With its leader suggesting that other stiff punishments could be handed down in the future, the state Judicial Review Council last week suspended New Haven Superior Court Judge William Holden without pay for 20 days. Holden has been the target of four complaints from criminal defendants who needed his written rulings to proceed with their appeals, but did not receive them for as long as two years.
Holden’s lawyer, William F. Dow III of New Haven, argued that other judges in the past have been given much lighter sanctions for offenses that raised more serious ethical issues, such as dishonesty, improper influence, abuse of office or lack of impartiality. Dow argued that his client’s delayed decisions did not implicate the "bedrock qualities" essential to a fair and impartial judicial systemindependence, fairness and impartiality.
