California’s judicial watchdog agency issued a public admonishment to a San Mateo judge Wednesday for her alleged failure to disclose improper ex parte communications and her public critique of a defense attorney’s professionalism.

The Commission on Judicial Performance said Judge Lisa A. Novak of the San Mateo County Superior Court should have disclosed a January 2017 conversation with her bailiff because it related to a case where she was considering a motion to dismiss at the time.