Tag Archives: Sharon Keller

Keller’s appeal denied by Supremes

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Poor baby. The Texas Supreme Court this morning denied Judge Sharon Keller’s request to throw out last month’s public rebuke for her role in a botched 2007 death row appeal. Later today, Keller’s lawyers are expected to file a separate … Continue reading →

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SCJC contests Keller’s appeal

Posted on August 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

When last we met, Sharon Keller had appealed the curious “warning” she received from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Commission had acted “lawlessly” by issuing that particular sanction. The Commission has now … Continue reading →

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Keller appeals to Supreme Court

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

She’s still going for full vindication. Because as far as she’s concerned, she did nothing wrong. [I]n a Supreme Court petition filed Thursday, Keller argued that the commission acted in a “lawless” manner because the Texas Constitution forbids it to … Continue reading →

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What is this “warning” of which you speak?

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad to see that someone is asking questions about the warning that the State Commission on Judicial Conduct handed down to Sharon Keller. Seana Willing, the commission’s examiner, contends in an e-mail that the order is based on a … Continue reading →

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“Warning” versus “reprimand”

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Casey answers a question that has been bugging me about the State Commission on Judicial Conduct ruling that issued a “public warning” to Sharon Keller. A majority of the panel agreed that Keller needed to be sanctioned for ignoring … Continue reading →

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Keller gets “public warning” from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No, I don’t know what a “public warning” is, either. It’s the first time I’ve heard that phrase. But it’s what the Trib says Sharon Keller got as her “punishment” from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. What it sounds … Continue reading →

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The softer side of Sharon Keller

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib lets us know that there’s more to Sharon Keller than willful indifference to death penalty appeals and rigid fealty to the prosecutorial perspective. For nearly as long as she has led the state’s highest criminal court, Keller has … Continue reading →

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The Keller hearings

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The current phase of the Sharon Keller saga may end soon. Sharon Keller, fighting to keep her job as the state’s top criminal court judge, should know her fate soon. After a five-hour hearing Friday, members of the State Commission … Continue reading →

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Keller hearing today

Posted on June 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the day for the State Commission on Judicial Conduct to have its hearing on the Sharon Keller case and to decide what to do with the findings of the Special Master. Today, prosecutors plan to argue that [Special … Continue reading →

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Keller may yet face criminal charges

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Grits read through the TEC ruling against Sharon Keller, who was hit with a record $100K fine for various failures to disclose financial information, and notes that the system isn’t done with Keller yet, as there is still the matter … Continue reading →

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Keller gets slammed by Ethics Commission

Posted on May 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The Texas Ethics Commission has levied a record $100,000 fine against Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller for failing to make full financial disclosures in 2007 and 2008. […] The commission in an order made public … Continue reading →

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Next Keller hearing June 18

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct set a June 18 hearing in the continuing case of Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Keller was accused of bringing “public discredit” to the judiciary … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court petitioned to hear the Charles Hood case

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Via Grits, one of the more embarrassing rulings from the Court of Criminal Appeals – and you know how much that is saying – has been appealed to the US Supreme Court. A former governor, a former district attorney, a … Continue reading →

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Objections to Special Master’s findings on Sharon Keller filed

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was the deadline for the examiner in the Sharon Keller case to file objections to the Special Master’s report. The examiner did have some objections, and they have now been filed. The prosecutors’ objection said the special master who … Continue reading →

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What next for Sharon Keller?

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We have the Special Master’s report on the Sharon Keller case, so what happens next? Grits reminds us: The Judge was only empowered to make recommendations to the [State Commission on Judicial Conduct], which may still decide whether to dismiss … Continue reading →

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Editorialists call for sanctions on Keller

Posted on January 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Special Master David Berchelmann may think that Sharon Keller has suffered enough, but that doesn’t appear to be a popular position. Here’s the Express News weighing in: Richard’s guilt is not at issue, nor is the fact that he ultimately … Continue reading →

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More on Keller

Posted on January 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about Sharon Keller getting off lightly in the report produced by Special Master David Berchelmann for the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Of interest is the reminder that Keller isn’t out of the woods just yet. … Continue reading →

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Keller gets off

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Fresh from the Trib: Sharon Keller, the presiding judge of the state’s highest criminal court, will not be removed from the bench following a trial and review by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. […] The special master finds that … Continue reading →

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CCA versus David Dow

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

According to Grits, UH law professor David Dow and the nonprofit Texas Defender Service will be called to account before the Court of Criminal Appeals for filing tardy paperwork. Two years ago, David Dow and the Texas Defender Service were … Continue reading →

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Trying to reinstate a lawsuit against Sharon Keller

Posted on November 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last year, a wrongful death lawsuit against Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller that was filed by the daughter of death row inmate Michael Richard, the man who was executed in the “we close at 5” case, was … Continue reading →

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That’s a wrap for the Keller trial

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So the judicial misconduct trial of Sharon Keller is now over, and we will await the ruling from District Judge David Berchelmann Jr., who will compile “findings of fact” for the State Commission on Judicial Conduct; the Commission will then … Continue reading →

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Same old Sharon

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll say this for Sharon Keller. She is steadfast in her beliefs, and there is nothing you can say to her to make her waver from them. The presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals who refused to … Continue reading →

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Keller testifies

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Day Two of the trial of Judge Sharon Keller had Keller herself testifying. Rapid-fire questions from Austin lawyer Mike McKetta, acting as the prosecution, drilled into the heart of the charges against Keller — that by violating the court’s established … Continue reading →

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The Keller trial, Day One

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If you want a detailed blow-by-blow description of the trial of Court of Criminal Appeals Justice Sharon Keller, go to the Statesman’s Focal Point blog, which has been liveblogging the procedure. Here are links to various entries: Opening statement by … Continue reading →

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A preview of the Keller case

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Lawyer has an in depth look at some of the facts that are in dispute in the judicial conduct hearing for Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, which begins today. It is, as the story’s headline suggests, … Continue reading →

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Keller goes on the offensive

Posted on August 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’re less than two weeks out from the judicial conduct hearing on Court of Criminal Appeals Chief Justice Sharon Keller, and it’s clear that her defense strategy will be to attack her accusers. Keller, facing potentially career-ending charges that she … Continue reading →

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Texas Monthly on Sharon Keller

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Monthly gives the long-form magazine article treatment to Sharon Keller and her upcoming trial before the Commission on Judicial Conduct. It’s well worth reading, and they try their best to humanize her, but I can’t bring myself to care … Continue reading →

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Keller hearing moved to San Antonio

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It had been scheduled to be in Austin, but now it’s been moved to San Antonio. State District Judge David Berchelmann Jr., who was chosen by the Texas Supreme Court to preside over Keller’s trial, will use his downtown San … Continue reading →

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How about that CCA’s reputation for fairness?

Posted on June 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is just precious. The longest serving Judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Lawrence “Larry” Meyers, has announced he is seeking re-election in 2010. The Court has been called a national laughingstock by one of its other members … Continue reading →

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Burnam drops impeachment resolution

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had wondered what would happen with Rep. Lon Burnam’s resolution to impeach Sharon Keller, given that we were coming down to the wire and there was a lot of pressing business that needed to be taken care of in … Continue reading →

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Lon Burnam

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Star Telegram has a nice profile of Rep. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth, who we all know was anti-Tom Craddick before it was cool. If he were a baseball or basketball player, you’d say he’s one of those guys … Continue reading →

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Burnam makes his case in the papers

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Lon Burnam writes an op-ed about his resolution to impeach Judge Sharon Keller. Last week, a group of 24 national experts on judicial ethics issued a statement that Judge Keller has consistently demonstrated a lack of impartiality in … Continue reading →

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Followup on Keller impeachment resolution

Posted on May 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had a brief conversation with Rep. Lon Burnam about HR480, the House resolution to impeach Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, which had a hearing on Monday. He’s working on getting enough support in the House Committee … Continue reading →

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The Keller impeachment resolution

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Lon Burnam’s resolution to impeach Judge Sharon Keller was scheduled to get a hearing Monday. Burnam vowed that it would come to a vote on the House floor. If that resolution does not move in committee, Burnam said he … Continue reading →

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