Judge Kreis was appointed to the Humboldt County Superior Court in May 2017 by then-Governor Jerry Brown, following seven years at the Humboldt County Public Defender’s Office. In the March election, he lost to attorney April Van Dyke, who received 60.4% of the vote.
In an email to Law360, Kreis’s attorney, James A. Murphy, questioned the commission’s timing of filing the ethics charges, suggesting it impacted the election outcome. He noted that Kreis’s resignation allows the governor to appoint a replacement.
The commission highlighted Kreis’s prior misconduct, including an advisory letter issued in 2018 for inappropriate remarks made during a sentencing hearing. The judge was also charged with making false statements during an online debate and failing to disclose familiarity with individuals involved in cases before him in 44 different instances.
The Commission on Judicial Performance, established in 1960, investigates complaints of judicial misconduct and incapacity, disciplining judges as necessary. It has jurisdiction over all California superior court judges and appellate justices, as well as former judges for conduct before retirement or resignation.
