In a case that has rattled the California judiciary, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has been publicly admonished for repeatedly breaking into fellow jurists’ chambers after hours, rifling through confidential documents and attempting to access their computers. The state’s Commission on Judicial Performance condemned the behavior as a “serious breach of trust”, an extraordinary rebuke for conduct that undermined the integrity of the court.
Judge’s Unauthorized Entries Spark Security Crackdown
Judge Daviann L. Mitchell, who has sat on the Los Angeles County Superior Court bench since 2006, was found to have entered the chambers of Supervising Judge Denise McLaughlin-Bennett and Judge Kathleen Blanchard on multiple occasions in 2023 without permission. The breaches occurred during what Mitchell later described as a personal and professional crisis that impaired her judgment and mental well-being.
The discovery of the intrusions prompted security measures, including locking doors, moving confidential documents, and ultimately changing the lock on Judge McLaughlin-Bennett’s chamber door. Despite warnings and the installation of security cameras, the unauthorized entries continued, according to the commission’s report.
