their personal and professional capacities.  The federal complaint details actions in both judicial but primarily in their administrative capacity and include federal criminal charges for conspiracy pursuant to 18 USC §§ 241 and 242, which indicate serious criminal implications.  No reasonable person could think that the commissioner, judge or anyone working under them could possibly conduct themselves in a fair and impartial manner considering they are facing possible criminal charges which would bring jail time or a long probation period and these charges originate from the defendants partner.  “The facts and circumstances prompting the challenge must be evaluated as of the time the motion is brought and the evaluation of the challenge must not isolate facts or comments out of context. The challenge must be to the effect that the judge would not be able to be impartial toward a particular party.”  Flier v Superior Court (1994, 1st Dist) 23 Cal App 4th 165, 28 Cal Rptr 2d 383.  Any objective person can see the prejudice will be directed towards the defendant thus: “In order to disqualify a judge, his prejudice must be against a party to the action; . . .”  Evans v Superior Court (1930) 107 CA 372, 290 P 662; Kreling v Superior Court (1944) 63 CA2d 353, 146 P2d 935,

 

III

CONCLUSION

 

Any reasonable person looking at the current bench in the defendants case would see a conflict and would wonder why the commissioner and judge have not disqualified themselves in the defendants case at the point the federal constitutional and civil charges were filed against them.  The defendant respectfully requests that the Honorable Commissioner Kristine Mackin McCarthy, Honorable Leonard P. Edwards and anyone under their supervision including the Juvenile Dependency Division of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, be disqualified under CCP § 170.1(a)(6)(C) et seq.  Defendant requests that the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, Santa Clara County the Honorable Richard C. Turrone assign this defendants case to another department within his court or in the alternative ask the Judicial Counsel to assign a independent Judge to this case.

//

//

 

 

IV

DECLARATION

 

     I, Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx am over the age of 18 years old and am a resident in California and am the defendant in this matter and declare that the foregoing is true and correct under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of California.  Executed at the state of California in the County of Santa Clara.

 

 

Respectfully Submitted;

 

 

 

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx           Dated___________________