In the MATTER OF Judge Debra M. GUNKEL ( 2021 )

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<div class="ldml-decision"><div class="ldml-decision"><div class="ldml-header header ldml-header content__heading content__heading--depth1" data-refglobal="case:inthematterofgunkelcaseno20sa409500p3d381may13,2021" data-content-heading-label="Header"><p class="ldml-metadata"><span class="ldml-cite"><b class="ldml-bold">500 P.3d 381</b></span></p><p class="ldml-metadata"><span class="ldml-party"><b class="ldml-bold">In the MATTER OF <span class="ldml-name">Judge Debra M. GUNKEL</span></b></span></p><p class="ldml-metadata"><b class="ldml-bold">Supreme Court <span class="ldml-cite">Case No. 20SA409</span> </b></p><p class="ldml-metadata"><b class="ldml-bold"><span class="ldml-court">Supreme Court of Colorado</span>.</b></p><p class="ldml-metadata"><span class="ldml-date"><b class="ldml-bold">May 13, 2021</b></span></p></div><div class="ldml-counsel header ldml-header content__heading content__heading--depth1" data-content-heading-label="Counsel"><p data-paragraph-id="119" class="ldml-paragraph no-indent mt-2"><span data-paragraph-id="119" data-sentence-id="119" class="ldml-sentence">Appearing for the <span class="ldml-entity">Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline</span>: <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-lawyer">William J. Campbell</span></span>, <span class="ldml-role">Executive Director</span>, Denver, Colorado</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="238" class="ldml-paragraph no-indent mt-2"><span data-paragraph-id="238" data-sentence-id="238" class="ldml-sentence">Attorneys for <span class="ldml-entity">Judge <span class="ldml-entity">Debra M. Gunkel</span>:</span> <span class="ldml-lawfirm">Recht Kornfeld, P.C.</span>, <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-lawyer">Abraham V. Hutt</span></span>, Denver, Colorado</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="330" class="ldml-paragraph no-indent mt-2"><span data-paragraph-id="330" data-sentence-id="330" class="ldml-sentence">Attorneys for <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-role">Complainant</span></span> <span class="ldml-entity">The People</span> of the <span class="ldml-entity">State of Colorado</span>: <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-lawyer">Philip J. Weiser</span></span>, <span class="ldml-entity">Attorney General</span>, <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-lawyer">Ashley E. Moller</span></span>, First Assistant <span class="ldml-entity">Attorney General</span>, Denver, Colorado</span></p></div><h2 class="ldml-opinionheading"><span data-paragraph-id="497" class="ldml-paragraph "><span class="ldml-judgepanel"><span data-paragraph-id="497" data-sentence-id="497" class="ldml-sentence">En Banc</span></span></span></h2><div class="ldml-opinion"><p data-paragraph-id="504" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="504" data-sentence-id="504" class="ldml-sentence"><b class="ldml-bold">Order re: Recommendation of the <span class="ldml-entity">Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline and Public Censure</span></b></span></p><p data-paragraph-id="597" class="ldml-paragraph no-indent mt-4"><span class="ldml-opinionauthor content__heading content__heading--depth1" data-content-heading-label="Opinion (PER CURIAM)"><span data-paragraph-id="597" data-sentence-id="597" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-judge">PER CURIAM</span>.</span></span></p><p data-paragraph-id="608" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="608" data-sentence-id="608" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_608"><span class="ldml-cite">¶1</span></a></span> <span class="ldml-entity">Judge <span class="ldml-entity">Debra M. Gunkel</span></span>, you appear before <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> for imposition of discipline based upon violations of the duties of your office as a <span class="ldml-entity">Baca County <span class="ldml-entity">Court</span> Judge</span>.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="608" data-sentence-id="773" class="ldml-sentence">The <span class="ldml-entity">Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline</span> <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote">"the Commission"</span>)</span> recommends approval of the Stipulated Disposition <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote">"the Stipulation"</span>)</span>, which you and the Commission executed pursuant to <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-referencechain"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_773"><span class="ldml-cite">Rules 36<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span></span></a></span> <span class="ldml-referenceseparator">and</span> <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_773"><span class="ldml-cite">37<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(c)</span> of the Colorado Rules</span></a></span></span></span> of Judicial Discipline <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote">"RJD"</span>)</span>.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="608" data-sentence-id="1036" class="ldml-sentence">Consistent with the Stipulation, the Commission recommends that <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> accept your retirement and impose the additional sanction of public censure.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="608" data-sentence-id="1188" class="ldml-sentence">You do not object to the recommendation.</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="1228" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="1228" data-sentence-id="1228" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_1228"><span class="ldml-cite">¶2</span></a></span> In the Stipulation, you and the Commission agreed to the following facts:</span></p><div class="ldml-embeddeddocument"><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_1304" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="1304" class="ldml-sentence">1.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1307" class="ldml-sentence">You have been serving as a 20% part-time <span class="ldml-entity">Baca County Judge</span>.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_1366" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="1366" class="ldml-sentence">2.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1369" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">January 14, 2018</span>, you were charged in <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_1369"><span class="ldml-cite">Case No. 2018T54</span></a></span> with driving under the influence of alcohol <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote">"DUI"</span>)</span> in <span class="ldml-entity">Prowers County</span>.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1498" class="ldml-sentence">Upon your arrest, your preliminary blood alcohol content <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote">"BAC"</span>)</span> was 0.137.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1574" class="ldml-sentence">According to the arrest report, you told the two arresting officers that you were a judge and asked if <span class="ldml-entity">they</span> could just take you home.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_1707" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="1707" class="ldml-sentence">3.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1710" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">November 9, 2018</span>, you entered a plea of guilty to DUI and careless driving.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1789" class="ldml-sentence">You were fined $100 for careless driving.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1831" class="ldml-sentence">On the DUI charge, you received a deferred sentence of two years involving probation, community service, and abstention from alcohol.</span> <span data-sentence-id="1965" class="ldml-sentence">You served a period in which your driver's license privilege was revoked, followed by a requirement that, for two years, you could only operate vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device that would monitor your BAC.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_2189" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="2189" class="ldml-sentence">4.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2192" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">August 17, 2019</span>, you were arrested in Kansas and charged with DUI.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2262" class="ldml-sentence">In noting the restriction on your driver's license, the arresting officer also charged you with failure to have an interlock device operating in your vehicle.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2421" class="ldml-sentence">Your preliminary BAC registered 0.164.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2460" class="ldml-sentence">According to the sheriff's narrative supporting the arrest, you stated that you were a judge and asked if your husband could come get you.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2599" class="ldml-sentence">The charges in connection with that incident were filed in <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_2599"><span class="ldml-refname">Greeley County, Kansas</span> <span class="ldml-cite">Case No. 2019TR89</span></a></span>.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_2699" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="2699" class="ldml-sentence">5.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2702" class="ldml-sentence">In light of concerns about whether litigants might question your impartiality and fairness in <span class="ldml-entity">cases</span> involving DUI charges and probation revocation complaints, the Chief Judge in the 15th <span class="ldml-entity">Judicial District</span> ordered that no DUI <span class="ldml-pagenumber" data-rep="P.3d" data-id="pagenumber_2927" data-vol="500" data-page_type="bracketed_cite" data-val="383"></span> or probation revocation <span class="ldml-entity">cases</span> would be assigned to you.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_2983" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="2983" class="ldml-sentence">6.</span> <span data-sentence-id="2986" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">May 7, 2020</span>, with a senior judge from outside <span class="ldml-entity">Prowers County</span> presiding over the proceedings, you admitted that your DUI incident in Kansas violated the terms of the <span class="ldml-entity">Prowers County</span> deferred sentence.</span> <span data-sentence-id="3188" class="ldml-sentence">The judge then revoked your deferred sentence and entered a conviction for DUI.</span> <span data-sentence-id="3268" class="ldml-sentence">You were thereafter sentenced to forty-eight hours of public service, an alcohol evaluation, probation, and payment of fines and fees totaling $1,924.50.</span></blockquote><blockquote data-paragraph-id="b_3421" class="ldml-blockquote"><span data-sentence-id="3421" class="ldml-sentence">7.</span> <span data-sentence-id="3424" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">June 8, 2020</span>, you pled guilty to and were convicted of DUI - second offense under Kansas law.</span> <span data-sentence-id="3521" class="ldml-sentence">On <span class="ldml-entity">June 22, 2020</span>, you were sentenced to twelve months of supervised probation; 90 days in jail, which were suspended upon completion of 48 consecutive hours of confinement and 120 hours of house arrest; and ordered to pay fines and fees totaling $1,903.00.</span></blockquote></div><p data-paragraph-id="3777" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="3777" data-sentence-id="3777" class="ldml-sentence">You agreed in the <span class="ldml-entity">Stipulation to waive</span> your right to a hearing in formal proceedings and to an appeal.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="3777" data-sentence-id="3880" class="ldml-sentence">You also agreed to retire from your judicial office no later than three days following the filing of the Stipulation with <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span>.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="3777" data-sentence-id="4014" class="ldml-sentence">The Stipulation further provides that, in addition to your retirement, there will be one other sanction: the Commission will recommend that <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> publicly censure you and you will not object to that recommendation.</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="4233" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="4233" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_4233"><span class="ldml-cite">¶3</span></a></span> RJD 37<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span>, titled <span class="ldml-quotation quote">"Stipulated Resolution of Formal Proceedings,"</span> allows the Commission to file a <span class="ldml-quotation quote">"stipulated resolution"</span> as a recommendation to <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> in a disciplinary proceeding.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="4421" class="ldml-sentence">In filing such a stipulation, the Commission has authority to recommend, among other possible sanctions, that <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> <span class="ldml-quotation quote">"<span class="ldml-parenthetical">[r]</span>eprimand or censure the Judge publicly ... by written order."</span></span> <span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="4608" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-referencechain"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_4421"><span class="ldml-cite">RJD 36<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span></span></a></span><span class="ldml-referenceseparator">;</span> <span class="ldml-signal"><i class="ldml-italics">accord</i></span> <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="embeddedsentence_4661,sentence_4421"><span class="ldml-cite">Colo. Const. art. VI, § 23 <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(3)</span><span class="ldml-parenthetical">(f)</span></span></a></span> <span class="ldml-parenthetical">(<span class="ldml-quotation quote"><span class="ldml-embeddedsentence">"Following receipt of a recommendation from the commission, <span class="ldml-entity">the supreme court</span> ... shall order removal, retirement, suspension, censure, reprimand, or discipline, as it finds just and proper ...."</span></span>)</span></span>.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="4859" class="ldml-sentence">Under <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference"><span class="ldml-cite">RJD 40</span></a></span>, after considering the evidence and the law, <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> is required to issue a decision concerning the Commission's recommendations.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="5005" class="ldml-sentence">If the Commission recommends adoption of a stipulated resolution, <span class="ldml-quotation quote">"the <span class="ldml-entity">Court</span> shall order it to become effective and issue any sanction provided in the stipulated resolution, unless <span class="ldml-entity">the Court</span> determines that its terms do not comply with <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5005"><span class="ldml-cite">Rule 37<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span></span></a></span> or are not supported by the record of proceedings."</span></span> <span data-paragraph-id="4233" data-sentence-id="5304" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5005"><span class="ldml-cite"><i class="ldml-italics">Id</i></span></a></span> .</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="5308" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="5308" data-sentence-id="5308" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5308"><span class="ldml-cite">¶4</span></a></span> Upon consideration of the law, the evidence, the record of the proceedings, the Stipulation, and the Commission's recommendation, and being sufficiently advised in the premises, <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> concludes that the terms of the Stipulation comply with <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference"><span class="ldml-cite">RJD 37<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span></span></a></span> and are supported by the record of the proceedings.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="5308" data-sentence-id="5618" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity">This Court</span> agrees that public censure is the appropriate additional sanction in light of the nature and gravity of the underlying offenses.</span> <span data-paragraph-id="5308" data-sentence-id="5758" class="ldml-sentence">Therefore, <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span> orders the Stipulation to become effective and issues the following public censure as an additional sanction.</span></p><p data-paragraph-id="5889" class="ldml-paragraph "><span data-paragraph-id="5889" data-sentence-id="5889" class="ldml-sentence"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5889"><span class="ldml-cite">¶5</span></a></span> <span class="ldml-entity">This Court</span> hereby publicly censures you, Judge <span class="ldml-entity">Debra M. Gunkel</span>, for failing to maintain the high standards of judicial conduct required of a judge; for violating Canon <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5889"><span class="ldml-cite">Rule 1.2</span></a></span>, which requires that a judge, at all times, shall act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the judiciary; and for violating Canon <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference" data-prop-ids="sentence_5889"><span class="ldml-cite">Rule 1.3</span></a></span>, which prohibits a judge from abusing the prestige of the judicial office.<a href="#note-fr1" class="ldml-noteanchor" id="note-ref-fr1">1</a></span> <span data-paragraph-id="5889" data-sentence-id="6293" class="ldml-sentence">Further, <span class="ldml-entity">the Court</span> accepts your retirement as a Judge in the <span class="ldml-entity">Baca County <span class="ldml-entity">Court</span></span>.</span></p></div><div class="ldml-notes content__heading content__heading--depth1" data-content-heading-label="Footnotes"><div class="ldml-note ldml-note"><p data-paragraph-id="6372" class="ldml-paragraph "><sup class="ldml-superscript"></sup><a href="#note-ref-fr1" class="ldml-notemarker" id="note-fr1">1</a> <span data-paragraph-id="6372" data-sentence-id="6373" class="ldml-sentence">Pursuant to <span class="ldml-entity"><span class="ldml-referencechain"><span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference"><span class="ldml-cite">RJD 6.5<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(a)</span></span></a></span> <span class="ldml-referenceseparator">and</span> <span class="ldml-entity"><a class="ldml-reference"><span class="ldml-cite">RJD 37<span class="ldml-parenthetical">(e)</span></span></a></span></span></span>, the Stipulation, the Commission's recommendation, and the record of proceedings became public when the Commission filed its recommendation with <span class="ldml-entity">this Court</span>.</span></p></div></div></div></div>
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