Superior Court Judge Suspended, Could Face Removal From Bench

VENTURA —  The state Commission on Judicial Performance announced Friday that it is suspending Superior Court Judge Robert Bradley and has filed misconduct charges that could lead to his removal from the bench.

Bradley, 56, was charged with six counts of misconduct, including two drunk driving convictions, showing up for work under the influence of alcohol, failure to do his job and habitual use of alcohol while a judge.

The commission said it will suspend Bradley with pay until the case against him is resolved, the first such action by the commission under a 1995 law that allows the state to temporarily disqualify jurists if their continued service could harm the public.

In addition to the two drunk driving convictions, Bradley was caught driving under the influence of alcohol twice in 1996 and 1997, but he was not arrested.

Bradley, a jurist since 1983, was unavailable for comment because he is in an alcohol treatment center; he was released Tuesday from the Pasadena City Jail, where he served 20 days for drunk driving.

But his attorney, Thomas Brayton of Claremont, said Bradley will fight the suspension and the misconduct charges because the judge hopes to return to the bench within a month of finishing the 30-day treatment program.