The Collin County Observer

What makes you think there is an ethics violation causing his resignation? Did you ever think maybe he might have received a job offer that is more exciting than listening to the same ol' stuff day in and day out? He is a great man and great judge. Be happy for him!

Rumors? Oh My! Hush, hush....

That is what happens when people have
agendas and no facts to report.

Shame, shame.

What rumors are you talking about? The resignation is a fact as is the ethics investigation.

The real question is why the Dallas Morning News is not reporting on this.

I would just like to remind everyone that diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Moreover, we shall see the truth come to light soon in Judge Brewer's instance.

Why was Charles Sandoval not investigated for ethics issues?

I have no doubt it is true. Just sad if it is... Just think about all the harm he may have caused with his choices and the people he has affected. Shame on him... God help us if he is thinking of moving on to another position within the government!

Give me a break...does everything have to a have rumor attached to it. He handed in is resignation. Let it go!!!

The plot thickens.

Mosie,

These are not rumors. Sandoval was bounced by the voters because of improper behavior which Henderson has kept quiet to protect the image of the courts. Sandoval now has an ill-gotten pension. Now we are supposed to do the same for Brewer. This is nonsense. If the courts want a clean image, they have to become clean publically.

Once accused you must prove your innocence?

Sounds like the Soviet Union to me.

What ever happened to
"Innocent until proven guilty"

Oh that is soooo... yesterday, now we have blogs and don't need facts.

shame, shame, shame

I really have to object to the implication that Henderson has dirt hands at all. He is an excellent jurist, and has decided not to run for reelection, after being the longest-serving district judge in Collin County.

It's not fair to suggest that he is responsible for, or responsible for covering up, any of the misdeeds of his colleagues.

Unless you have evidence or specific testimony, I would encourage you to refrain making such allegations.

Further, Sandoval was on the bench for a long time. Brewer served on the county court at law bench for 4 years (I think), and has only been on the district court bench (a/k/a a state employee) for 3 years - far less than needed to receive a pension.

Could we being having our own Mark Sanford???

Sounds to me like a certain group has their shorts tightened because he did this without letting the "in" group in on his plans. There is nothing sudden about it. It isn't effective until the Gov makes an appt. If you want to to start investigating all the rumors on everyone, you won't have a soul that will ever run for anything. No one is perfect. The problem with humans is they are human. Stop making things up because you "heard it from someone". 99% of what you "hear" is baloney from big-mouth, know-it all people who have nothing going on in their lives.

It's sad that some people sit out there just hoping for a scandal, hoping for a mistake or hoping for a crisis. It must make them feel better about themselves and their sorry lives.

Boy has this gotten out of control! Judge Brewer is no Sanford nor was he asked to leave or encouraged to leave. He was offered a better position. If I were Judge Brewer, I would want out of Collin County politics too. It is ridiculous the way someone takes a resignation and turns it into this.

God bless anyone who wants to serve in the snake den of partisan politics. From those of us who do vote in every election--blessings to you.

CCR:

I must take exception to your defense of Henderson. He was on the bench for a very long time and had a great deal of practical authority. He could have spoken out at the Board of Judges or spoken with the local leaders such as Shapiro. This is what is often done in other counties. He asked for a position of leadership, was given it, but did not perform. If Henderson was still the LAJ, Sandoval would be a visiting judge and Brewer would not have resigned.

Judge Brewer did some sleezy stuff in private practice. Doesn't surprise me that we did something shady while on the bench. Good riddance.

he will be running for paxtons seat and paxton will be running for shapiros seat and she will be running for kay baileys seat!!!!

GLAD HE IS LEAVING!!! HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN SO MUCH INJUSTICE IN ONE COURTROOM IN MY LIFE!! MAYBE HE SHOULD TAKE SHAPIRO WITH HIM WHO HE SEEMS TO LISTEN TO MORE THAN FOLLOWING THE LAWS SET IN PLACE. THIS COUNTY NEEDS A GOOD JUDGE NOT SOMEONE LIKE BREWER WHO WANTS TO QUOTE AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON HIS PERSONAL LIFE AND HOW SHAPIRO THINKS THE RULINGS SHOULD BE. GOOD RIDDANCE AND I PRAY HE HAS NOTHING MORE TO DO AS FAR AS DEALING WITH PEOPLES LIVES!!!

he should be under investigation---God help us of how many lives he has ruined. hope he stays away from the anything to do with the public

this guy couldn't have messed up more things than he did in my case. unbelievable they let people like him become a judge and we are at his mercy because he wears that robe. not fair and prayers have been answered the day he resigned!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sarcasm]

Since bloggers speak ill of him, he should be executed, drawn, quartered, and his head hung on the town square. His off-spring should have their DNA corrected to remove his seed from future generations.

He is guilty until he proves his innocence.

[/sarcasm]

ROFL

There are reasons that Brewer has chosen to leave his post effective 09-01-09. I doubt that we will ever know the TRUTH surrounding his resignation.

Let's focus on the future of Collin County and Brewer's replacement.

As always, One Judge at a Time.

I thought about Judge Brewer when I read this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/07/AR2009070702711.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Ya know, there's just something fishy about the sudden and unexpected (although perhaps entirely forseeable) resignations of public officials.

There are plenty of rumors circulating about the reasons for Judge Brewer's resignation, the sexiest of which concerns the alleged fixin' by Judge Brewer of a wealthy campaign contributor's DWI arrest in an adjoining county. I'm not sure whether, IF true (emphasis intended), the rumored conduct of Judge Brewer constitutes "judicial misconduct" (see pg. 8 of this link: http://www.scjc.state.tx.us/pdf/rpts/AR-FY07.pdf). Nevertheless, the exertion of influence in County "A" from the bench in County "B" sure seems to me like some kind of misconduct, however characterized.

I'm no judicial ethics expert, and really don't know whether Judge Brewer is even allowed to comment on the existence of any pending investigation by the Texas Judicial Ethics Commission. But if Judge Brewer is legally allowed to confirm or deny the existence of any such investigation (past or present) and continues to say nothing about it, then I will remain free to SUSPECT that Judge Brewer's return to the private sector was not entirely voluntary, and that the parachute he grabbed after being pushed out of the plane was handed to him by a grateful benefactor.

'Nuff said.

For rules relating to the disclosure of judicial ethics investigations, refer to the following:
http://www.courts.state.tx.us/rules/html/08-007.htm

Article V, Section 1-a(10) of the Texas Constitution:

"All papers filed with and proceedings before the Commission or a Master shall be confidential, unless otherwise provided by law, and the filing of papers with, and the giving of testimony before the Commission or a Master shall be privileged, unless otherwise provided by law. However, the Commission may issue a public statement through its executive director or its Chairman at any time during any of its proceedings under this Section when sources other than the Commission cause notoriety concerning a Judge or the Commission itself and the Commission determines that the best interests of a Judge or of the public will be served by issuing the statement."

Texas Government Code Sec. 33.032 ("CONFIDENTIALITY OF PAPERS, RECORDS, AND PROCEEDINGS"):

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section and Section 33.034, the papers filed with and proceedings before the commission are confidential prior to the filing of formal charges.

(b) The formal hearing and any evidence introduced during the formal hearing, including papers, records, documents, and pleadings filed with the clerk, shall be public.

(c) On issuance of a public admonition, warning, reprimand, or public requirement that a person obtain additional training or education by the commission, the record of the informal appearance and the documents presented to the commission during the informal appearance that are not protected by attorney-client or work product privilege shall be public.

(d) The disciplinary record of a judge, including any private sanctions, is admissible in a subsequent proceeding before the commission, a special master, a special court of review, or a review tribunal.

(e) On the filing of a written request by a judge, the commission may release to the person designated in the request, including the judge, the number, nature, and disposition of a complaint filed against the judge with the commission, except that the commission may refuse to release the identity of a complainant.

(f) The commission may release to the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Counsel of the State Bar of Texas information indicating that an attorney, including a judge who is acting in the judge's capacity as an attorney, has violated the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.

(g) If the commission issues an order suspending a judge who has been indicted for a criminal offense, the order, any withdrawal of the order, and all records and proceedings related to the suspension shall be public.

(h) A voluntary agreement to resign from judicial office in lieu of disciplinary action by the commission shall be public on the commission's acceptance of the agreement. The agreement and any agreed statement of facts relating to the agreement are admissible in a subsequent proceeding before the commission. An agreed statement of facts may be released to the public only if the judge violates a term of the agreement."

This wasn't sudden--when you are 40ish and you are given an opportunity to make an outstanding move in your career that benefits your family, you take it. You are in your last 10yrs of growing career stage. If people would think outside the "government" world, you would know that. Judge Brewer is a fine man and doesn't deserve all this noise. But what do you expect from a county GOP that is going to self-destruct with infighting over who's a better "Christian" than the other and a group of Dems who want to put another atheist in our local courts?

Are you nuts "heard enough"? The democrats want to put another atheist in our local courts.? Please tell us who the atheist democrats are. Oh, wait, there are no democrats on a Collin COunty bench. You are an absolutely, positevely, crazy idiot "heard enough" _____ ____ and the horse you rode in on!!!!!

You know - all this talk about Brewer being guilty and has to prove his innocence - sounds like a group of Collin County jurors. You ought to sit in on a jury selection and see how judgmental the people of this County really can be.

A far as Judge Brewer - I understand he is going to go into private practice. I do not agree with everything he has done in his rulings from th bench and have only heard rumors of ethics violations - BUT - he is a good judge and will hold the DA's feet to the fire when it is appropriate. He will be missed by most of the lawyers of Collin County.

sandoval's replacement I believe is agnostic or atheist, but then again, it's just a rumor--not sure why she ran as a repub

Dear Heard Enough,

I suggest that you go away quietly.

If you chose to continue with your blogs I WILL out you. Your intent is to stir up trouble within the Collin County Courts.

my apologies--didn't intend to contribute to the mean spirited rumor mill.

Now I'm just DYING to know who Heard Enough is. The idea of 'outing people' is just terribly exciting!

LET THE CLOSET DOORS SWING OPEN! LOL.

So much for free speech. Let's Out everyone who has ever posted comments on a blog in haste or frustration. Not what our founders would be proud of. It's politics--the kitchen gets hot when people are discouraged. How about both sides get together and figure out a bi-partisan replacement that is agreeable. Not sure that would be really hard to do in our community. We have a lot of great people who are qualified to replace the Judge.

Anon,

Unfortunately, Governor Perry is not likely to seek or appoint a bi-partisan candidate.

Not in Collin County.

Bill

Maybe Greg got the Judges position illegal to start with. You never seen him with a hair out of place. It was all look at me. He knows very little about the judical system. Just look at the people he represented when he was a lawyer. Pretty sorry.

May someone needs to investigate how he ever became a judge. Did someone give him the Judges position for special favors.

All the comments made are useless unless you have evidence to substantiate the misconduct of Judge Greg Brewer. The Texas Constitution defines judicial misconduct as the “willful or persistent violation of rules promulgated by the Supreme Court of Texas, incompetence in performing the duties of the office, willful violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct, or willful or persistent conduct that is clearly inconsistent with the proper performance of his duties or casts public discredit upon the judiciary or administration of justice.”

One could say that Judge Brewer makes up his own rules, determines the outcome of a motion or verdict based on his personal feelings without ever hearing or seeing evidence presented. Speaks out of one side of his mouth and says he will not give “legal advice” then instructs with the other side of his mouth to opposing counsel to implement a legal action. Does that constitute judicial misconduct and abuse of power? Yes, we have rules, regulations, laws and procedures all put into place for JUSTICE. If we wanted our fate to be put into the hands of a man and his feelings then we would have to rely on what day of the week we were placed before him, what he had for breakfast that morning and how his home life was the night before and pray when it came to him making a decision that he would be in a good mood and not have pre-determined opinions. This man made decisions that could and would devastate lives. I for one am grateful he will no longer be on the bench and pray he does not ever return.

What, if anything, is being done to acknowledge WHY Judge Greg Brewer has resigned. He was public in making his decrees and judgments....I want it public for the reason he had to resign.

I agree with serveral of the comments! On serveral occasions, through personal experiences or someone close to me, I have had issues with the collin county judicial system, or shall I say, those who controls it! PERSONAL OPINIONS should not control the LAW! I am sick and tired of not being heard, just because of the way I put my pants on, my haircut or with whom I choose to call my "significant other"! If only OBAMA could see the prejudice in COLLIN COUNTY! If you are a minority, lower-class, or just plain gay, you can pretty much forget receiving ANY fair judgement!

It doesn't matter what ethnicity you are, what your preferences are or how upstanding a citizen you are. All that matters to Mr. Brewer is whether he can a)impress either the prosecuting or defense lawyer (what can it do for him?) b)knows either side formally or informally (what can it do for him?), and c)who his cronies are.
The only lawyers that will miss him in that county are the ones that will now have to win cases based on real and lawful information presented and instead of relying on politics.

And btw - a comment on being "40-ish" and thinking outside the government, working for a private company as legal counsel is a top prize. Remember, being appointed a Judge is the stuff dreams are made of to these men and women, probably all of whom possess higher aspirations.
Really now, why do you think a man at the infancy of his career , on track to higher positions with lots of accolades very recently being placed for the Hood case would abruptly walk away? Hard to imagine that being legal counsel at some company was his golden opportunity. Don't know what he's being accused of and don't really care but something stinks.

I believe I know WHO it is.......

Several people comment that Greg Brewer gave the high wage earner everything plus and gave the low wage earner nothing. It is a sick pattern Greg practices. Even though we celebrate his resignation, he has devastated many innocent people. He is so unbalance, extremely unethical. He did violate the rules while on the bench. I hope someone takes action against him. He has no morals or common sense. He belongs in jail!

GREG BREWER WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION by THE STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT ..for the past year. I know because I FILED THE GRIVANCE.

I hope and pray that the PANDORA'S BOX HAS OPENED on the CORRUPTION IN COLLIN COUNTY which is EQUIVALENT to ORGANIZED CRIME...
FILE GRIEVANCEs WITH THE STATE BAR and STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT....I have opened their eyes to what is going on in CROOKED COLLIN COUNTY. Let's unite and FILE GRIEVANCES....judges need to abide by the CODES OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT....CITIZENS should no longer tolerate misconduct by COLLIN COUNTY ATTORNEYS amd JUDGES.
THEY HAVE MADE a MOCKERY OF JUSTICE for FAR TOO LONG at our expense . The judges have made a lucrative game of fixing cases and criminalizing Poverty.

Voice of Experience:

What are the addresses? I would like to file my grievance.

To file a complaint against and attorney:
http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Client_Attorney_Assistance&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3961

THE OFFICE OF CHIEF DISCIPLINARY COUNSEL
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel
P.O. Box 13287
Austin, Texas 78711

To file a complaint against a judge:

http://www.scjc.state.tx.us/

State Commission on Judicial Conduct
PO Box 12265 Austin
TX 78711-2265
Tel. (512) 463-5533
Toll Free: (877) 228-5750

F.B.I. COMPLAINT The local office for the FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION is conveniently located in downtown Dallas. Call make an appt. and speak with the very friendly and professional FBI agents about CROOKED COLLIN COUNTY.... I believe that what is going on in COLLIN COUNTY rises to criminal activity of ELECTED OFFICIALS. CORRUPTING of a PUBLIC ELECTED OFFICIAL goes on daily in McKinney when the elected Officials/JUDGES allow themselves to be influenced by the good ole boys in the legal GAME in COLLIN COUNTY. OBSTRUCTION of JUSTICE PREVENTING CIVIL PROCESS VIOLATIONS OF DUE PROCESS AND CIVIL RIGHTS Violations are all of INTEREST in a COMPLAINT to the F.B.I. IT'S FREE and it's FUN too. PLUS it WORKS....

I know I am very late to this discussion, but I would like to make two points:

-I heard a rumor that Judge Brewer had made a horrible decision in a family law case - some poor schoolteacher lost her kids and her house because she had a belly button piercing, and had to pay child support to her ex-husband who made four times what she makes. Incrdible! So, I went to the District Clerk's office and looked up the case. As might be expected, the facts were a little different than the rumors. The judge followed the recommendations of the social study, which was conducted by a very well-respected expert. The mother had been spending the night at her boyfriend's house, with the kids, which was very confusing to the children - especially since they knew the divorce was not final. The judge ordered standard child support - which, if the genders were reversed, would not have been questioned. The mom's navel piercing never came up.

2) Judge Brewer and his wife are actual people, with three sons who attend elementary school with my children. No matter what Greg did or didn't do, please stop and think that this is someone's dad you are talking about. Rumors and gossip are hurtful and destructive. If you have action to take, take it - file a complaint. But don't go posting what you don't know is fact on some blog on the internet. It's cowardly.

FYI GUEST... GREG BREWER despite his experience in divorce law .AS AN ATTORNEY..brewer was a terrible JUDGE...ruined parents and families HE committed judicial misconduct many times daily......if you had a legal matter in his court you would see him verry differently .YOU CANNOT MAKE UP what happens in CORRUPT COLLIN COUNTY. OPEN YOUR MIND...

Visitor,

Please cool down the rhetoric.

Bill

FYI BILL...if you would take the time to speak with some dallas attorneys ,,,or any officers of the couret NOT in THE COLLIN CONTY bench bar BILL you would come to realize that COLLIN COUNTY judges including brewer disrespected any person represented by an attorney from out of collin county...THERE IS NO JUSTICE FOR ALL..TAKE MY ADVICE...

Whatgoes around comes around. You reap what you sow, more than you sow and later than you sow.

Why don't you ask which investigative reporters in the Dallas Managed News media are married to power elite attorneys, or which judges have brothers in law on the State Judicial Commission, or which judges and which retired judges belong to the Rotary McKinney Club or have been in practice with each other before they got appointed as judges? Why don't you ask which judges have bank accounts at their pals banks in McKinney under investigation or supervision by the SEC? Why don't you ask which County Clerks are dating which judges or who's ex wife is sleeping with which attorney? There is so much blatant open white collar crime, so many abuses of office and appointment, with so many of these lawyers connected to each other that this continues unchecked until Collin County voters finally hear the truth about what these judges and their attorney friends are doing in the Courts to every unfortunate person in front of them? What everyone should know is that any judge who refuses to allow any person any right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution has committed an act of war against the Constitution which is treason and fraud upon the Court. That judge has broken the law and needs to step down from the bench. Any lawyer who is a sworn Officer of the Court who knows about this and doesn't do anything also commits fraud upon the Court, which is a crime. Check which law firms have members on which section of the State Bar of Texas Committees, especially the Grievance Committee, then try to get that group of lawyers to go after their pals who break the law. The State Judicial Commission does everything in secret, doesn't tell you what they investigate, and don't always even tell you if they finish, so those lawyers who are elected as judges, can easily cover up for their friends and attorneys serving judges as they do. Nothing will change in good ol' Collin County until there is full citizen participation on the State Bar and with the State Judicial Commission so that the white collar crimes, public corruption, abuses of office and appointment, witness tampering and other crimes against we the people are exposed and these attorneys who run the Courts held accountable under law for breaking the law. How many people know that Collin County DA John Roach is the father of State District Judge John Roach? Ask DA Roach if he'll do anything to investigate crimes committed by his son's colleagues, like he is elected to do? Ask local police officers which judges they like for following the law. Ask lawyers' wives like Becky Oliver why they don't go after their husbands' colleagues and expose these attorneys for what they're doing? There are so many questions that the Collin County good ol' boys threaten, intimidate and destroy anyone who dares to ask, no matter what the law is. Ask some of Dallas' most powerful attorneys like Louise Raggio why attorneys in her firm don't take cases in front of the "cowboys" called judges in Collin County, the ones who do everything they can to keep themselves and each other rich and richer off the backs of the taxpayers and litigants in their Courts. Where is our media and why do they stay so silent on this massive corruption that we all know about, all suffer through, yet no one does anything? Wake up Collin County and get involved, know your candidates, and ask your incumbent judges to tell all of us who their college roommates are, which politicians they donated to, who is on retainer with which media outlet, who used to office with which law firm, who is married to which attorney's sister, whose ex wife is sleeping with which judge, all that sort of thing. It's time we took our Courts back, and March 3 2010 is the best way to vote and let these lawyers and judges know that we know, that we're watching and that we all want answers. We the people, of the people, by the people, even in Collin County, rule of law applies and it's time this group of very complacent white collar criminals had to 'fess up. Will be interesting to watch which lawyers and which supporters respond to this post - we can change all of this, and the best way to start is oust every incumbent, get some new judges in, no matter which party, start from scratch with attorneys/judges who know where their loyalty is, and that's to our U.S. Constitution and rule of law, to everyone of us who lives here, to the people and the State of Texas, not the big money interest of the king maker law firms and the people they keep in place to keep us all down. God Bless America, God Bless us, and let's have some justice, some right thinking lawyers and judges who will do what the law says, not what their wallets dictate.

Greg Brewer had no regard for anything except what he wanted, rules and the law be damned. Whatever the reason, it is good thing that he is off the bench. Someone that self-centered and eager to break the rules has no business in public life in any capacity. Good riddance.